What to Eat (and Limit) if You're Taking a GLP-1 and Have Type 2 Diabetes

That can be a good thing for your blood sugar level (fewer big meals means fewer blood sugar spikes), but it can also introduce an additional challenge: eating enough nutrients to protect your heart health, muscle mass, and metabolic health.

While the right foods — such as nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods, including lean protein, low-fat meat and dairy, and fruits and vegetables — can help you meet your health goals, the wrong ones can cause blood sugar spikes and worsen some of the more common side effects from the medication, such as nausea and digestive discomfort.

How GLP-1s Affect Appetite When You Have Type 2 Diabetes

GLP-1 medications work similarly in people who are taking them for type 2 diabetes as they do in people taking them for weight loss, although the research is still ongoing, says Jennifer Nasser, PhD, RD, an associate professor of nutrition sciences at Drexel University in Philadelphia and spokesperson for the Obesity Society.

Despite this, people with type 2 diabetes tend to lose less weight on a GLP-1 than people who don’t have the condition, and for reasons that aren’t quite clear, says Silvana Obici, MD, chief of the division of endocrinology at Stony Brook Medicine and medical director of the Stony Brook University Hospital Diabetes Center in New York.

What to Eat While Taking a GLP-1

The best foods to eat on a GLP-1 are those that are rich in protein, fiber, and other healthy nutrients. That can look a little different for everyone, though, depending on their dietary preferences and needs.

Take stock of what you’re eating and when for at least the first few months, says Dr. Nasser. That will help you figure out which foods you may need more of and learn how your diet is impacting your blood sugar.

Prioritize Protein-Rich Foods

Obici recommends consuming 60 to 75 grams of protein a day to preserve lean mass during weight loss. To make sure that you’re getting your fill, try to eat them first in a meal. When possible, opt for protein from plants (beans, lentils, and whole grains), dairy, seafood, and eggs over protein from red and processed meats, says Obici.

Eat Plenty of Fiber

Complex carbs, including nonstarchy vegetables and whole fruit, are rich in fiber, micronutrients, and water, but have relatively few calories — something that’s important when you’re eating fewer total calories overall, says Obici. “Fiber also helps manage GLP-1–associated constipation, adds Obici.

Experiment With Food Pairings and Meal Timing

Pairing carbohydrates with protein, fiber, or healthy fats may also help improve satiety and stabilize blood sugar after meals. “To control blood glucose spikes, combine protein with carbohydrates, like rice with beans, or cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit,” says Nasser.

Include Small Doses of Healthy Fats

Dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese are also “important for calcium and vitamin D, nutrients at particular risk of deficiency during GLP-1 therapy, given reduced overall food intake,” she says.

What to Avoid While Taking a GLP-1

While no food is strictly forbidden, certain foods can worsen the medication’s side effects or make it harder to control your blood sugar if you have type 2 diabetes.

“Different foods and combinations of foods can cause blood glucose spikes,” says Nasser. “One way to know which foods affect you in this way is to use a continuous glucose monitor and look at what a certain food or combination of foods does to your blood glucose level within 30 minutes.”

Limit Highly Processed, Sugary Foods

Cut Back on Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and baked goods digest quickly and may lead to sharper postmeal blood sugar spikes, says Nassar. Larger portions can also feel heavier or less satisfying to someone whose appetite is already suppressed by a GLP-1.

Avoid Heavy, High-Fat Meals

Eat Fewer Ultra-Processed Convenience Foods

How to Maintain a Healthy Diet and Stay on Track

Even the best-laid plans can be hard to stick to if you’re feeling nauseated or full. Here are a few ways to stay on track.

• Keep a food journal. To be successful in the long term, be aware of what and when you eat, says Nassar. “Start out by jotting down the time and name of the foods that you eat in a day for the first few weeks on the medication, then look for any patterns,” she says. “A return of appetite doesn’t mean the medication isn’t controlling your blood glucose.”
• Keep moving. “Physical activity is effective when performed in three bouts of 10 minutes and can deliver health benefits,” says Nasser. “You don’t have to do 30 minutes a day in one session.”
• Indulge yourself occasionally. It’s perfectly fine to eat an occasional treat while taking a GLP-1, as long as your diet is healthy overall, says Obici. “Rigid restrictions often undermine the long-term adherence to a healthier dietary plan,” says Obici.
• Consult with health professionals. “Ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a registered dietitian and exercise physiologist to get professional support for your health journey using GLP-1 medications,” Nasser says.