Brad Shaw
If you live with Type 2 Diabetes, you’ll know the daily routine: finger-pricks, label-reading, and that suspicious moment when a “healthy” snack starts behaving like a dessert in disguise. Enter Dr Sarah Brewer, who has laid out a practical list of foods that can help support blood sugar balance—alongside a rogues’ gallery of everyday products that quietly smuggle sugar into your day when you’re not looking.
Dr Brewer, who sits on the medical advisory board for CuraLin, says the real win for people managing Type 2 Diabetes is stacking small, sensible choices that add up—more of the foods that support heart and metabolic health, fewer of the “looks-innocent-until-you-read-the-label” offenders.
The foods that can help—without turning life into a joyless spreadsheet
This isn’t about surviving on lettuce and regret. Dr Brewer’s picks lean on a familiar theme: fibre, antioxidants, healthy fats, and compounds linked with improved glucose control and cardiovascular protection—key concerns for Type 2 Diabetes.
Nuts, fruit, and the “good stuff” you can actually enjoy
Almonds get the nod as a source of monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and antioxidant compounds—Dr Brewer notes that “Eating a handful (68g/2.4oz) per day lowers LDL-cholesterol and raises HDL-cholesterol enough to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 12%.”
Apples also make the list, described as rich in antioxidant flavonoids, with Dr Brewer highlighting research linking daily apple consumption with a lower likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
And yes, there’s a sweet-tooth olive branch: dark chocolate—but only the serious, grown-up kind. Dr Brewer advises choosing dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids (or unsweetened cocoa), pointing to evidence around blood pressure, insulin resistance, and glucose impact.
Spices and kitchen staples with metabolic credibility
You don’t need a PhD—just a spice rack. Cinnamon is included for its lab-observed effects on insulin secretion, with Dr Brewer noting that “1g per day can improve blood glucose levels by 10% in people with type 2 diabetes.”
Then there’s garlic, credited here for effects on blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose, plus research suggesting aged garlic may help inhibit glycated proteins—one of those words that sounds like a villain in a Marvel film, but matters in long-term Type 2 Diabetes management.
Ginger appears as another staple with compounds linked to circulation, blood pressure and insulin-related activity, with preliminary research also touching on diabetes-related kidney damage.
Colour on the plate, fewer surprises in the numbers
Dr Brewer points to yellow/orange fruit and vegetables—carotenoid-rich options such as carrots, sweet potatoes, guava, mango and pumpkin—citing links between higher carotenoid intake and better glucose tolerance.
Tomatoes earn their place thanks to lycopene (especially available when cooked), with Dr Brewer highlighting potential benefits around platelet clumping and LDL oxidation—again, the heart-health thread that keeps popping up for good reason with Type 2 Diabetes.
Drinks and plant proteins that pull their weight
Tea lovers, rejoice. Dr Brewer flags green and white tea for catechins that may increase insulin sensitivity, and references findings in people with Type 2 Diabetes drinking oolong tea daily.
For protein, tofu is included—particularly soy-based diets noted for kidney function support and LDL-cholesterol reductions in research cited in the release.
The Mediterranean effect—and why it keeps winning
There’s also olive oil, praised as a key part of a Mediterranean-style diet associated with reduced blood pressure and coronary heart disease risk. Dr Brewer’s list goes big here, stating that following an olive-oil rich Mediterranean-style diet is “predicted to prevent over 90% of type 2 diabetes, 80% of coronary heart disease and 70% of stroke when combined with regular physical activity and not smoking.”
That’s not a small claim—and it’s also a useful reminder that Type 2 Diabetes management rarely comes down to one “magic” food. It’s pattern, consistency, and the boring brilliance of doing the basics well.
The hidden sugars that catch people out
Now for the part that makes you want to march into your kitchen and interrogate the pantry like a detective with a warrant.
Low-fat yoghurt: the health halo that can hide a sugar bomb
Dr Brewer warns that low-fat fruit yoghurts may add sugar for flavour and “mouth feel,” noting that a 6oz (170g) yogurt can contain “as much as 32g sugar.” Her advice: check labels, choose the lowest sugar option, and add flavour yourself with berries, nuts, or unsweetened muesli.
And she shares a personal favourite exactly as follows:
“My favourite Fage Total yoghurt (5% fat) has no added sugar and contains only naturally occurring milk sugar (lactose), providing just 3g sugar (plus 9g protein) per 100g and is delicious and creamy enough to eat on its own.”
Tomato soup: savoury… until it isn’t
A single serving of tinned tomato soup can contain “as much as 12g free sugar (3 teaspoonfuls).” Dr Brewer suggests comparing labels—or making your own with fresh tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, stock and herbs.
Flavoured water: the “surely this is fine” trap
Not always. Dr Brewer notes some brands can contain “as much as 13g sugar per serving (237g).” Her workaround is brilliantly simple: DIY infusion—cucumber, mint, lime—plus the option of bottles designed for fruit slots.
Cereal bars: small wrappers, big numbers
Dr Brewer highlights how “seemingly healthy” cereal bars can carry hefty sugar totals, with examples ranging from 13g in a small bar to 39g in a larger one. The core advice is straightforward: read labels, choose lower sugar and energy values, and rethink portion sizes—especially if you’re managing Type 2 Diabetes and your snack routine has quietly become a second breakfast.
Community support: the bit no nutrition label can give you
Dr Brewer also recommends joining the CuraLin Facebook Community, leaning into the reality that Type 2 Diabetes is as much a mental load as it is metabolic maths:
“If you or friends are diabetic, then you might be dealing with both the physical impact of type 2 diabetes as well as the mental side of it, too. From doctor appointments to restricting your diet, the restraints and worries of the disease can have a huge effect.
Luckily, online communities exist that offer extra support from individuals who are experiencing the same thing! CuraLin has a wonderful community on Facebook with over 10,000 members who are sharing their successes and tips, search ‘winning type 2 diabetes together’ to join.”
CuraLin: the supplement Dr Brewer backs
CuraLin is described in the release as “a specially tailored natural formula that promotes healthy and balanced blood sugar levels and insulin production in those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes,” made from a blend of ten natural ingredients.
Dr Sarah Brewer recommends CuraLin for those suffering with type 2 diabetes due to the positive effects reported and measured by its users. Dr Brewer explains, “The blend of 10 Ayurvedic herbs within CuraLin have a range of beneficial effects on glucose control and metabolism.
As a result, users report that their glucose control quickly improves and, in some cases, normalises within 4 weeks. Users also report reduced cravings for sweet food, and experience improved energy, sleep and general quality of life.”
