Diabetes Friendly Diet: A Guide to Eating Healthier in Singapore

Singapore has a diabetes problem. 9.1% of Singaporeans aged 18 to 74 years, or 1 in 11 Singaporeans, are affected by diabetes. Equally worrying, an estimation of up to 430,000 Singaporeans currently have prediabetes and are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes within 8 years. If you're reading this, you're likely part of that statistic, or you know someone who is.​

If you currently have Type 1 diabetes, remember that you are not at fault. It's an autoimmune condition where the body mistakenly attacks insulin-producing cells, and science hasn’t yet found the cause for this. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it, but it is important to remain hopeful, and know that you can manage it safely with the right nutrition, medicine, and activities.

On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes is something that develops based on the choices you make, day after day, meal after meal. If your choices can create risks, your choices can also reduce them.

Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, what you eat directly impacts your blood sugar control, energy levels, and long-term health outcomes. In this guide, Vigor helps you learn what proper nutrition looks like in everyday groceries or at your favorite food stalls and restaurants.

What Is Proper Nutrition For Diabetes Management and Why Does It Matter?

When you have diabetes, food becomes medicine. Every meal either helps stabilize your blood sugar and prevent complications, or destabilizes it and accelerates disease progression. However, try not to think your diet is about restriction or suffering; it's about understanding how different foods affect your body and making informed choices that work within your lifestyle.

Research shows that people with diabetes who receive proper nutrition education and self-management support have measurable improvements in their blood sugar control (HbA1c), energy levels, and disease outcomes. They also have significantly lower mortality rate and healthcare costs. It is clear that taking good care of your diet now will pay off remarkably in the future, improving your quality of life and reducing risks and costs of hospital admissions or continuous treatment.

Understanding Blood Sugar: The Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Before we dive into specific foods, you need to understand these crucial concepts: the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL). 

Glycemic Index (GI) is simply a measure of how quickly a food raises your blood sugar after you eat it.

• Low GI foods (55 or lower) break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into your bloodstream. This creates a stable, gentle rise in blood sugar. Examples include whole grains, legumes, most vegetables, and some fruits.

• Medium GI foods (56-69) create a moderate rise in blood sugar. These include sweet potatoes, basmati rice, pineapple, and whole wheat bread.

• High GI foods (70 or higher) break down rapidly, causing a sharp spike in blood sugar. Your pancreas responds by flooding your bloodstream with insulin. This spike-crash cycle leaves you tired, hungry, and more likely to overeat.​

Glycemic Load (GL) measures the total impact when you account for portion size.  Some foods have moderate GI but high GL because you often eat them in large quantities, and vice versa. For example, watermelon has a GI of 76 (high), but most people eat small portions, so the GL is moderate. White rice, however, has a GI of 73, and most people eat 1-2 cups per meal (roughly 150-300 grams), creating a high GL that dramatically spikes blood sugar.

When you have diabetes, your body either can't produce enough insulin or can't use it effectively. High GI and GL force your already-struggling system to work even harder. Over time, this speeds up disease progression and increases complications like nerve damage, kidney disease, and heart disease.

The solution is to control your portion, prioritize low and medium GI foods, and pair high GI foods with protein, fat, and fiber to slow their impact.. This is where you can take control.

The Macronutrient Plan: Carbs, Protein, and Fats

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that most directly impacts blood sugar. But this doesn't mean cutting them out; it means choosing the right ones and controlling portions.

The goal is roughly 45-65% of your daily calories from carbohydrates, but these should primarily be low-to-medium GI sources. Focus on:​

• Whole grains: brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, quinoa, barley

• Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans (high in fiber and protein too)

• Non-starchy vegetables: broccoli, spinach, peppers, carrots, green beans

• Fruits: berries, apples, oranges (with skin for fiber)

Aim for 30g of carbohydrates per main meal, and 15-20g for snacks. If you don't eat snacks, you can go up to 50-60g per meal. To visualize this, think of carbs taking up roughly a quarter of your plate.

Protein

Protein does something carbohydrates alone cannot: it slows down digestion. When you eat protein, your stomach takes longer to empty it into your small intestine, which means glucose enters your bloodstream more gradually. This stability is critical for diabetes management.​

Additionally, protein helps you feel full longer, reducing the urge to overeat and snack. This naturally helps with weight management and blood sugar control.​

Aim for roughly 15-20% of your daily calories from protein. Good sources include:​

• Lean meats (chicken, turkey, lean beef)

• Fish (especially fatty fish like salmon and sardines for omega-3s)

• Eggs

• Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)

• Nuts and seeds

• Dairy products (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese)

• Tofu and soy products

Fats

Here's where many people get confused. Fats don't spike blood sugar directly, but eating excessive amounts can contribute to insulin resistance over time. The key is choosing the right fats.

Aim for roughly 20-35% of your daily calories from fat, focusing on unsaturated fats:​

• Monounsaturated fat (olive oil, avocados, nuts) reduce prediabetes and diabetes risk by 25-49%​

• Polyunsaturated fats (fatty fish, seeds, nut oils) reduce diabetes risk by 37-66%​

Limit saturated fats (butter, high-fat dairy, fatty meats) and avoid trans fats entirely.

Food Pairing

The principle is simple: when you eat carbohydrates alongside protein, healthy fat, and fiber, they slow down each other's digestion. Your stomach takes longer to empty, your intestines absorb glucose more gradually, and your blood sugar rises slowly and steadily instead of spiking sharply.

This means you can eat your normal meals, including carbs, as long as you're strategic about what you combine them with. For example, instead of just eating white rice with curry, eat white rice with curry in moderation and a side of steamed fish or tofu, plus extra vegetables. Better yet, opt for brown rice, but we will go into swaps clearer in the next section.

High-GI Foods That Spike Blood Sugar and How to Swap Them: Singapore Edition

Supermarket Groceries

Let’s take a look at what's sitting on your supermarket shelves right now. Many everyday grocery items are silent blood sugar spikers because they're refined carbohydrates with minimal fiber. The refining process strips away the nutrients and fiber that slow down glucose absorption, leaving behind carbohydrates that enter your bloodstream quickly. 

The good news is nearly every high-GI grocery item has a diabetes-friendly alternative sitting right next to it on the shelf. Here are the swaps that make the biggest difference:

High-GI Supermarket Item	Low-GI Alternative	Why It Works
White Bread (GI ~73)	Whole Grain Bread or Sourdough (GI ~50-55)	Higher fiber content slows digestion; more nutrients
Instant Oatmeal (GI ~79)	Steel-Cut or Rolled Oats (GI ~50-55)	Larger particle size means slower breakdown; steadier energy
White Pasta (GI ~73)	Whole Wheat Pasta (GI ~42) or Lentil Pasta (GI ~32)	Higher fiber and protein; lentil pasta has 3x the protein
White Rice (GI ~80)	Brown Rice (GI ~68) or Quinoa (GI ~53)	More fiber, nutrients, and protein; brown rice is 30% slower
Sweetened Yogurt (GI ~60+)	Plain Greek Yogurt (GI ~11)	Less sugar; much higher protein
Breakfast Cereal (GI ~70-80)	Steel-Cut Oats or Oatmeal (GI ~50-55)	Whole grain; higher fiber; can add nuts and berries
Sugary Drinks	Unsweetened Tea, Coffee, or Infused Water	Zero sugar; zero blood sugar impact
Fruit Juice (GI ~70+)	Whole Fruit (GI ~40-50)	Fiber slows absorption; more satisfying; fewer calories
Regular Muffin (GI ~70+)	Oat-Based Muffin with Berries	Whole grains + fiber + natural sweetness
Ice Cream (GI ~61)	Greek Yogurt + Berries or Frozen Yogurt Popsicles (GI ~20-30)	More protein, less sugar, lower GI
Flavored Crackers & Chips	Whole Grain Crackers + Hummus (GI ~6-20)	Fiber + protein from chickpeas; much more filling
Candy	Berries or Dark Chocolate (70%+ cocoa) (GI ~22-45)	Natural sweetness; antioxidants; much lower GI

Read more: Glycemic Index Chart for Common Foods

Singapore Hawker Food

Let’s be honest; in Singapore, you eat hawker food. It's delicious, affordable, and part of our culture. The problem is many beloved dishes will spike your blood sugar, high and fast:

• Nasi Lemak might be one of Singapore's most iconic dishes, but also one of the worst for blood sugar. The combination of white rice (GI ~80) cooked in coconut milk (GI ~96) creates a dish with a GI equivalent to pure glucose.

• Char Kway Teow is equally questionable. Flat rice noodles are refined carbs with high GI, combined with oil and sweet sauce that adds more glucose. You're looking at 60-80 grams of carbohydrates in a typical serving.

• White rice-heavy dishes in general - whether it's economic rice plates, chicken rice, or rice soup - are designed around white rice as the main component. White rice has a GI of roughly 80, meaning your blood sugar rises nearly as fast as if you ate pure sugar.

• Curry puffs, fried spring rolls, and goreng pisang all combine refined carbs with deep frying. Bubble tea and drinks are particularly dangerous; a single serving may be containing up to 38 grams of sugar. 

However, Singapore's hawker centres still offer genuinely diabetes-friendly options. You just need to know what to order and how to customize them.

• Thunder Tea Rice is a standout option. A typical serving contains roughly 15 grams of fiber, and is packed with non-starchy vegetables, tofu, nuts, and legumes. The key customization is to order it with brown rice instead of white rice. 

• Fish Soup with Brown Rice is another excellent choice. Clear fish broth is naturally low in carbs and sodium compared to creamy curries. The fish provides lean protein, and vegetables in the soup add fiber. Again, request brown rice instead of white rice. Ask for more vegetables and fish if the portions seem small. 

• Yong Tau Foo (stuffed vegetables and tofu in soup) offers great customization. You can load your plate with tofu, vegetables, and avoid the deep-fried items. Tofu is a complete plant-based protein with minimal carbs and fiber-rich properties. Stick to items cooked in clear broth rather than thick, starchy gravy. 

• Popiah (fresh spring rolls) are vegetable-forward with a thin wrapper, making them lower in carbs than fried alternatives. They're typically filled with vegetables and sometimes tofu or shrimp.

• Unsweetened soy milk is a better option than sweetened condensed milk-based drinks. A glass provides plant-based protein without the sugar spike.

Vigor's Nutrition Coaching: Personalized Guidance for Diabetes Management

Understanding principles is one thing; actually implementing them - especially in a rich food culture like Singapore - is easier said than done. This is where our professional guidance can make a difference.

Vigor is Singapore's first medically-directed fitness centre, and one of the services we offer is tailored Nutrition Coaching. Unlike generic diet plans, our nutrition coaching is personalized to your lifestyle, preferences, and specific health goals. Our registered nutrition specialists work with you to:

• Assess your current eating patterns and identify which foods are spiking your blood sugar

• Understand your lifestyle and food preferences (don’t worry, we're not going to tell you to stop eating hawker food)

• Develop sustainable strategies that work within your culture and budget

• Learn practical food choices for your favorite dishes

• Monitor your progress with your blood sugar markers (HbA1c, fasting glucose)

• Adjust your plan based on what actually works for your body

What makes Vigor different is that our nutrition coaching works together with our medically-directed fitness programs. When you combine proper nutrition with regular exercise, your insulin sensitivity improves dramatically. Our physiotherapist-led group classes like BOOST (cardiovascular training) and POWER (strength training) complement nutrition coaching by helping your body use glucose more efficiently. We address diabetes from multiple angles: food intake, physical fitness, and medical monitoring.

Ready to take control of your blood sugar and your health? Contact Vigor today to schedule your nutrition coaching consultation.