Eating Diabetes-Friendly Latin Food Is Possible

Type 2 diabetes is a common health challenge among the Latino community. Here’s how to enjoy your favorite family recipes while managing your blood sugar.

If you come from a Latino family and you’re diagnosed with diabetes, you’re not alone. Research tells us that Latinos have a greater risk compared to non-Hispanic white people.

A common reaction is to blame food, such as carb-heavy tortillas and rice. But the truth is that nutrition is just one factor that can contribute to your risk.

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Diabetes risk factors

In 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health reported that Hispanic adults were 60% more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. Healthcare access and food insecurity can increase the risk for diabetes in several ways.

Healthcare access

Researchers have identified a lack of health insurance and limited access to care among the most important contributors that have the power to change disparities in undiagnosed diabetes.

They used data from 1,883 Hispanic or Latino adults ages 20 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2005–2018). The data showed that 18.3% of these people were uninsured in 2020, the highest number of any racial or ethnic group.

This can often be the difference between diagnosing someone still in the prediabetes stage and not diagnosing someone with diabetes until they’re well into the progression of the disease.

Food insecurity

Food insecurity refers to when a household doesn’t have reliable, consistent access to food.

In a 2022 research study that examined Latinos in California with incomes 200% below the poverty line, researchers found that food insecurity status was associated with type 2 diabetes and contributed to how they managed their disease.

Those born in the United States and longer-stay immigrants (defined as 10 years or more in the country) had a higher risk of having type 2 diabetes while food insecure compared to their counterparts with no food insecurity.

The researchers reviewed other publications and found that people who experience food insecurity are less likely to:

• fill diabetes prescriptions
• use new needles
• monitor glucose levels regularly
• follow a diabetes-friendly diet
• manage A1C levels

Other disparities

Latinos experience higher rates of food insecurity and are more likely to have a low income. However, this doesn’t explain all the reasons why we see higher rates of diabetes and issues with managing diabetes in the Latino community.

Another factor to consider is differences in resources available. Are they offered in multiple languages?

Even if the information is in the language someone feels most comfortable speaking, does it fit into Latin culture? For instance, nutrition guides for diabetes may neglect to mention popular Latin foods, meaning Latinos have to do extra work to apply the information they receive to their own lives.

Common mistakes when managing diabetes and eating Latin food

While Latin food may not be the main reason why Latinos are at higher risk of developing diabetes, nutrition is still an important piece of managing diabetes.

First, it’s important to note that Latin food has a lot of variety. What all Latin food has in common, though, is that it can be balanced, healthy — and, yes — diabetes-friendly.

This is where a lot of people will get confused and start to name the problems they see with a Latin diet.

Maybe they think it’s too high in carbohydrates or too low in vegetables. The truth is, these are misconceptions about Latin food and about what’s needed to manage diabetes.

Eating too many, or not enough, carbs

The foundation of a diabetes-friendly diet is a balance between the major nutrients: protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. A common mistake people will make is eating a diet too high in carbohydrates while neglecting protein and fat, allowing blood sugar to spike.

People may also be too nervous to eat carbohydrates and completely remove them, leading to low blood sugar episodes (and perhaps an eventual spike as your body tries to compensate).

Cutting out all carbohydrates isn’t the answer. However, how and when you eat carbohydrates, fiber, and protein can affect your blood sugar.

Skimping on fiber

Another common mistake people will make when managing diabetes is neglecting fiber, which slows down our blood sugar response and keeps us full between meals.

The quality of your carbs also matters. For example, you may want to avoid refined carbs, which are low in fiber or have added sugars. They also have a lower glycemic index (GI) score, meaning they allow for a slower rise in blood sugar. However, complex carbs are a great source of fiber with fewer added sugars and feature a higher GI score.

The good news? One 2024 perspective article suggests that many of your favorite staples from a Latin diet include complex carbs. However, it’s important to note that modern Latin diets that have been adopted by Western cultures may have less nutritional value. A good rule of thumb is to always check on ingredients and nutrition labels when possible.

Not recognizing ‘hidden’ carbs

Did you know there are hidden carbs on your plate? For example, many Latin diets are high in delicious, healthy fruits, but oftentimes, people with diabetes don’t realize that fruits contain carbs.

It’s important to eat carbohydrates, but it’s also important to know all their different sources so you can balance them with protein and fiber.

3 tips for managing diabetes while eating traditional Latin foods

To manage your diabetes, incorporate the following tips into your diet:

Serve carbs at the same time as protein, fat, and fiber

This allows you to get the energy and nutrients from the carbohydrates while also slowing down the body’s blood sugar response.

For example, instead of having a fruit batido with a piece of pan dulce for breakfast, try serving it with scrambled eggs and salsa.

Stick to 1 to 2 carb servings per meal

This includes fruits and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn.

Consider discussing the exact number of carbohydrates you need to eat at mealtime with your dietitian. To get started, try learning about all the different sources of carbohydrates, including fruits and veggies.

For example, instead of serving carne molida con papas with rice, beans, and tortillas on the side, try serving it with one portion of rice and beans mixed together and a tomato and avocado salad on the side.

Try the plate method

Carb counting can be challenging. Instead, the plate method asks you to balance your meals by dividing your plate this way:

• 1/4 starch
• 1/4 protein
• 1/2 nonstarchy vegetables

This ensures a good balance of carbs and protein without counting portions.

For example, instead of serving your plate with 1/2 rice and 1/2 ropa vieja with a few extra slices of plantains on top, try serving your plate like this:

• 1/4 rice and plantains together
• 1/4 ropa vieja
• 1/2 green side salad

The takeaway

A Latin diet can be rich in whole grains, fiber, lean proteins, and vegetables — all key parts of a diabetes-friendly diet.

It’s easy to feel like living with diabetes means we have to completely overhaul what we eat and give up everything we used to eat before the diagnosis.

Remember, a diet doesn’t stop with food. What you drink also matters. It’s a good idea to check with your healthcare team and read nutrition labels to ensure cultural beverages like agua fresca and hibiscus tea are often made with sugar or agave. Using a sugar substitute like stevia or monk fruit can help you enjoy these beverages in a blood sugar-friendly way.

However, the truth is, some simple tweaks, like pairing carbs with protein and managing portion sizes (as discussed with your healthcare professional), can keep you eating your favorite Latin foods while managing diabetes.

Article originally appeared on September 17, 2020, on Bezzy’s sister site, Healthline. Last medically reviewed on September 15, 2025.