Diabetes-friendly meal delivery in Lagos
With type 2 diabetes, what is on the plate moves your blood sugar more than almost anything else. Our dietitians build plates that keep the carbohydrate steady and the protein and fibre high, using the Nigerian food you already eat.
Plates for diabetes this week
Calories, protein, carbs and fat per plate, worked out by our dietitians.
Why food matters for diabetes
- Carbohydrate is what raises blood sugar after a meal. The amount matters, and so does the type: slower carbohydrates with fibre release sugar gradually instead of in a spike.
- Pairing carbohydrate with protein, vegetables and some fat slows how fast it is absorbed, so the same portion of rice or swallow has a gentler effect on your readings.
- Steady meals at regular times make readings more predictable, which helps you and your doctor see what your medication is doing.
What we do on the plate
Measured carbohydrate
Rice, swallow and yam come in set portions, so you are not guessing. The carbs are printed on every card.
Lower GI choices
Ofada and brown rice, beans, unripe plantain and oat or wheat swallow in place of the fastest-acting starches.
Protein and vegetables first
Every plate carries a solid portion of protein and a generous side of vegetables to slow the sugar down.
No hidden sugar
No sweetened sauces or glazes, and no sugary drinks bundled in.
Nigerian food swaps for diabetes
Small changes to the food you already eat. Our plates are built this way already.
| Instead of | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A large heap of white rice | Ofada or brown rice, a fist-sized portion, half the plate vegetablesLess carbohydrate per plate and more fibre to slow it down | Less carbohydrate per plate and more fibre to slow it down |
| Pounded yam or eba | Unripe plantain, oat or wheat swallow, in a smaller wrapMore fibre, slower rise in blood sugar | More fibre, slower rise in blood sugar |
| Fried ripe plantain (dodo) | Boiled or roasted unripe plantainRipe plantain is much sweeter; frying adds fat without slowing the sugar | Ripe plantain is much sweeter; frying adds fat without slowing the sugar |
| Malt, soft drinks or sweetened zobo | Water, or zobo with no added sugarSugary drinks raise blood sugar fastest of all | Sugary drinks raise blood sugar fastest of all |
| White bread and tea for breakfast | Moi moi or eggs with vegetablesProtein in the morning keeps readings steadier into the afternoon | Protein in the morning keeps readings steadier into the afternoon |
Want a plan made for you?
Sito Metabolic Health Clinic
Need a plan made for you? Sito's dietitians and doctors care for diabetes in person in Lekki and online.
Questions about diabetes and food
Plates tagged diabetes friendly are built by our dietitians to be lower GI with measured carbohydrate, and the carbs are printed on every card. They are a support for your plan, not a replacement for your doctor's advice or medication.
Yes. Our diabetes friendly plates keep Nigerian staples and control the portion and what they are served with, which is what makes the difference.
Many people start with lunch and dinner on weekdays, ten plates. Our 60 second meal plan quiz sets a calorie and protein target and suggests a week that fits.
If you test at home, check as your doctor advises. Steadier meals often show up in your readings, and if you are on insulin or sulfonylureas, speak to your doctor before changing how you eat, as doses may need adjusting.
Fuel meals support a healthy diet and are not a treatment or a substitute for medical advice. If you take medication for blood sugar or blood pressure, are pregnant, or have kidney disease, speak to your doctor or a dietitian before changing how you eat.