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How to enjoy food if you’re living with type 2 diabetes
The FreeStyle Libre 2 system offers real-time glucose readings that can help you to keep eating the foods you love
A type 2 diabetes diagnosis can steal the joy from food, as you may find yourself spending more time checking labels and worrying about whether whatever you’re eating will cause a glucose spike, than focusing on just how good it tastes.
The continuous glucose monitor, which physicians recommend over others, provides real-time glucose readings1,2. So, if a food spikes your glucose more or less than you expected, you can record that on your app. That way, you’ve got a better picture of how you respond to various foods.
Read on to discover how this sensor has helped empower one user to manage her diabetes better – and how, along with the right food combinations, it can help you do that, too3…
Kathryn’s life-changing experience with the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor
Kathryn, 60, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more than 20 years ago. She had managed her diabetes with the same medication for 18 years, before eventually moving onto two units of basal insulin a day, which then increased to four.
“As my condition progressed, the nurse said I would need to increase my insulin, however, she recommended I try the FreeStyle Libre 2 system first to see if I could manage my glucose levels,” says Kathryn.
“Following a one-month trial, I was able to understand the impact different foods would have on my glucose levels. I discovered cheese scones and afternoon tea don’t work for me! It also led me towards making healthier food choices. For example, I now opt to have natural yogurt with seeds and a small amount of fresh fruit for breakfast, instead of cereal.”
After just four months of using the FreeStyle Libre 2 system, Kathryn’s hemoglobin A1C, also known as glycated or glycosylated hemoglobin, had dropped to within the recommended guidance levels, and she was able to come off insulin under the guidance of her healthcare team.
“The sensor is very discreet and has given me so much more confidence,” she says. “I like to view my Time in Range and try to stay in green with 80%+ and less than 5% in the dark orange. I also like the notes features – so I can keep track of my food, my walks and my exercise levels.
“The benefits that I’ve gained from using the FreeStyle Libre 2 system are innumerable... it has changed my life. It provides me with a constant learning curve with real-time information that I can act upon immediately to feel in control of my diabetes.”
How the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor can help you
The FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor is easy to use and comfortable to wear for up to 15 days4, and it doesn’t involve any fingerpricks5.
It monitors your glucose levels continuously, giving you accurate6 and reliable real-time readings every minute, to help you identify which foods keep your glucose levels in range, and which ones may cause it to spike.
This data allows you to see the impact of every meal, every workout and every dose – replacing diabetes guesswork with continuous measurements.
You can also set optional minute-to-minute alarms to stay one step ahead7, and check your levels when you’re on the go, with a quick glance at your smartphone8,9. And you can even wear it while bathing, swimming10 or doing any other form of exercise, and each one can last up to 15 days.
Why you should try food pairing along with a FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor
If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, you may think some foods are off the table for you now, but food affects everyone individually, and what makes one person’s glucose spike, may not be the case for someone else.
With the knowledge the FreeStyle Libre 2 system’s system’s real-time glucose readings provide, you may discover that you don’t need to give up the foods you enjoy, especially when you incorporate food pairing into your approach.
Why? Because when you pair carbohydrate foods with protein or fat, they can help curb a glucose spike. So, for example, bananas are often perceived to make blood glucose levels rise but eating them with yogurt or peanut butter can help you manage them.
The same is true of grapes when accompanied by a handful of almonds or walnuts. Meanwhile, toast can be paired with cheese, egg and peanut butter, and oats or porridge with nuts, seeds, milk or yogurt.
Give it a try yourself – it may help you rediscover some of your old favourite foods!
Want to see how the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor can help you? Order a free sample today
Images are for illustrative purposes only. Not actual patients or data.
1. Patient satisfaction and physician preferences reported for FreeStyle Libre 2, Dexcom G6/G5/G4, Eversense, Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3 and Enlite Sensor, and Medtrum A6TouchCare.
2. Varughese, B. Diabetes Stoffw Herz 30 (2021): 231-242.
3. The information provided is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional about your diabetes management. Individual symptoms, situations and circumstances may vary.
4. Haak, T. Diabetes Therapy (2017): https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-016-0223-6.
5. Finger pricks are required if glucose readings do not match symptoms or expectations.
6. Alva et al. Diabetes SciTechnol (2025): https://doi.org/10.1177/19322968251329364
7. Notifications will only be received when alarms are turned on and the sensor is within 6 metres unobstructed of the reading device.
8. The FreeStyle LibreLink app is only compatible with certain mobile devices and operating systems. Please check the website for more information about device compatibility before using the app. Use of FreeStyle LibreLink may require registration with LibreView.
9. Glucose readings are automatically displayed in the FreeStyle LibreLink app only when the smartphone and sensor are connected and in range.
10. Sensor is water-resistant in up to 1m (3ft) of water. Do not immerse longer than 30 mins.
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