If you are one of the millions of people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, odds are your diet has taken on a new set of restrictions out of necessity. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness in which sugar or glucose more specifically can build up in the bloodstream, and the insulin which normally brings sugar into the bloodstream has a harder time doing so. The most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes are frequent urination, increased thirst, fatigue, constant hunger, blurry vision and more.

To minimize these symptoms, diabetics are typically urged to control their sugar intake and stay away from some of the following foods:

1. Sugary beverages
This is one of the worst things not just for a diabetic but anyone to consume. Not only do sugary drinks dehydrate you, but they can also create metabolic changes to the body that lead to belly fat and dangerous cholesterol levels. For type 2 diabetics though, this high intake of liquid sugar can lead to insulin resistance.

2. White bread, pasta, and rice
These products are high carb and tend to also be high processed foods that even without sugar themselves can lead to blood sugar spikes. More importantly these are also low fiber foods, which is what a body needs to prevent absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

3. Fruit flavored yogurt
While plain yogurt and other sugar free dairy products by themselves are good for diabetics, any products that become flavored are rarely by natural fruit and tend to use high amounts of preservatives and added sugars. So, while yogurt by itself is a nutritional asset, these added flavors can do damage to a diabetic’s insulin levels.

4. Sugary cereals
While breakfast cereal has always had a rap for providing a nutritional start to a person’s day, the reality is that cereals come in different shapes and sizes. Sweetened cereals can cancel out all the positive benefits of nutrition value, as the added sugar does not bode well for diabetics nor does the highly processed healthy stuff in there as well.

5. Flavored coffee drinks
Most Americans who drink coffee tend to not drink it black, meaning they usually add some sort of sweetener to give it the flavor. While cream or milk may be a safer additive, and of these flavors that a coffee shop adds like vanilla or hazelnut are usually nothing more than added sugar. These sugars will only add to blood sugar levels and make you want to consume more.

6. Dried fruit
While fruit may have natural sugar, because it’s loaded in fiber it tends to be an okay snack for diabetics. However dried fruit is not a good alternative because the fiber escapes with the freshness, leaving you with nothing but little nutrition and all sugar.

7. Packaged snack foods
Odds are any snack in a package will not be good for diabetics, because it requires sugar and preservatives to keep it fresh. These foods that are high in carbs and sugar will make a little dent into your hunger cravings and do more to raise blood sugar.