With diabetes, it’s very important to monitor what you eat as a means of managing your glucose levels. You’ll want to avoid anything high in fat, sugar, or refined carbohydrates—if your glucose levels get too high, it can be life-threatening. There are some treatments and medications that can help manage symptoms and levels if you’re diabetic, such as the Dexcom CGM Device, empagliflozin metformin, glucofort supplements, and ultra fine insulin syringes. Here are 5 foods you should be avoiding with diabetes:

1. Full-fat dairy products

Not only are full-fat dairy products typically very high in calories, the excess fat in them can interfere with insulin response. Avoid full fat sour cream, whole milk, cream cheese, sundaes, and milkshakes, and instead grab skim milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and sherbert.

2. Fried meats

Fried meats like fried chicken, finger steaks, and fried fish may be delicious, but they are quite bad for you especially if you have diabetes. Since these meats are typically breaded, they become high in carbs, unhealthy fats, and calories, potentially leading to weight gain and worsening diabetes. Any greasy or fried food will wreak havoc on your glucose levels, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.

3. Pastries, cakes, and other baked goods

For someone with a sweet tooth, this may be the hardest pill to swallow. Pastries, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods contribute significantly to blood sugar spikes due to the combination of flour, sugar, and dairy. Luckily you can easily find low-carb, low-sugar, and low-calorie dessert recipes online that taste just as good!

4. White carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates, often found in white bread, white potatoes, white rice, and baked goods, are rapidly digested which causes significant fluctuations in blood sugar levels. It’s best to avoid these and reach for whole grains, like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal.

5. Dried fruits

You might be surprised to find dried fruits on this list, but even though fresh fruit and dry fruit alike seem healthy, they actually have quite high sugar contents. Raisins, dates, prunes, and dried mango before dried would have caused blood sugar levels to spike, and after being dried even more sugar is added to their natural contents, making them even worse for you. If you want fruit, stick to it being fresh and consume in moderation.

Be sure to speak with your doctor about creating a balanced diet that will help you manage your glucose levels and keep you feeling your best.