What to know about diabetes and ZeroPoint™ foods

ZeroPoint foods are the stuff that (nutritional) dreams are made of: Since they have no Points®, they don’t impact your Points budget at all. But how does that change if you have diabetes and need to prioritize blood sugar management? Read on to learn everything about how ZeroPoint foods can put you on a path to healthier eating and help you reach your wellness goals on the WeightWatchers Diabetes Program, which is proven to help members lose weight and lower blood sugar.*

OK, so what exactly are ZeroPoint foods?

Let’s start with the basics. On all WeightWatchers Programs, everybody gets a Points™ Budget—a number of Points you’re allotted each day. Sticking to that Points Budget will help you reach your weight goals. ZeroPoint foods are nutrient-packed superstars that you don’t have to factor into that Budget. They are nutrient-, vitamin-, and mineral-rich, making them the foundation for your healthy eating plan.

Our team of nutrition scientists chose ZeroPoint foods based on their nutritional makeup, the latest research, and top recommendations by respected organizations, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services and guidelines by the World Health Organization. Think of ZeroPoint foods as the foundational foods of meals and snacks that add flavor and bulk to them, so you can stay satisfied longer.

Because these foods make it easier to stick to your Points Budget, they can also help you stay on track with your weight-loss goals."More often than not, weight loss is a tough journey,” says Fernanda Almeida, RDN, a registered dietitian and senior manager of global nutrition and food data at WeightWatchers. “Having a list of foods to build meals and snacks out of that are nutrient-dense and filling — things ZeroPoint foods do — can make the journey feel easier."

Are ZeroPoint foods different for people with diabetes?

If you have diabetes, your list of ZeroPoint foods will look a little different than the list of someone without diabetes. That’s because diabetes affects the way you break down carbs into energy.

Here’s a quick primer: Whenever you eat, your body turns a food’s carbs into sugar, which is then released into the bloodstream. This rise in blood sugar causes your pancreas to put out insulin, a hormone that brings that sugar into your cells to use as energy.

“If you have diabetes, particularly type 2, your body either isn’t producing enough insulin and/or you have insulin resistance, which means the insulin isn’t working as well as it should,” says Almeida. As a result, you may have too much sugar in your bloodstream, which, in time, can lead to health issues such as heart disease and nerve damage.

To keep blood sugar levels down and reduce your risks for any future complications, people with diabetes often need to adjust their patterns of eating. The American Diabetes Association recommends eating more non-starchy veggies and whole foods, and less added sugar and refined grains.

“The ZeroPoint foods we’ve chosen for those living with diabetes mirrors these recommendations,” says Almeida. So foods that might be a ZeroPoint staple for other members, such as potatoes, won’t appear on diabetes-specific lists. You can still enjoy them as part of your Points Budget—you’ll just need to track those foods in the WW app, including the portion sizes.

So what foods are included on the ZeroPoints list?

“The ZeroPoint foods list for those living with diabetes includes foods that have relatively few to no carbohydrates, thus making them unlikely to have a meaningful impact on blood sugar levels,” says Almeida.

These include:

• Poultry: This includes skinless chicken and turkey breast, thighs, drumsticks, and legs. Poultry is packed with protein, which helps keep your blood sugar steady. Plus, research shows that filling your plate with lean protein supports a heart-healthy pattern of eating—key because diabetes increases your risk of heart disease.

• Fish and shellfish: Seafood is another great source of protein. Oily fish, like salmon, also serve up omega-3 fats, shown to improve good cholesterol. One study in Circulation found that women who have type 2 diabetes and ate fish two to four times a week were 36% less likely to develop heart disease compared to those who rarely had fish.

• Eggs: Sunny-side up or scrambled, one large egg serves up six grams of protein and less than a half a gram of carbs, so eggs are less likely to spike your blood sugar.

• Non-starchy vegetables: Carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and leafy greens are all lower in calories and carbs, and are generally high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. (Fiber is important in the context of diabetes since it slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream.) Fresh veggies work, but so do frozen and canned—as long as they don’t have any other added ingredients.

• Beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas: While legumes do contain carbs, they’re teamed up with fiber and protein. This makes them a smart choice for people living with diabetes, since fiber and protein slow digestion and help buffer potential blood sugar spikes. In fact, research shows that regularly eating legumes may help people with diabetes improve their blood sugar levels.

What are some smart ways to use ZeroPoint foods?

Just because something is a ZeroPoint food doesn’t mean you should think of it as a free-for-all. A better approach: Keep the amounts to your usual portion sizes, says Almeida. “If you’re unsure of what that means, look in the WW app. When searching for foods, all foods, including ZeroPoint foods, come with a starting portion size.” Plan to have a variety of foods in a meal or at least two foods as a snack. This helps ensure you’re filling up by having enough in a meal with variety. “If you’re hungry later, you can always have more ZeroPoint foods as part of your snack or meal.

Here are four key ways to use ZeroPoint foods throughout the day — with WW member-favorite tips that will help you get started.

1. Build meals around them. Use items from your ZeroPoint list as a base for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• WW member tip: At lunchtime, Kelly Q. starts with kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers, then tosses them with cheese and ground meat for a healthy spin on a taco salad. “I use only four flavored tortilla chips to crush over the top, ” she says, referring to adding 1 Points value to your daily Budget every time you eat a cup of non-starchy vegetables.
  
  

2. Use them to add flavor and volume. ZeroPoint foods can turn what would otherwise be a small bite into a much more satisfying meal.

• WW member tip: Rebecca R. folds non-starchy vegetables into her eggs to make a plate-filling omelet Provençal. She sautés celery, broccoli stalks, and onion in olive oil; adds a little Gruyère cheese; and then folds it all into two eggs beaten with soy milk and herbs. “I’m finding vegetables at each meal really helps with my blood sugar,” she says.
  
  

3. Swap them in for higher-Points foods. Let ZeroPoint staples pinch-hit for foods that clock in with more calories and carbs.

• WW staffer tip: Heather Z. has started using spaghetti squash in place of, well, regular spaghetti. “All I do is cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, spray with avocado or olive oil, and put it in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 360 degrees,” she says. Then she serves the squash with tomato sauce and cooked shrimp or ground turkey or leftover chicken. The same approach can be used when topping your toast: Instead of butter, members suggest using ZeroPoint foods, such as tomatoes, and eggs.
  
  

4. Have some go-to dishes made from ZeroPoint foods. Whipping up an entire entrée with ZeroPoint foods can give you more wiggle room with your Points Budget during the rest of the day.

• WW member tip: “I love to start my day with an egg white omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and scallions,” writes Joanne F. She also makes an Asian-inspired soup with mushrooms, scallions, spinach, and cubed chicken breast. These ZeroPoint recipes can serve as a quick snack or a filling addition to a meal when your Budget is low on Points.