Greek cuisine is essentially the Mediterranean diet — already among the most diabetic-friendly cuisines in the world.
Embrace freely
- **Grilled meats**: souvlaki (chicken, pork, lamb), kebabs, kefta
- **Seafood**: grilled fish, calamari (grilled not fried), shrimp
- **Salads**: Greek salad (no croutons), horiatiki
- **Vegetable dishes**: spanakopita filling (skip the phyllo), gigantes (in moderation), grilled vegetables
- **Cheese**: feta, halloumi (grilled)
- **Dips**: tzatziki, melitzanosalata (eggplant), taramasalata
- **Olives** and olive oil
- **Soup**: avgolemono without rice/orzo
Order carefully
- Hummus (15g net carbs per ¼ cup) — small portions
- Spanakopita full (15g+ per slice — heavy phyllo)
- Moussaka (30g+ per portion — potatoes and bechamel)
- Gyro (skip the pita, 35g+ per pita)
- Dolmades (8g for 2 — depends on rice ratio)
Avoid
- Baklava (50g+ per piece)
- Loukoumades (honey-soaked donuts)
- Pita bread (35g per pita)
- Greek frappe with sugar
- Most Greek desserts
Smart restaurant ordering
- "Souvlaki platter, no rice, extra Greek salad"
- "Grilled octopus / grilled fish + horiatiki"
- Lamb chops with vegetables instead of potatoes
- Mezze board for sharing — skip the bread
Drinks
- Greek wine (dry red or white, 1 glass with meal)
- Ouzo (1 oz, 0g carbs)
- Sparkling water with lemon
- Greek coffee — order without sugar
Dessert workaround
Greek yogurt with honey is traditional and acceptable if: - Use unsweetened Greek yogurt - Drizzle minimal honey (1 tsp = 6g carbs) - Add cinnamon and walnuts for slow digestion