10 foods diabetics must avoid while traveling abroad

10 Foods Diabetics Must Avoid While Traveling Abroad

Managing blood sugar while traveling is harder than it looks. Your usual food environment disappears, portion sizes change dramatically, and unfamiliar cuisines contain hidden sugars and refined carbohydrates that can spike glucose levels fast. Here are the 10 foods that consistently catch diabetic travelers off guard — and what to reach for instead.

1. Teriyaki Sauce and Sweet Asian Glazes

Teriyaki glaze is essentially sugar dissolved in soy sauce and mirin. A single serving can contain 15–20g of added sugar — equivalent to 4 teaspoons. This applies to other sweet Asian sauces too: hoisin, char siu, and oyster sauce are all high-sugar. Ask for: Grilled protein without sauce, or a side of plain soy sauce (which contains little sugar). In Japan, yakitori with salt (shio) instead of tare is a good call.

2. White Rice in Large Portions

White rice is a staple across Asia, and portions are often enormous — Japanese teishoku sets, Thai fried rice dishes, and Indian thalis can contain 2–3 cups of rice. A cup of cooked white rice contains roughly 45g of carbohydrates. The GI is moderate (~65–70), but large portions make it high-glycemic. Better: Eat half-portions of rice with significant protein and vegetable accompaniment to slow absorption.

3. Bubble Tea and Sweet Drinks

Bubble tea, Thai iced tea, horchata, aguas frescas, and sweetened lassi are some of the most aggressively sugared drinks in the world. A large Thai iced tea can contain 50–70g of sugar. These are everywhere at tourist sites and airports. Better: Water, plain sparkling water, unsweetened green tea, or black coffee.

4. Airport Pastries and Packaged Snacks

Airports worldwide stock the same high-sugar, high-GI foods: croissants, muffins, cinnamon rolls, fruit cups in syrup, and "healthy" granola bars that are often just sugar and oats. When you're tired and hungry between flights, these are dangerous traps. Better: Hard-boiled eggs, plain nuts, cheese, or unsweetened protein bars. Pack your own snacks when possible — airline food is unreliable.

5. Mango Sticky Rice and Rice Desserts

Thai, Indonesian, and Filipino cuisines feature stunning dessert dishes built around glutinous (sticky) rice and fresh fruit — particularly mango sticky rice. Glutinous rice has a GI of 98 — essentially pure glucose. A single serving can contain 60–80g of rapidly digesting carbohydrates. Better: Fresh mango or tropical fruit without the rice, or a small taste shared with travel companions.

6. Roti, Naan, and White Flatbreads

South and Southeast Asian flatbreads — particularly roti canai in Malaysia, white naan in Indian restaurants, and paratha fried in ghee — are high-GI and often served in large portions at every meal. They are hard to avoid when they arrive automatically with curry dishes. Better: Tandoori-cooked proteins, dal, vegetable dishes without bread, or request a smaller portion.

7. Massaman and Peanut-Based Curries

Rich curries made with coconut milk, palm sugar, and starchy additions like potato or sweet potato (massaman curry is a classic example) combine high fat, high sugar, and high-GI carbohydrates. These are delicious but hit blood sugar hard. Better: Tom yum or tom kha (spicy sour soups — lower in carbohydrates), green or red curry with protein and vegetables over a smaller rice portion.

8. Buffet Breakfast at Hotels

Hotel buffet breakfasts are carbohydrate minefields: white toast, croissants, fresh orange juice, fruit jam, waffles, and sweetened cereals. Many business travelers eat this every morning on work trips, then wonder why their glucose readings are high by 10am. Better: Eggs (in any form), smoked salmon, Greek yogurt, cheese, tomatoes, avocado — all widely available at hotel buffets alongside the carbohydrate-heavy items.

9. Tropical Fruit in Large Quantities

Tropical fruits — mango, pineapple, papaya, lychee, and durian — are abundant and delicious in Southeast Asia. However, ripe tropical fruits are significantly higher in sugar than temperate fruits, and markets and hotel buffets offer them in huge portions. Better: Guava (GI ~12), dragon fruit, green mango, and papaya are relatively lower-GI options. Fresh coconut water contains natural sugars but in moderate amounts.

10. Local Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks

In hot destinations, it's tempting to reach for isotonic sports drinks — 100Plus in Malaysia, Pocari Sweat in Japan, and various energy drinks globally. Unless you are a serious endurance athlete exercising for 60+ minutes, these drinks are unnecessary sugar delivery systems. A 500ml sports drink contains roughly 30g of sugar. Better: Plain water plus a small pinch of salt in heat, or electrolyte tablets with no sugar added.

The Most Important Rule

Always carry your medication and a clear list of your conditions in the local language of your destination. Restaurant staff and local pharmacists respond far better to written communication in their own language than to verbal requests in English.

*This article is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your doctor or diabetes specialist before making dietary changes or traveling internationally with a chronic condition.*

Have a specific question?

Ask our AI advisor about your exact dietary conditions and destination — you get a personalised answer in seconds.