When Odette Beck was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it felt like her entire kitchen needed a makeover. “I thought it meant giving up flavor, joy—even dessert,” she says. But instead of panicking, Odette decided to learn.
She started reading labels, researching ingredients, and cooking with intention. The biggest change? Ditching added sugars—not just the obvious ones like soda and candy, but the sneaky stuff in sauces, granola, and even yogurt.
“At first, I was shocked by how much sugar is hiding in everyday foods,” she recalls. So she got creative. She learned to sweeten oatmeal with mashed bananas or cinnamon. She swapped sugary salad dressings for lemon-tahini blends. Even baked goods got an overhaul—using unsweetened applesauce, dates, or just letting natural fruit flavors shine.
What surprised her most was that her taste buds adapted. “After a few weeks, I didn’t miss the sugar. In fact, sweet things started to taste too sweet,” she says.
Odette doesn’t frame her meals around restriction. She focuses on whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and colorful vegetables. “It’s about building a plate that works for your body and still feels satisfying.”
Now, her blood sugar is steady, her energy is back, and she’s in control of her health—not the other way around. “Living with diabetes doesn’t mean living without joy,” she smiles. “It just means making choices that support the life you want to lead.”
