…see a registered dietitian nutritionist or certified diabetes educator, particularly if you take insulin or oral medications for diabetes that stimulate insulin secretion. You may need a redistribution of carbohydrate or an adjustment in your medication.
Carbohydrate restriction is not the only way to control blood glucose. Plant-based diets work well even though the amount of carbohydrate is greater than a low-carbohydrate diet. Plant-based diets are high in fibrous foods like beans and whole grains that slow the conversion of sugar or starch into glucose, keeping the blood glucose more stable after meals.
High fiber foods also tend to have a low glycemic index which may provide additional benefit in the management of diabetes. The GI is a measurement of how fast a particular carbohydrate raises blood glucose. Foods with a high GI will raise your blood glucose quickly, while a low GI food, which is absorbed more slowly, will raise your blood glucose more slowly.
The following guidelines will help you choose your carbohydrate wisely.
- Low to moderate carbohydrate diets have a greater effect on blood glucose control in diabetes compared with high-carbohydrate diets.
- Food containing carbohydrates from whole grains; minimally processed fruits and vegetables; and low-fat milk and yogurt; should be included in a healthy diet.
- The total amount of carbohydrates in meals and snacks is more important than the source or type.
- Sugar counts as carbohydrate sources in a meal, but low-calorie sweeteners don’t have to be counted as carbohydrates in your meal plan.
- A healthy fiber intake is 20 to 35 grams daily or 14 grams per 1,000 calories.
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of The African American Guide to Living Well with Diabetes. She is a Dannon One Yogurt Every Day Nutrition Advisor.