Diabetes is characterized by an elevated amount of sugar in the blood. Excess amounts of sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems, including kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and eye damage, according to MayoClinic.com. One of the primary treatments for diabetes is diet. There are a number of different diets a person with diabetes can choose from to help with blood sugar control. A doctor's consultation is recommended before making diet changes.
Carbohydrate Counting
Foods high in carbohydrate have the greatest impact on blood sugar. High carbohydrate foods include any food in the starch group, fruit group and milk group. The carbohydrate counting diet helps people control the amount of carbohydrate they consume each day for better blood sugar control. A doctor or dietitian can help the person with diabetes determine how many carbohydrates to eat at each meal, the American Diabetes Association suggests starting meals at 45 to 60g of carbohydrate. People use standard portion sizes and food labels to help count carbohydrates. Foods in the meat, fat and vegetable group have little or no carbohydrates and do not need to be measured or controlled. The American Diabetes Association recommends including a portion of fat and protein at each meal for balance.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a ranking system based on how foods with carbohydrate affect blood sugar. Carbohydrates with a high glycemic index cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, while foods with a medium to low glycemic index cause smaller rises in blood sugar. People who follow the glycemic index for blood sugar control primarily eat low and medium glycemic index, or GI, foods. They can, however, eat a high GI food if it is paired with a low GI food, according to the American Diabetes Association. Low and medium GI food choices include kidney beans, lentils, non-starchy vegetables, spaghetti, rye bread and oats. High GI foods include white bread, wheat bread, corn flakes and watermelon. Meats and fats do not have a GI because they do not contain carbohydrates, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Diabetes Exchange Diet
The diabetes exchange diet is more structured than the other two diets for and may be better suited for a person who needs specific diet guidelines. The exchange diet divides foods into three different categories including carbohydrates, meats and fats. A doctor or dietitian can recommend how many exchanges to have from each group each day. One serving in each group is called an exchange. For example, 1 slice of bread, 1 small apple and 1 cup of milk are all equal to one exchange from the carbohydrate group. Each category of food contains about the same amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat, allowing a person to be able to "exchange" food items within the group.
