When newly diagnosed diabetics are given the news that they have a serious metabolic disease, one of the first things they think about are all of the foods that they're going to have to give up. Fortunately, things aren't as bad as they seem. With the help of your doctor and a registered dietitian, you'll discover that there are thousands of foods you'll still be able to enjoy--in moderation.
One of the most important concepts that you'll need to learn is the glycemic index (GI) of carbohydrates. All carbohydrates are rated according to how quickly they make your blood sugar spike. Low GI carbs are rated from 0 to 54. Medium are rated from 55 to 70. High GI carbs are rated over 70. The goal to balance and maintain optimal blood glucose levels is to eat low GI carbs or balance higher GI carbs with fats and proteins.
Low Breakfast GI Carbohydrates
Many people are surprised to learn that many breakfast cereals contain medium to high GI carbs. For example, Corn Flakes are rated at 83. Instead, choose oatmeal (48) or Bran Buds (45) or add some of your favorite fresh fruits. Apples are rated at 38, grapefruit at 25 and plums at 39. You can also add a slice of whole grain toast (68) and one or two scrambled eggs. You'll end up with a balanced breakfast that's relatively low on the glycemic index.
Low Lunch GI Carbohydrates
As a general rule, many breads and muffins rate high on the glycemic index. A French baguette has a GI rating of 95. Instead, try eating lower GI carbs for lunch such as sourdough bread (54) and wheat bread (68) and fill up the rest of your plate with turkey, chicken, tuna, salads and other foods that offset high GI-rated carbohydrates. Remember, it's the average GI that's important--not the individual food.
Low Dinner GI Carbohydrates
Like lunch, you can lower the overall GI of your dinner by combining foods with fats and proteins to offset the GI of your carbohydrates. But when you do include carbs for dinner, try some low GI alternatives such as fettucini (32), boiled spaghetti (33), lima beans (32), tomato soup (38), couscous (65) or red lentils (27).
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