Sugars, starches and fibers are classified as carbohydrates, and the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, or DGAC, recommends that carbohydrates compose between 45 and 65 percent of daily caloric intake. The best sources of carbohydrates are vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, dairy products and whole grain foods. Bad sources of carbohydrates include those with a high glycemic index, such as white bread and refined pastas, highly processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. These sources of carbohydrates have been linked to decreased glucose control and increased weight gain in people who are insulin resistant or diabetic.
High-Glycemic Carbohydrates
High-glycemic foods, such as white rice, pasta, baked potatoes and many breakfast cereals, are rapidly broken down by digestion and quickly increase circulating levels of glucose. A review of several studies in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" concludes that diets that include low-glycemic carbohydrates improve glucose control in individuals with diabetes.
Processed Foods
Heavily processed foods are not good sources of carbohydrates because the intensive milling and grinding removes fiber and vitamins. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that fiber aids in the regulation of blood glucose. Removing refined grains from the diet and replacing them with more whole grains improves insulin sensitivity in individuals with impaired glucose metabolism.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
A recent study in "Diabetes Care" reports that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, which includes soft drinks, fruit drinks, iced tea, energy and vitamin water drinks, is associated with weight gain. A study in "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" found that consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages at mealtimes increased circulating levels of fats in insulin-resistant individuals. The results of these studies suggest that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages compounds the already adverse metabolic profiles present in people with type 2 diabetes.
References
- United States Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans--Carbohydrates
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Glycemic Response and Health; John Howlett and Margaret Ashwell; January 2008
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way
- "Diabetes Care"; Sugar Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis; V.A. Malik et al.; August 2010
- "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism"; Endocrine and Metabolic Effects of Consuming Fructose- and Glucose-Sweetened Beverages with Meals in Obese Men and Women; K.L. Teff et al.; May 2009
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