If you're one of the 23.6 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, you probably have more questions than it seems there are answers. Don't feel alone. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 8 percent of the American population has diabetes. The typical approach to treating diabetes is through diet, exercise and medications. There are several dietary approaches to managing blood glucose, but one of the simplest is learning how to use the glycemic index of carbohydrates. It's flexible and can be used under all types of dining situations.
Step 1
Before you can make improvements in your diet, you need to establish how well you're eating at the present time. The easiest way to do this is to begin documenting what you eat throughout the day in a food diary. Record the results in three columns: fats, proteins and carbohydrates. In each of the columns, record your serving sizes. If you're not sure what a serving size is, use a food scale to weigh how much food you typically eat at a sitting.
Step 2
Record the glycemic index of the carbohydrates you eat by writing them down in the column next to the foods. The glycemic index is a simple system of rating the carbohydrates you eat, based on how fast they make your blood glucose levels spike. There are three GI levels: low GI carbs are rated from 0 to 54. Medium GI carbs are rated from 55 to 70. High GI carbs are rated above 70. To become familiar with the glycemic index of carbs, check out some of the diabetic cookbooks at a bookstore or search the Internet for the glycemic ratings of foods.
Step 3
Choose a standard mix of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Fifty to 60 percent of your diet should be carbohydrates, 20 percent should be fat (with less than 7 percent of it being saturated fat) and the remainder should be protein sources such as lean meats and dairy products.
Step 4
When choosing carbohydrates, try to choose carbs with low GI ratings. For example, instead of eating high GI carbs such as dried dates, rated at 103, choose lower GI carbs such as cherries, rated at 22. Look for ways to exchange your favorite high GI carbs with low to medium carbs to keep your blood glucose levels from spiking. If you find yourself choosing high GI carbs, try to combine low or medium GI carbs with the high, to lower the average GI rating.
Step 5
Add lean cuts of meat or fish along with low-fat food sources if you're eating high GI carbs. For instance, fresh grilled fish or chicken will go a long way to balancing a high-rated bowl of fruit. Also, remember that using the glycemic index is based on an average rating of foods. If you wander outside your daily recommendations, you can make up for it the next day.
Tips and Warnings
- Begin by recording what you're eating. Know where you're starting from. Note the easy changes to make before tackling the more difficult ones.
- The glycemic index is a guideline, so there is wiggle room.
Things You'll Need
- Food scale
- Food journal
