Controlling your blood sugar levels with type 2 diabetes is not an easy task. Looking at your carbohydrate intake is the first step to get your blood sugar levels within target. Carbohydrate is found in many foods and constitutes the nutrient that contributes the most to elevating your blood sugar levels after eating. It is a good idea to track your carbohydrate intake while monitoring your blood sugar levels to determine the right amount of carbohydrate for you. If you are getting pretty close to target and need a bit of fine-tuning, the glycemic index may be a beneficial tool for you and your diabetes.
Blood Sugar
Carbohydrate raises your blood sugar levels. However, not all carbs have the same impact and the glycemic index is a good tool to help you predict to what extent a food will increase your blood sugar levels. High GI foods make your blood sugar levels peak after eating while low GI foods keep your blood sugar levels more even. This is why diets based on low glycemic index foods can help people with diabetes optimize their blood sugar control, as explained by the Harvard School of Public Health.
Weight Loss
Overweight and obesity are common in people with type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, abdominal obesity, or excess body fat around the middle, is associated with insulin resistance, a condition in which your body's cells are not responding normally to the action of the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance is associated with high blood sugar levels. Losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can significantly improve your insulin sensitivity, helping get your blood sugar levels under control at the same time. Choosing low glycemic index carbohydrates is a good way to lose weight more easily because these foods have a greater satiating power, which can help you eat less food without feeling hungry afterward.
Low Glycemic Index Carbohydrate Foods
To follow a low glycemic index diet and benefit your type 2 diabetes, all you have to do is avoid high GI foods in favor low GI options. For example, at breakfast, choose steel cut oats or old-fashioned oatmeal for their low GI value instead of high GI breakfast cereals like cornflakes, bran flakes, puffed wheat, puffed rice and sugary cereals. At lunch, instead of choosing high GI white or whole wheat bread to prepare your sandwich, choose low GI sourdough bread or stone-ground whole grain bread. At dinner, swap the high GI potato for low GI barley, Basmati rice, quinoa or whole grain pasta.
Protein and Vegetables
Apart from eliminating high GI carbohydrates and replacing them with low GI alternatives, a low glycemic index diet also includes a foundation of non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli, onions, tomatoes and asparagus. Drizzle your vegetables or salad with a vinaigrette dressing; the acidity of vinegar can further lower the glycemic index of your meal. Your meals should also be completed with a source of lean protein, which includes lean meat, chicken, fish or low-fat cheese. Nuts, nut butter and seeds constitute other good food options for your low glycemic index diet.
