There are different types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2 and gestational. Each type of diabetes is a little bit different but all of them require some sort of dietary measures to help improve blood glucose, or sugar, control. The foods in the diet that need to be accounted for are the carbohydrates. These foods are necessary in the diet but too many or too few carbs can have negative effects.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates in the diet cause blood sugars to rise after they are eaten. Carbohydrates, or carbs, are found in grain products, starchy vegetables, dairy products, fruits, sweets and snack foods. Grain products include breads, rice, cereals and pasta. Dairy products that contain carbs are milk and yogurt; cheese does not have carbs. All fruit and fruit juice along with potatoes, corn, peas and dried beans contain carbs. Sweets or other snack foods such as crackers, pretzels and chips contain carbs as well.
Carbohydrate Intake
Because carbohydrates affect blood sugars, it is important to monitor how much you eat at one time. Depending on the medications you are taking, too many carbs can lead to elevated blood sugars while too few carbs can lead to low blood sugars. Elevations in blood sugars that occur frequently can lead to complications with diabetes such as blindness, kidney failure, amputations or heart disease. Blood sugar that is too low, called hypoglycemia, can cause you to pass out and can even lead to death if untreated. Hypoglycemic symptoms can include shaking, sweating, dizziness and confusion or difficulty speaking.
Treating Low Blood Sugar
If you have symptoms of low blood sugar or test your blood sugar and find it to be too low, it is important to treat it immediately. Treatment includes eating 15 grams of carbohydrate such as 3 to 4 glucose tablets, 4 ounces of juice or one-third of a can of regular soda. High-carbohydrate foods such as these digest quickly and allow for a quicker blood sugar response. After eating something, wait 15 minutes and test your blood sugar again. If it is still too low, treat again and wait 15 minutes. If you continue to repeat this process and your blood sugar does not change, call your doctor.
Monitoring Carbohydrates
Balance with carbs is the key to a good diet with diabetes. Carbohydrates are necessary for a healthy diet as well as maintaining optimal blood sugar control. Everyone's carbohydrate needs vary depending on age, weight, sex and medication types. It is important to see a registered dietitian to determine your individual needs. In order to provide a balanced diet and adequate nutrition, most carbs should come from foods such as fruit, low-fat dairy or whole grains rather than processed foods such as cakes, cookies, white breads or chips.
