Diabetes is a serious health problem that requires a number of lifestyle changes, including changes to your diet, to prevent potentially life-threatening complications. If you have diabetes, you may include rye bread as part of your diet. However, as with all sources of carbohydrates, it is important not to overdo it.
Carbohydrates and Diabetes
Carbohydrates such as rye bread are a focal point of planning a healthy diet for diabetes. If you have diabetes, you either do not make enough insulin or your body is resistant to the effects of insulin. When you consume carbohydrates, your digestive tract breaks them down into sugars. These sugars then get into your bloodstream, causing an increase in blood glucose levels. If you have diabetes, you have trouble bringing your blood glucose levels down after they rise, which can increase your risk of heart disease, kidney failure, loss of vision and other health problems.
Rye Bread and the Glycemic Index
If you have diabetes, the types of carbohydrates that you eat are just as important as their quantity, because carbohydrate sources have different effects on your blood glucose levels. One way to measure how carbohydrates affect your blood sugar is the glycemic index, which measures how rapidly a food causes your blood glucose levels to increase. Many things affect a food's glycemic index, such as how much it is processed, its fiber content and the type of starch in it. Rye bread usually is categorized as a "medium" glycemic index food, which means it causes your blood glucose levels to rise moderately quickly.
Why Does the Glycemic Index Matter?
If you have diabetes, eating foods with a lower glycemic index can help you achieve better control of your blood glucose level. According to a 2003 article in "Diabetes Care" that analyzed the results of many studies, following a diet that emphasizes foods with a low glycemic index will lower your hemoglobin A1c levels. Lower hemoglobin A1c levels means that your blood glucose levels are, on average, lower, which helps reduce your risk of diabetes-related complications.
Considerations
Although rye bread has a moderate glycemic index, other types of bread, such as pumpernickel or 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat bread have even lower glycemic index values, which means they may be even better for you if you have diabetes. As is the case with all sources of carbohydrates, limit your consumption of rye bread, since eating large amounts will still cause your blood glucose levels to rise.
