Limiting carbohydrates in your diet can help stabilize glucose and prevent both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia -- low and high blood sugar levels, respectively. Glucose is your body's primary source of energy and is easily converted from the carbohydrates you consume. Sugar and starch are very quickly digested and can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. The faster blood sugar rises, the more quickly it can drop, leading to hypoglycemia.
Low-Carb Diets
Low-carb diets can promote weight loss and regulate blood sugar levels. Some low-carb plans suggest that you severely restrict carbs -- eating no more than 20 g daily. However, the University of Maryland Medical Center states that you need to eat at least 100 g of carbs daily to ensure adequate nutrition and fiber consumption. Choose a low-carb plan that includes plenty of fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruits. You can use the glycemic index to help you choose the right carbs that have little impact on blood sugar.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI) measures the potential effect carbs have on your blood sugar. It ranks foods on a scale of 1 to 100 in comparison to pure glucose, which scores a perfect 100. The higher a food scores on the GI, the more quickly your body can convert it to glucose. Choosing low-GI carbs keeps blood sugar levels stable, preventing the cycle of high and low blood sugar. Foods that score 55 and below and considered low-GI; foods that score 56 to 69 are medium-GI, while foods that score 70 and above are high-GI foods. The majority of your carbs should be low-GI carbs to control hypoglycemia.
Protein, Fat, Low-Carb Diets and Hypoglycemia
There are three macronutrients: carbs, protein and fat. Typically, when you limit one group, you increase consumption of the other groups to make up for lost calories. Low-carb diets tend to be higher in protein and fat. Both protein and fat slow digestion and can help stabilize blood sugar. Protein and carbs both have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram; watch your fat intake to prevent weight gain. To limit your fat intake, choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products and lean proteins such as seafood, fish, chicken and turkey. Try eating plant-based protein, such as legumes, soy or nuts, instead of meat a couple times each week.
Other Hypoglycemic Diet Tips
Keep your blood sugar levels even by eating on a regular schedule. Small meals every 3 to 4 hours that combine low-GI carbs, fat and lean protein keep glucose stable. Don't skip meals. If you increase your activity level, you may need to eat more food to compensate for the extra energy used. Limit your alcohol consumption, which interferes with insulin production. If you're overweight, your low-carb hypoglycemic diet may help you lose weight. Weight-loss can improve insulin sensitivity because fat, like alcohol, interferes with insulin production. Maintaining a healthy body weight helps prevent low blood sugar.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar); Aug. 2010
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Hypoglycemia
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Low-Carb Diets: The Right Way to Go?; April 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Weight Loss - Low Carb Diet; May 1, 2010
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases:Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes
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