If you have diabetes or are predisposed to developing diabetes, you can use your diet to treat your condition. However, eliminating carbohydrates is not the answer to controlling diabetes. Instead, maintain a healthy, diverse diet featuring plenty of whole foods. Pay attention to your carbohydrate intake, portion sizes and the types of carbohydrates you consume to ensure that you balance your blood glucose levels.
Types of Carbohydrates
There are three main types of carbohydrates: starches, also known as complex carbohydrates, sugars and fiber. Some sugars occur naturally in whole foods like dairy products and fresh produce. Other sugars have undergone chemical processing to concentrate their sweetness. These sugars go by many names on nutrition labels for packaged and processed foods. Common ingredient names for processed sugar include corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, levulose and concentrated fruit juice. Overall, naturally occurring sugars in whole foods do not spike your blood sugar level, while foods with processed sugar do.
Benefits of Fiber
The American Diabetes Association recommends that adults consume between 25 and 30 g of dietary fiber every day. Consuming these quantities of insoluble and soluble fiber is associated with improved digestion, maintaining a healthy weight and boosting energy levels throughout the day. Good sources of these types of fiber include legumes, lentils, beans, berries, citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, other fresh produce, unsweetened nuts and unsweetened whole grains like wild rice, steel cut oats, quinoa and amaranth.
Counting Carbohydrates
Adopting a low-carbohydrate diet to control your blood sugar can be approached in three different ways. You can count carbohydrates, which requires weighing or measuring your food so you know how many total carbohydrates are in a serving. On the exchange system, you categorize foods by their quantity of carbohydrates, protein, fat and sugar so you can substitute different foods in a diet plan. Using the glycemic index means that you consume more low-glycemic foods than high-glycemic foods. Low-glycemic foods are less likely to spike your blood sugar.
Sample Menu
MayoClinic.com provides a sample menu of meals low in carbohydrates but high in fiber and nutrients, an ideal combination for people who need to manage their blood sugar levels. Breakfast consists of a single portion of unsweetened whole-grain waffles, 1 cup of low-fat milk and a piece of fresh fruit. Lunch and dinner feature proteins such as fatty fish, low-fat dairy products or skinless grilled poultry. Plant-based foods such as olive oil, broccoli, carrots, yellow squash and legumes figure prominently in meals and snacks. You can also eat a single portion of an unsweetened whole grain such as baked corn tortilla chips, whole-wheat pasta or brown rice.
