Diabetes is a chronic condition that has no cure, but can be managed through diet, lifestyle and medication. Diet plays a particularly important role because of how food affects blood sugar. Carbs, in particular, have the greatest impact on blood sugar. One of the key components to managing your diabetes and controlling your blood sugar is the amount of carbs you consume at each meal and throughout the day.
Carbohydrates and Diabetes
Carbs are an essential component of your diet, providing your body with its preferred source of energy. When your body digests foods containing carbs -- including grains, starches, fruits, milk and sweets -- it breaks it down into glucose, which your cells use as energy. As a diabetic, your body either does not make or cannot properly use insulin, the hormone that gets sugar from your bloodstream into the cells to use for energy. Controlling the amount of carbs in your diet helps you better manage your blood sugar.
Recommendations
The percentage of carbs you need to eat each day depends on a number of factors, including food preferences, body weight and blood sugar. Your doctor or dietitian can help you determine the appropriate amount. In general, the American Diabetes Association, or ADA, recommends that 45 to 65 percent of your calories come from carbs, and recommends that adults consume a minimum of 130 g of carbs a day.
Low-Carb Diet
The 2011 clinical guidelines for diabetes say a low-carb diet is safe for type 2 diabetics as a short-term solution, up to two years, to help promote weight loss. The low-carb diet is not recommended for long-term use because research regarding its safety for people with diabetes has not yet been conducted. Research has shown a low-carb diet to be as effective in controlling blood sugar as a carbohydrate-controlled diet. A 2011 parallel-design dietary intervention study published in "Diabetolgia" investigated the effects of a high-protein diet vs. a high-carb diet on glycemic control in a group of overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes for 12 months. The investigators found no significant difference in glycemic control when comparing the two groups.
Glycemic Index
While it is important to control your carb intake to manage your blood sugars, the types of carbs you choose also have an effect on blood sugar. The glycemic index ranks how carb-containing foods affect your blood sugar. Carbs with a low glycemic index, such as beans, apples and oats, cause only a slight rise in blood sugar, while carbs with a high glycemic index, such as white bread and cornflakes, cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. Including more low-glycemic foods in your diet might give you better control over your blood sugars.
References
- "Diabetes Care"; "Nutrition Recommendations and Intervention for Diabetes"; January 2008
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes -- Macronutrients
- Glycemic Index: About GI
- "Diabetologia"; "Effect of High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diets in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: A 12 Month Randomized Controlled Trial"; R.N. Larsen et al; April 2011
- "Diabetes Care"; "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes --- 2011"; January 2011
