Not sure if you should be consuming carbohydrates? People with diabetes may consider carbohydrates to be the enemy, or they may not yet be sure exactly what the connection is between them and diabetes.
Let’s get one thing straight: carbohydrates are not a completely forbidden food. But too much carbohydrate intake, especially the wrong kind of carbohydrate, can have serious effects on blood sugar.
“Carbohydrates, found in fruits and vegetables and in starches like pasta, are the body’s main source of energy,” says Lori Zanini, a nutritionist and diabetes educator. The body converts carbohydrates into sugar (glucose) to provide fuel for cells.
When having diabetes, cells may have trouble getting glucose. “Insulin is like a key that opens up the red blood cells to let glucose in,” Zanini said. If insulin is unable to open these cells so they can use it as fuel, then the sugar will be free in the bloodstream, which raises blood sugar.
That’s why it’s important to enjoy carbohydrates in a way that has the least impact on blood sugar, and Zanini offers the following advice.
Crafting a carbohydrate intake regimen
She said, “You should consume about the same amount of carbohydrates every day so that your body knows what to do with insulin and so that you can specify the amount of insulin that needs to be injected.”
A doctor or dietitian can tell you the amount of carbohydrate you should eat at each meal, but as a rule of thumb, it’s usually 45 to 60 grams.
Choose “slower-digesting” carbohydrates
Zanini said, “Some carbohydrates are digested more quickly than others, and when it comes to diabetes control, you need to choose carbohydrates that digest more slowly.” Typically, nutrient-rich carbohydrate foods, especially those rich in fiber, digest more slowly.
Consider the following substitutions: whole-grain bread instead of white bread, whole-grain pasta instead of regular pasta, brown rice instead of refined rice, sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, whole-grain oatmeal instead of boxed cereal, and whole fruit instead of juice.
Underripe (rather than overripe) bananas pass through the digestive system more slowly. Cooked, slightly undercooked rice and pasta can also slow digestion. “Hard foods that are cooked less soft and chewy will have less impact on blood sugar because their fiber stays intact,” Zanini says.
Eat it with protein
Because carbohydrates do raise blood sugar to some extent, they are most effective in controlling blood sugar when consumed with protein.
Zanini said, “Pairing carbohydrates with protein not only keeps you feeling fuller longer, but also helps stabilize blood sugar because protein doesn’t raise it.”
It’s possible to routinely eat both protein and carbohydrates with meals, and don’t forget to add protein to your snacks. Instead of eating an apple on its own, sprinkle some peanut butter on top or consume a stick of cheese with cereal.
Eat carbs last
A small study showed that eating vegetables and protein first and carbohydrates last had lower postprandial blood sugar. It might be worth trying.