Nourish with NorthBay Dietitians

Nourish is a blog written each week by NorthBay Healthcare dietitians. It focuses on health and nutrition with educational information, tips and advice as well as an occasional recipe.

The Best Carbs for Diabetics

March 20, 2018
 

By Laura Hitt, R.D.

Carbohydrates are often seen as the enemy to those living diabetes. It is definitely important to be aware that carbohydrates break down into sugar and therefore cause blood sugar to increase. However, certain carbs, the right carbs, can be included as part of a well-balanced diet even if you have diabetes. Here is how you can determine which carbs to choose.

The goal is to choose both fiber-rich and protein-rich sources of carbs. Fiber helps to slow the release of sugar into your blood so you do not end up with a blood sugar spike. Instead, you will experience a more gradual increase in your blood sugar and it will return back to normal more quickly. Protein also because this nutrient has the ability to digest more slowly than carbohydrates do. If you are eating a carb that does not contain much fiber and/or protein, it can help to pair that item with a food that does contain protein. For example, pairing apple slices with almond butter.

What are the guidelines for a food to be considered a good source of fiber? The item must contain 3g of fiber per serving or more. You can find the fiber listed on the food label underneath where Total Carbohydrates are listed. Examples of fiber-rich carbs include: quinoa, steel cut oats, berries, and beans/lentils.

But remember, just because there are certain carbs that are considered a better option than others, it does not mean you should have a larger serving of these. The bottom line is that all carbohydrates break down into sugar and therefore result in an increase in blood sugar. High fiber, protein-rich carbs can be a healthy part of your diet, but choose wisely and be mindful of your portion sizes!

The author is a registered dietitian with NorthBay Healthcare

Comments

 
 

Post A Comment

 

Subscribe to Nourish

Get the latest Nourish in your inbox