How To Control Diabetes With Diet – Use These Best Tips for Blood Sugar Control
If you’re looking to take control of your Diabetes, most of your efforts should be spent managing your diet – yes, what you eat every day. Making small changes in your daily dietary habits can play a major role in maintaining even and steady blood sugar levels.
Diabetic Management
Exercise and reducing stress are important in diabetic management, but managing your diet is the most critical and has the most impact. Most diabetics have a difficult time understanding what types of foods to eat as well as how much of these foods to consume throughout the day.
Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
To begin, it’s important to learn about the glycemic index of common foods. The glycemic index indicates how quickly a food causes your blood sugar levels to rise and measures it on a scale of 0 to 100. Foods with a higher glycemic index are quickly digested and absorbed by your system and cause a more rapid rise in blood sugar. For diabetics, it’s a good idea to avoid high glycemic foods. Another indicator to consider is the glycemic load of the foods you consume. You can calculate the glycemic load by multiplying the grams of carbohydrates in a given food by the food’s glycemic index, then dividing it by 100. Most doctors recommend keeping your glycemic load under 100 every day.
The reason to know these calculations is to determine the carbohydrate load of your food. What you want to know is how many carbohydrates you’re consuming every time you eat. For example, eating a little pasta (that has a low GI) won’t raise your blood sugar much, but eating a large serving can still cause blood sugar levels to rise more rapidly.
Both GI and GL are important as the GL builds on the GI as it considers both the glycemic index of the food as well as the amount of carbohydrates in the portion size (the glycemic load). Bottom line is that the number of carbohydrates consumed always has a direct impact on your blood sugar levels. Your goal should be to consume foods that have a low glycemic index as well as consume these foods in moderation.
Diabetic Diets
Many diets aim for low-carb consumption but your body does need some carbohydrates. The complete elimination of carbohydrates from your diet is not always the best way to manage your diet. Your body needs energy for certain processes.
Role of Carbohydrates in Diabetes
One way for those suffering from Diabetes is to consume around 30 to 35 grams of carbohydrates with each meal. Combining carbohydrates with protein is always recommended. For example, choose sweet potatoes and chicken rather than bread and pasta.
It’s best to avoid consuming carbohydrates with fat. This normally elevates your blood sugar levels and triggers your body to store fat easier. It’s always recommended to consume protein in your meals to counter the effect of any blood sugar spikes.
When You Eat Makes a Difference
When you eat makes a difference in your blood sugar levels. In the morning, for breakfast, be sure to include proteins like eggs which are always a good choice. Chicken or turkey are also good protein choices in the morning for breakfast and better than the traditional pancakes or cereal.
If you eat carbohydrates on an empty stomach, your blood sugar levels will increase significantly, so you’ll want to avoid doing this. Meals consisting of protein including meat or a proten shakes are good choices on an empty stomach.
Best Times To Eat Carbohydrates as A Diabetic
When you consume carbs, you’ll want to save them for lunch time or add them sparingly during dinner. A good habit is to consume all your carbohydrates at one meal and the best time is right after your daily exercise routine.
The reason why eating carbs after your workout is best is because your glycogen stores will be depleted and your body will use the carbs more efficiently to replenish them. At this time it is less likely the carbohydrates will be stored as fat.
Understanding Food Portions and Glycemic Index
It’s very important to understand the glycemic index of the foods you consume as well as your portion sizes and the glycemic load. The glycemic index of the food is a gauge of how a food will affect your blood sugar level, but it’s the quantity of the food you consume (your portion size) that will determine how high your blood sugar will increase. And of course, your goal is to keep your blood sugar levels low and consistent.
The key to keeping your diabetes (and the side effects of diabetes) in control is to monitor your food intake closely in order to keep your blood sugar levels as even and stable as possible.