Nutrition Basics

You Are What You Eat!

Healthy nutrition greatly impacts control of your diabetes.

The amount of carbohydrates, fats and protein at each meal and snacks should be monitored.  Simple carbohydrates raise BS quickly but complex carbohydrates can also but not as quick.

Knowing the glycemic index of diffferent foods can help you when buying food, eating out, attending parties or drinking beverages.

Your support network should know how foods affect you and you should  advocate about your dietary needs so you keep your blood sugar as normal as possible.  If you are too low or too high, you will have to check and correct it with blood glucose meter and/or insulin or sugar tablets (if too low).

Glycemic Index

https://www.gifoundation.com/

The glycemic index is a rating system that ranks carbohydrates from 1 to 100 based on how much the food raises blood sugar.

Processed foods (candy, breads, sweets) have a high GI, while whole foods ( unrefined grains, non-starchy veggies, some fruits) tend to have a lower GI.

Low GI carbohydrates are digested, absorbed, and metabolized more slowly than their the high-GI foods. They cause a slower rise in BS and, not as much insulin is needed to bring BS down.

Foods with more fat or protein are not included in GI index lists, because they have minimal impact on BS levels.

The GI values can be broken down into three ranges. Low, medium and high. Foods with a low GI won't raise your blood sugar as much as a food with a medium or high GI.

Low GI:   55 or less
Medium GI:   56 to 69
High GI:   70 to 100

If you're unsure of what is in the food you are eating, there are apps or guides you can use to find out.   

Glycemic Index  and BS

  • The type of sugar: Not all sugars have a high GI. Sugar GI's can range from a low as 23 for fructose to 105 for maltose. 
  • Starch structure:  Starch is a carbohydrate of two molecules,  amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is difficult to digest, amylopectin is easily digested. Foods with higher amylose will have a lower GI.
  • How refined the carb is: Grinding and rolling disrupt amylose and amylopectin molecules, raising GI.  The more processed a food is, the higher its GI.
  • Nutrient composition. Adding protein or fat to a meal can slow digestion and help lessen the GI response or quick increases BS.
  • Cook method: How foods are made can affect the GI. The longer it's  cooked, the faster its sugars will be digested and absorbed, raising GI.
  • Ripeness: Unripe fruit contains complex carbs that break down into sugars as the fruit ripens. The riper the fruit, the higher the GI. For example, an unripe banana has a GI = 30' an overripe banana GI = 48.

Glycemic Load

The glycemic load is a measure of the type and quantity of the carbs you eat. When following a low GI diet, you should try to keep your daily GL under 100.

The rate that foods raise BS depends on three things: the types of carbs they have contain, the nutrient profile, and amount you eat.

Similar to the glycemic Index (GI), the glycemic load (GL) has three levels:

  • Low: 10 or fewer
  • Medium: 11–19
  • High: 20 or more

The glycemic index (GI) is still the most important factor when following the low GI diet but you should also monitor your GL keeping in mind a total of under 100 by choosing low GI foods and eating them in moderation.