Most current diets are based on lowering carbohydrate intake, and
carbohydrate counting has been a big part of it. So, how can we easily
and effectively apply carb counting to our diabetic diet? Glycemic Index
data will help.
Although they are related, carbohydrates and calories are not the same thing. Calories can come from fat and protein as well as from carbohydrates, but carbs are the main source of calories, so that's why they are in the cross hairs when it comes to calorie reduction. Carbohydrates are called simple or complex, depending on the amount of simple sugars in the molecule. The body quickly converts simple carbohydrates into glucose and quickly passes the glucose into the bloodstream. Starchy foods, a.k.a. complex carbohydrates, are so called because of the complex nature of their molecule.
Bottom line - they take longer to digest and the glucose is released into the bloodstream at a slower, more even rate, resulting in smaller increases in blood sugar levels. What's hard to figure is how much slower, and the rate is different for different starches.
What's newer is the Glycemic Index, first developed by Dr. David L, Jenkins and his colleagues at the University of Toronto in 1980. It ranks food items by their glucose content in comparison to a control food like glucose. If glucose is the control, it is given a glycemic index of 100. Let's use a slice of bread for example and use glucose as the control food. According to the University of Sydney, Australia, an average slice of white bread contains 14 grams of carbohydrates and has a Glycemic Index of 73. In other words, a slice of bread would raise your blood sugar 73% of what 14 grams of glucose would.
Taking this a step farther, another indicator of the body's response to carbohydrates is Glycemic Load, which takes into consideration the relative quantities, not just the types of carbohydrates in your diabetic diet. In other words, GL takes into consideration the serving size.
Low GI / GL diets are useful in avoiding and correcting many health ailments, but let's concentrate on diabetic diets. We know that high GI diets will put on weight, so to avoid weight gain or to lose weight, use a low GI diet. And we know that high GI diets overwork the pancreas as it tries to produce enough insulin. The result is Type 2 diabetes. So, how does the average diabetic on the street use this data to determine diabetic diet? Well, the news here is both good and not so good. If you are looking for a simplistic, magical conversion from GI or GL data to how many carbs to program into your insulin pump, the news is not so good. But don't give up. What the charts do give you is a quick reference to what kind of foods will cause what kind of blood sugar response. It's up to the individual to apply the information. Here's how.
A quick look at the numbers tells us that foods with a GI of 70 + are considered high, 56-69 are moderate, and below 55 are low. A GL of over 20 is high, 10-20 is moderate, and below 10 is low.
The goal in a diabetic diet is to limit or avoid the high value foods and eat more of the moderate and lows. Use either the GI or GL index to determine where what foods you normally eat rate on the scale. Education is the key, so first Google a GI or GL list on the internet, and print out the one you like. Then follow the guidelines to determine your food portions:
• Eat more whole grains, nuts, legumes, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables. Focus on breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran. Choose breads with whole grains, stone-ground flour or sourdough.
• Eat less starchy foods like potatoes, white rice, white bread, pasta and noodles
• Minimize the consumption of sugary foods like cookies, cakes, candy, and soft-drinks
When we couple carbohydrate counting with an understanding of the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load data and with common sense, we can make a significant contribution to establishing a sensible diabetic diet. We've survived the 1930's, where the only diabetic diet was starvation. And those experimental starvation diets only prolonged the agony diabetics suffered back then. Diabetics now enjoy the freedom and convenience of eating pretty much what we want - within reason, of course, and in moderation. Yogi Berra might have said, "I believe in moderation, as long as there isn't too much of it." I would say "Watch your carbohydrate intake, but don't let the watching consume you." Science has provided useful data. As responsible diabetics, let's use it to our advantage. That's being a devout diabetic.
Diet and exercise are the first lines of defense against getting diabetes and the best ways to control it. Follow your doctor's advice. Consider consulting with a dietician. Subscribe to the American Diabetes Association newsletter. Above all, take control of your own life. Diabetes is far from the worst thing that you could encounter. Make minor adjustments to your lifestyle as required, eat right, stay active, and live life to its fullest.
Bill Stork is the author of this article and has more information on living with diabetes at Plain Talk About Diabetes. Take a look at http://www.newdiabeticinfosource.com.
Although they are related, carbohydrates and calories are not the same thing. Calories can come from fat and protein as well as from carbohydrates, but carbs are the main source of calories, so that's why they are in the cross hairs when it comes to calorie reduction. Carbohydrates are called simple or complex, depending on the amount of simple sugars in the molecule. The body quickly converts simple carbohydrates into glucose and quickly passes the glucose into the bloodstream. Starchy foods, a.k.a. complex carbohydrates, are so called because of the complex nature of their molecule.
Bottom line - they take longer to digest and the glucose is released into the bloodstream at a slower, more even rate, resulting in smaller increases in blood sugar levels. What's hard to figure is how much slower, and the rate is different for different starches.
What's newer is the Glycemic Index, first developed by Dr. David L, Jenkins and his colleagues at the University of Toronto in 1980. It ranks food items by their glucose content in comparison to a control food like glucose. If glucose is the control, it is given a glycemic index of 100. Let's use a slice of bread for example and use glucose as the control food. According to the University of Sydney, Australia, an average slice of white bread contains 14 grams of carbohydrates and has a Glycemic Index of 73. In other words, a slice of bread would raise your blood sugar 73% of what 14 grams of glucose would.
Taking this a step farther, another indicator of the body's response to carbohydrates is Glycemic Load, which takes into consideration the relative quantities, not just the types of carbohydrates in your diabetic diet. In other words, GL takes into consideration the serving size.
Low GI / GL diets are useful in avoiding and correcting many health ailments, but let's concentrate on diabetic diets. We know that high GI diets will put on weight, so to avoid weight gain or to lose weight, use a low GI diet. And we know that high GI diets overwork the pancreas as it tries to produce enough insulin. The result is Type 2 diabetes. So, how does the average diabetic on the street use this data to determine diabetic diet? Well, the news here is both good and not so good. If you are looking for a simplistic, magical conversion from GI or GL data to how many carbs to program into your insulin pump, the news is not so good. But don't give up. What the charts do give you is a quick reference to what kind of foods will cause what kind of blood sugar response. It's up to the individual to apply the information. Here's how.
A quick look at the numbers tells us that foods with a GI of 70 + are considered high, 56-69 are moderate, and below 55 are low. A GL of over 20 is high, 10-20 is moderate, and below 10 is low.
The goal in a diabetic diet is to limit or avoid the high value foods and eat more of the moderate and lows. Use either the GI or GL index to determine where what foods you normally eat rate on the scale. Education is the key, so first Google a GI or GL list on the internet, and print out the one you like. Then follow the guidelines to determine your food portions:
• Eat more whole grains, nuts, legumes, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables. Focus on breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran. Choose breads with whole grains, stone-ground flour or sourdough.
• Eat less starchy foods like potatoes, white rice, white bread, pasta and noodles
• Minimize the consumption of sugary foods like cookies, cakes, candy, and soft-drinks
When we couple carbohydrate counting with an understanding of the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load data and with common sense, we can make a significant contribution to establishing a sensible diabetic diet. We've survived the 1930's, where the only diabetic diet was starvation. And those experimental starvation diets only prolonged the agony diabetics suffered back then. Diabetics now enjoy the freedom and convenience of eating pretty much what we want - within reason, of course, and in moderation. Yogi Berra might have said, "I believe in moderation, as long as there isn't too much of it." I would say "Watch your carbohydrate intake, but don't let the watching consume you." Science has provided useful data. As responsible diabetics, let's use it to our advantage. That's being a devout diabetic.
Diet and exercise are the first lines of defense against getting diabetes and the best ways to control it. Follow your doctor's advice. Consider consulting with a dietician. Subscribe to the American Diabetes Association newsletter. Above all, take control of your own life. Diabetes is far from the worst thing that you could encounter. Make minor adjustments to your lifestyle as required, eat right, stay active, and live life to its fullest.
Bill Stork is the author of this article and has more information on living with diabetes at Plain Talk About Diabetes. Take a look at http://www.newdiabeticinfosource.com.
Bill Stork, now 69 and in good health, is a Type 1 diabetic since
age 5. On an insulin pump, he calls himself a devout diabetic, but
admits to not always being so. He writes an interesting blog Plain Talk
About Diabetes. Join him at http://www.newdiabeticinfosource.com for lightweight talk about living with diabetes.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_V_Stork
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