Tag: carbohydrate

Nutrition

Eat Balanced by Pairing Your Carbs with Protein

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By Lisa Keovongsa
Dietetic Intern

There is a common misconception that once a person is diagnosed with diabetes they need to cut out all carbs. This is not the case! Carbohydrates are very important because they serve as the main fuel source for the body and give the brain and muscles the energy needed to carry out daily activities. Carbs, protein, and fat all play essential roles and can be incorporated into your meals and snacks to keep you feeling your best. Also, eating carbs with protein at every meal will help manage your blood sugar and help your body best utilize the nutrients in your food.

Carbohydrate Foods
Many foods with carbohydrates raise blood sugar.  Eating carbohydrate with a protein or fat can keep your blood sugar steady.  Foods with carbohydrates include:

 Starchy vegetables*/legumes:  Pumpkin, squash, all potatoes, yucca, beans, corn

Dairy: Milk, yogurt

Grains: Breads, pastas, tortillas, rice, crackers/snack chips, cereals, quinoa

Fruit: Apples, oranges, pears, bananas, mangoes

*Non-starchy vegetables have fewer carbohydrates.  Examples of non-starchy vegetables include: Carrots, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, any leafy green, cucumbers

Protein Foods
There are many options when it comes to eating protein. These foods include meats, poultry, eggs, fish, cheese, cottage cheese, nuts, nut butter, and tofu.

Why do we need to eat protein with carbs?
During digestion, the food we eat gets broken down into simple sugars that are delivered to our muscles and liver through the bloodstream.  Insulin is the “key” that “unlocks the gate” for sugar to leave the blood and enter the cells. When someone with diabetes eats large portions of carbohydrate-rich foods, too much sugar is released into the blood stream and, because there’s either not enough insulin or they have insulin resistance, their body is unable to use this sugar for energy effectively.  This can cause high blood sugar, which, if it happens consistently over time, can lead to complications.  Proteins (and fats) take longer to digest than carbs, so eating protein along with the carb slows down digestion in the stomach and absorption in the intestines. This will help slow the rate of sugar entering the bloodstream, keeping blood sugars steady and preventing blood sugar spikes (and crashes).  Check your blood sugars 2 hours after a meal to see the effects.

Snack Ideas
Pair one item from the protein list with an item on the carbs list to make a balanced snack that will keep your blood sugar in check:

Protein                                                 Carbs

Handful of nuts                                 Whole fruit (apple, ½ banana)

1 cup Greek yogurt                           5 Whole wheat crackers

2 Deli turkey slices                           1 whole grain tortilla

1 oz beef jerky                                  1 oz whole wheat pretzels

Hard-boiled egg                                1 cup regular yogurt

½ cup cottage cheese                       ¼ cup granola

1 tbsp Peanut butter                        3 cups popcorn

2 Tbsp Hummus                               ½ cup dried fruit

1 oz cheese                                       1 cup raw vegetables

Post content reviewed by Melanie Pearsall, RD, CDE
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Nutrition, Uncategorized

Other Whole Grains

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By now you’ve probably heard about the many health benefits of whole grains (and hopefully started making half your grains whole grains).  Brown rice, quinoa and whole wheat bread are some of the go-to whole grain options but there are many, many other kinds to choose from.  Here are some other types of whole grains to try.

Barley

Barley is a really good source of fiber.  In fact, it has the most fiber of all the whole grains.  Barley has been shown to help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and keep blood sugar stable.  When shopping for barley, look for hulled barley rather than “pearled” barley.  Although pearled barley cooks much faster (about 30 minutes vs. an hour for hulled barley), pearled barley has had much of the bran scraped off.  Without the bran, it is no longer considered a whole grain.

Serving ideas:  Barley can be eaten alone as a hot cereal, used to thicken soups and stews, or as a substitute for rice.

Buckwheat

Like quinoa, buckwheat isn’t really a grain (it’s a seed).  It’s also not a type of wheat – it’s more closely related to rhubarb.  Buckwheat is high in protein and gluten-free, making it a good option for people with Celiac or other gluten sensitivity.  The kernels (called “groats”) cook in about 20 – 30 minutes.  If you’re short on time, look for toasted buckwheat groats (called “kasha”) which typically cooks in 15-20 minutes.

Serving ideas:  Cooked groats can be eaten alone in place of oatmeal, or added to salads or soups.  Buckwheat flower is used to make soba noodles.

Oats

Oats are a good source of fiber and are known to help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure.  Some different types of oats you may find in the store include oat groats, steel cut oats, and rolled oats.  The difference between each of these is how they’re processed.  Oat groats are whole oat kernels.  Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been cut into smaller pieces, while rolled oats are groats that have been steamed and flattened.  Processed oats cook faster, but here’s the good news:  all processed oats are still whole grains!  Even instant oatmeal counts as a whole grain, but read the nutrition facts label very carefully and choose brands that do not have a lot of added salt and sugar.

Serving idea:  Make up a batch of this Be Fit Power Granola for a healthy snack

One final thing to remember:  whole grains are still high in carbohydrate.  While you’re trying out new whole grain options, remember to pay attention to portion size.

 Content reviewed by Melanie Pearsall, RD, CDE
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Diabetes ABCs

Diabetes ABCs: H

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia
By Paula Cerqueira, Dietetic Intern

H

Hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar.  It occurs when the pancreas produces too little insulin, or when the body becomes resistant to insulin.  Hyperglycemia happens every now and then to all people living with diabetes.  If your blood glucose values are consistently running higher than the norm, talk with your healthcare provider.

Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar (< 70 mg/dL) and results from too much insulin and too little sugar in the blood. If blood glucose drops below 50 mg/dL, this could result in unconsciousness, a condition sometimes called insulin shock or coma.  Hypoglycemia can be caused by skipping or delaying meals, eating too few carbohydrates, exercising longer or more strenuously than normal, taking too much insulin and drinking alcohol.  It’s important to learn to identify the symptoms of hypoglycemia so you can treat it quickly.  Symptoms include: shakiness, dizziness, sweating, hunger, headache, pale skin color, sudden moodiness, seizure, and confusion.  Hypoglycemia can be treated by following the 15/15 guideline to raise blood glucose above 70 mg/dL – test blood sugar, consume 15 g of carbohydrate and test blood sugar in 15 minutes.  If blood sugar remains low, consume an additional 15 g of carbohydrate and test blood glucose in 15 minutes and then in 60 minutes. Once normal, consume a regular meal.  Fifteen grams of carbohydrate is about 4 oz of juice, 6 oz of soft drink, 5 hard candies, 4 glucose tablets, or 1 tablespoon sugar.

(Post reviewed by Debra Powers, MS, RD, CDE, LDN, Senior Clinical Nutritionist)
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