I, for one, am a great believer in the Glycemic Index. It works for me. Yes, you have to watch the amount of carbs you eat but it does matter what kind of carbs they are and where they fall on the GI. As for rice, white or brown, it has the same effect on my blood sugar (a bad one!) and so I have cut it out of my diet. Pumpernickel works for me and does not spike my glucose levels. The best pasta to eat is a brand called "Dreamfields"; it is specially processed to reduce the amount of digestible carbs. It is delicious and has a low glycemic index. I read the other posters re:glycemic index but I disagree with them. I have managed to lower my A1C from a 9.8 to a 6 all with exercise and diet. You can do this, zeppo, and I will be rooting for you!
My best advice is eat to your meter. if you eat a food and 2 hours later your blood sugar is higher than 140 (ideally target 120, not 140), then that food doesn't work for you.
Forget GI. Just see which foods work for you. Low carb is the best way to control blood sugar. You will need to cut the carbs and increase the fats (healthy fats that is: from animals and dairy, nuts, avocado). Avoid processed foods / transfats.
Do not base your nutritional plan on the Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load. What the GI or GL fail to mention are carbohydrates. Carbs are quickly digested. The easier a food is digested the quicker its sugars enter your bloodstream. Type 2 diabetics must pay careful attention to the amount of carbs eaten. Consider carbs as an equal to table sugar. On nutrition labels carb sugars are listed in grams. Every 7 grams equals one heaping Tablespoon of refined sugar.
Changing lifestyle habits can go a long way in controlling type 2 diabetes. Restrict & avoid refined sugars, practice and adhere to weight control, do some sort of exercise daily, practice stress management, and get adequate sleep. These are all important in managing this illness, the most important, along with proper nutrition, is physical activity.
Foods made with white flour like breads, pasta, crackers, etc. and starches like potatoes and white rice can cause a drastic rise in your blood sugar if you aren't careful. [They are converted to sugar after you eat them.]
Other foods/drinks need care too [example; milk, fruit, fruit juice] can also cause blood sugar to rise [so serving sizes and moderation are important]. With fruit it’s important to eat them with other foods to slow the absorption of fructose [fruit sugar]. I'm NOT saying that these foods aren't allowed. What I AM saying is that you need to use care and follow the guidelines for diabetics. Eat whole grains, lean meats, fish and poultry and vegetables.
Alcohol contains sugar. Drink carefully. Cinnamon was studied for around 10 years. No consensus of it lowering blood sugars. Cinnamon has been found to stabilize blood pressure. I can attest to that.
If you have an Endocrinologist, a diabetes doctor, or a diabetes nurse, or a nutritionist they can help you a lot with nutritional guidelines. [Serving sizes, and how many servings of each type food that's safe for you.] Good luck -
I did spell check, sorry for missing so many ....
Hi, first i want to tell you that I am not diabetic. I think it is important that I tell you this so you can judge for yourself what I say. My Mom's husband is, and I always had lower blood sugar, so I do my best to follow a diabetic diet as I find I feel much better.
Now in the foodregardss. You want your grains to be as close to nature as possible. Brown rice, not white rice. UncleBen'ss might be a lower score due to fat added in the rice mix? You can cook red potatoes in a little oil ( I like olive oil) and then you just reduced the g-load.
I also like Sprouted breads better than other breads, though for myself I will use double fiber bread and that seems to be alright- again, I don't have an issue ( yet).
Please don't do the wine, it's loaded with sugar. If you must, do so with a meal as your trying to prevent a raise in your insulin levels which will through your blood sugar off like crazy.
Now all this being said, do they know the cause of your blood sugar?
On pasta, I use a whole grain one and I look at which one has more protein. Also, if you don't cook it as long it is better for you ( 7 minutes instead orinserince in cold water to stop the cooking process...heat it up when needed.