If you have type 2 diabetes, you are well aware of the necessity of carbohydrate counting in maintaining blood sugar control. However, how a dish affects your blood sugar levels is determined by more than simply the quantity of carbohydrates in it.
"While all carbohydrate-rich meals convert to sugar in our bodies," explains Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, of Los Angeles, "the fiber, protein, and fat content of a food all affect the effectiveness of that item on blood sugar levels." All of these aspects go into determining a food's glycemic index, which is a score of how much it elevates blood sugar levels when compared to pure glucose, which has a GI of 100. Low GI foods have a GI of 55 or less, whereas high GI meals have a GI of 70 or more.
"While GI gives you an indication of how a meal affects your body, it doesn't tell the entire picture," explains Sara Thomas, Ph.D., RDN, a diabetic research scientist and nutritionist at Abbott. "A GL is a formula that takes into account a food's portion size as well as its GI. The GL of a meal is equal to its GI value divided by 100 and multiplied by the total grams of carbohydrate," according to University of Sydney researchers who pioneered GL research.
Fortunately, if you have type 2 diabetes, you don't need to get out a calculator or start Googling the glycemic load of every meal on the planet.
Simply comprehending the notion of glycemic load is really beneficial when dealing with meals that have a tendency to raise blood sugar levels. "When you keep an eye on moderation and portion size, glycemic load reveals that all meals may actually fit inside a diet," Dr. Thomas explains. Plus, as she notes, most meals aren't eaten alone, so even if you have a high GL item on your hands, eating it with foods that are rich in healthy fats, fiber, and lean protein will significantly reduce any blood sugar fluctuations.
Experts reveal the six most common items that cause blood sugar levels to surge — and how to limit your approach to them for more stable blood sugar levels.
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1. White Grains
According to the American Heart Association, refined carbohydrate sources include white grain-containing meals like white bread, pasta, and rice, which have had most of their fiber removed during processing. "Fiber is a form of carbohydrate with a lot of advantages," Thomas explains. "Because it isn't digested by the body, it has an impact on gut health and may inhibit digestion, which might assist with blood sugar levels." It also makes you feel fuller for longer, reducing the risk of overeating, which may cause blood sugar problems.
Whole grains, such as whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, and brown rice, are high in blood-sugar-regulating fiber and should be consumed whenever feasible. She also recommends quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, and hulled barley as whole grain alternatives. (It's important to note that pearled barley is a processed grain, not a whole grain.)
With the appropriate strategy, you may still incorporate limited quantities of white grains in your diet. To make white-carb-containing meals kinder on your blood sugar, Sheth suggests mixing them with lean meats, healthy fats, and other relatively low-carb sources of fiber, such as nonstarchy veggies. According to the American Diabetes Association, 1/3 cup of cooked white pasta qualifies as one serving (ADA). The ADA advises serving it with a chicken breast and vegetables sautéed in olive oil for a balanced dinner that keeps blood sugar levels stable.
2. Drinks with Added Sugar
Rasa Kazlauskaite, MD, associate professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, believes that consuming sugary drinks makes it difficult to regulate blood sugar. She says that, apart from being high in sugar, beverages such as soda, sweetened iced tea, and even fruit juice are devoid of protein, fat, or fiber. Furthermore, she claims that these beverages do not promote satiety. Most individuals would rather get some fullness from anything that raises their blood sugar.
While the ideal course of action is to avoid any sweetened caloric drinks, Dr. Kazlauskaite points out that a little consumption of these beverages may assist raise blood sugar fast when patients are suffering from severe hypoglycemia. Start with 12 cups and monitor how your blood sugar levels fluctuate before adding more.
If you don't have low blood sugar and are just desiring something sweet, a sugar-free seltzer can suffice. Still, water should be your primary beverage of choice. If you're having difficulties putting water away without the taste, Kazlauskaite recommends adding slices of fresh fruit to your water bottle.
3. Fast Food
Sure, no one considers fast food to be healthy, but we often associate hamburgers and french fries with being heavy in calories and fat. Fast food products, on the other hand, are often heavy in sugar and processed carbs. Some popular drive-thru burgers have the same amount of fat as a candy bar. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese has 10 grams of sugar and 43 grams of carbohydrates, but a 2-ounce Snickers bar has 29 grams of sugar and 35 grams of carbohydrates (USDA).
When fast food is your only choice, keep in mind that buns, breading, sauces, fries, and drinks are all rich in sugar and processed carbs, so limit how much of these you order, Sheth advises. If you want a breaded chicken sandwich, get a small salad with mild dressing as an aside. And don't forget to say "no thanks" to the soda.
4. Fruit
Fruit may raise blood sugar levels, but that isn't a reason to exclude it totally from your diet. Fruit, after all, is high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, all of which are beneficial to your health and type 2 diabetes treatment, according to Thomas.
Your strategy: Count any fruit you eat as a carb, with one tennis-ball-sized piece of fruit equaling one serving, she advises. When feasible, choose full fresh or frozen choices since they are unprocessed and don't include any added sugars. If you prefer canned fruit, be sure it's packaged in water rather than sugary syrup. Last but not least, even if you can locate dried fruits without added sugar, be aware that they will still cause a significant jump in your blood sugar. This is because the fruits have been dried, which means they have the same amount of sugar as a full fruit in a single mouthful, she explains. According to the USDA, a full apricot has slightly over 3 g of sugar, yet just 2 tbsp of dried apricots have the same amount.
5. Starchy Vegetables
Oh, how the potato — and other starchy veggies like peas and maize — suffer. Compared to nonstarchy veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce, these meals have more carbohydrates. "However, don't completely eliminate starchy veggies from your diet." "They still give excellent nutrition, and some of them may even have more fiber than nonstarchy veggies," Thomas explains. One medium white potato, for example, has 2.38 g of fiber (or about 8.5 percent of the daily value). According to the USDA, a cup of cauliflower contains 1.02 g, or roughly 3.6 percent of the daily value.
When planning meals that include starchy veggies, she recommends counting them as carbs and then pairing them with low-GL items like lean meats and healthy fats. A serving of winter squash is one cup, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Serve it with shredded chicken and cheese on top. It's that simple.
6. Dairy-Free Milk
According to Harvard Medical School, even dairy milk is a carb, albeit one with a low GI. That isn't always the case with nondairy milk, with the presently popular oat milk containing a lot of sugar, according to Thomas, who adds that rice milk has the most sugar. According to Harvard Medical School, it has a GI of 86, which is 86 percent higher than plain glucose.
Unsweetened soy is the least likely of the milk alternatives to increase your blood sugar, due to lower sugar levels and greater protein levels. Because nutrition information varies by brand, read the label carefully. One cup of Silk unsweetened soy milk, for example, has 1 gram of sugar (no added sugar) and 7 grams of protein.
