Gretchen Scalpi, RDN

Am I allowed carbs since I have diabetes?  This is a question I am asked so often, I think the answer bears repeating…YES!   Many of my clients with recently diagnosed  with diabetes believe it is necessary remove all carbohydrates from their diet.  This is not only unnecessary, it’s very difficult to do.  Besides the fact that you will be very hungry without carbohydrates, over time, you will not have an adequate supply of energy for your body.  Carbohydrate foods are the preferred source of fuel for the body.  Despite all we know about diabetes,there is still a great deal of confusion about whether “carbohydrates” need to be cut out of one’s diet.

The quantity and  type carbohydrate food is what’s most important.  In general, the less a food has been processed the better.  That advice actually applies to everyone, not just people with diabetes.  Choose whole grains,  fruit and vegetables more often, and limit the highly processed foods as much as possible.  Fresh fruit for example, is a better choice than fruit juice, which has been processed.

Any food with carbohydrate will make blood sugar rise, but the type and amount of carbohydrate you eat makes all the difference.  Too much of a “healthy” carbohydrate can cause a significant rise in blood sugar.  Conversely, a small, controlled portion of a dessert or sweetened food may not have much of an affect on your blood sugar if you are monitoring your diabetes closely.  It all depends on the food you have chosen, the amount consumed, and the state of your blood sugar at the onset.  The bottom line…1) check your blood sugar often, so you know where you are 2) make note of how certain foods affect your blood sugar, and 3) learn what portion size is right for you!

Tags: carbs, diabetes, diabetic