Diabetic Cooking: The Importance of Controlling Carbohydrates

If you have diabetes then you know how important it is to control your meals and maintain a strict diet so that you keep your carbohydrate consumption to a minimum each day in order to keep your blood sugar steady. This article will take a look at the types of diabetes and how diet is used to control each type.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes usually manifests itself in childhood or as a young adult. This type of diabetes causes the diabetic to become insulin dependent which means they need to inject insulin everyday because their pancreas does not manufacture enough of it to keep blood sugar levels down. This is the less common type of diabetes and affects only 10% of diabetes sufferers. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include nausea, vomiting, weight loss, exhaustion, excessive thirst, frequent urination and constant hunger.

Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces enough insulin but the cells of the body resist it therefore it cannot be utilized by the body. Hence, this type of diabetes is also referred to as insulin resistant diabetes. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes include tingling and numbness of the feet, skin infections with slow to heal wounds or sores, and blurred vision.

For those with type 1 diabetes, it is important to eat at regular meal times, adhere to a strict diabetic diet and get plenty of exercise to keep weight under control. For these diabetics, the amount of carbohydrates that is consumed each day is determined by the amount of insulin that the doctor prescribes.

For those with type 2 diabetes, following a diabetic diet as well as exercise play an important role in controlling blood sugar levels. Diabetics that are at their ideal weight can consume half of their calories from natural carbohydrates. Diabetics that are overweight should limit carbohydrates to 40%.

The glycemic index is a useful tool for diabetics. It can be used when menu planning because it is basically a list of foods ranked according to their carbohydrate levels and how quickly they affect blood glucose levels.

Diabetics need to consume a low carb diet. The best cereals, bread, pasta, and rice that should be used is whole grain. In addition, nuts and seeds, fresh vegetables and fruits, and dried beans are also good for diabetics to add to their diets. On the other hand, white rice, white potatoes, low fiber cereal, candy, and beverages with sugar must be avoided.

If you have any questions or concerns about your diabetic diet, be sure to consult with your doctor or dietician. You should also check with your doctor to make sure you are eating the correct amount of carbohydrates for the type of diabetes that you have.

10 Eating Habits That May Help to Prevent Diabetes - The Daily meal

10 Eating Habits That May Help to Prevent Diabetes The Daily meal Diabetes is a growing problem in the United States and it seems to be somewhat of a trendy topic nowadays, what with Paula Deen's recent confession. According to the American Diabetes Association, 25.8 million children and adults in the US have ... and more »

Advice for Deen and diabetics dining out - Atlanta Journal Constitution

USA TODAY

Advice for Deen and diabetics dining out Atlanta Journal Constitution Know the menu in advance. Determine what fits into your meal plan before you go.” Be firm about what you want, suggests dietitian Lois Moss-Barnwell, who counsels diabetics in the Chicago area. “Return a dish if it shows up with added carbohydrates you ... Paula Deen: How She Can Help Reverse The Diabetes EpidemicHuffington Post all 456 news articles »

TODAY viewers, chefs and fans react to Paula Deen admission - msnbc.com

msnbc.com

TODAY viewers, chefs and fans react to Paula Deen admission msnbc.com Paula Deen's announcement Tuesday on TODAY that she has type-2 diabetes generated tons of buzz. Celeb chefs were expressing their support or ire (we're looking at you, Tony B.) for the butter maven. The New York Times crowd-sourced a gallery of Deen's ... Paula Deen: Good or Bad for Diabetes?Supermarket News (blog) all 1,852 news articles »

Andrew Brice taps into frozen health foods market - Courier Mail

Andrew Brice taps into frozen health foods market Courier Mail HEALTHY MOVE: Andrew Brice, with Anna Cottell and William Brice, launches his new food line for diabetics. Source: The Courier-Mail ONE of the founders and current directors of online hotel booking site Wotif.com has already proven his venture ... and more »

New dietitian has focus on diabetes prevention - Napanee Guide

New dietitian has focus on diabetes prevention Napanee Guide "We do individual counseling where we talk about balanced meals, carbohydrate counting if necessary, healthy food choices and meal and menu planning," says Cronk. "We go through the food guide thoroughly and help to make a plan individual for that ...