DIABETES - CARB CONTROL – GLYCEMIC INDEX

Not JUST low glycemic index foods will control blood sugars, but they DO play a large role in it.  It is also the AMOUNT of food you consume in one meal setting and the other combination of foods you eat with it (such as fats and proteins).

For best blood sugar control:

1. Eat foods that have a low GI (less than 55) - google up "Glycemic Index" for a complete list.
2. Eat foods that are higher in fiber
3. Always eat a healthy protein with your meals/snacks (nothing fried or highly marbled)
4. LIMIT the amount of fat you consume with your meal and make it plant fats (i.e. olive oil & avocado)
5. Men: limit Total Carbohydrate intake to 60-75gms/meal (4-5 carb choices)                            Women: limit Total Carbohydrate intake to 45-60 gms/meal (3-4 carb choices)

Carbohydrate Choices & Serving Sizes

 When there is not a nutrition label available, use the food lists below to help you.

Each portion below is one carbohydrate choice (which is also 15 grams of carbohydrate)

Grains, Breads,  & Cereals	Milk  & Yogurt	Fruits	Starchy Vegetables	Sweets & Snack Foods
*1 oz bread product    (e.g. 1 slice bread,    ¼ large bagel, 6”    tortilla) • 1/3 cup cooked     pasta or rice • 1 cup soup • 3/4 oz cold cereal* • 1/2 cup cooked     cereal • 3 cups popcorn	* 1 cup milk       (preferably skim) • 3/4 to 1 cup (6 to 8    oz) plain yogurt or    greek yogurt	*1 baseball size     fresh fruit • 1/2 cup canned      fruit in own juice • 1 cup melon • 1/2 cup fruit juice • 2 Tbsp dried fruit • 1 cup raspberries • 1 1/4 cup      strawberries • 3/4 cup      blackberries,      blueberries	*1/2 cup potatoes,    peas, or corn • 1/2 cup cooked     beans/legumes     (e.g. garbanzo,     kidney or black     beans)	*3/4 oz snack food (e.g. pretzels, chips, 4 to 6 crackers) • 1 oz sweet snack     (e.g., 2 small       sandwich       cookies, 5       vanilla wafers) • 1 Tbsp sugar or       honey • 1/2 cup ice cream

*Serving sizes vary between 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cup. Check the product’s nutrition label.

Examples to figure out how many carbs you would consume if you at the following:

1)    ½ cup macaroni & cheese + ½ cup strawberries = 30 grams carbs (or 2 carb servings)

2)    1 cup macaroni & cheese = 30 grams carbs (or 2 carb servings)

3)    1 cup macaroni & cheese + ½ cup corn + baseball size apple = 60 grams carbs (or 4 carb servings)

How to read a food label

• Find the Serving Size.
• Find the Total Carbohydrate in one serving. (Sugars are included in this number, so you do not need to count them separately.)
• Compare the serving size listed to your portion.
• Calculate the amount of carbohydrate in your portion.
• You can count grams of carbohydrate or carbohydrate choices.

KEY POINTS to consider and follow:

 * Food is now “medicine” to me.  What I eat directly affects how high or how low my blood sugars go.

* It is extremely important that I eat protein with EVERY meal and EVERY snack because protein helps pull my blood sugars back down.

* I MUST eat within 2 hours of getting up in order to get my blood sugars in balance for the day.   I also need to eat every 4-6 hours throughout the day(3 meals/day), with a small bedtime snack (which helps in promoting normal range blood sugars when I wake up in the morning).