So, I have diabetes, what can I eat?

If are living with diabetes or have just been diagnosed, common questions you may ask are “what can you eat?” or even “what can’t you eat?”. Whilst there is a recommended way of eating for managing diabetes, the good news is that it is not about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods. The problem is that it may be tricky to work out an ideal way of eating given the amount of information (and misinformation) available at our fingertips.

With the right knowledge and some planning, eating well with diabetes does not have to be complex or expensive. After all it is about taking control of your diabetes not diabetes controlling you.

Where do I start?

The best place to start is by understanding the role of macronutrients such as carbohydrates (carbs). Just as we need petrol for our cars – our bodies preferred fuel source is carbohydrates. Carbs come in two forms – starches and sugars.

Starches – grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, rice and other grains and foods made from these grains such as bread, breakfast cereal, pasta, and noodles. Also, starchy vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, corn and dried lentils, beans, and split peas.

Sugars – naturally occurring in fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose) or added sugar found in many processed food and drinks e.g., confectionary, and soft drinks

Choosing the right amount and type of carbohydrate foods is an important part of managing your blood glucose levels. To get you started, try these 5 tips:

1. PORTION CAUTION:

Including carbohydrates in the diet is all about balance. The amount of carbs you eat is different for everyone with diabetes and depends on your age, gender, weight and activity levels. Your diabetes health Professional can provide you with more tailored advice especially if you are on insulin or other glucose lowering medication. However, a good starting place is:

2. QUALITY CARBS COUNT

The type of carbohydrate we eat will also affect our blood glucose levels. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a tool that measures how different types of carbohydrates affect our blood glucose levels. It is a scientifically proven way to determine which carbohydrate foods are healthiest for us.

Carbohydrate foods that are tested are given a score on a scale of 1-100 with low GI being 55 or less.

Low GI Carbs provide a wide range of health benefits. Studies show that following a low GI diet significantly helps people with diabetes improve their blood glucose levels. It can also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, research shows that type 2 diabetes can be prevented in up to 58% of cases in the high risk (pre-diabetes) population by eating well and exercising.

3. CARB SMART SWAPS

Going low GI does not mean giving up all your favourite carbs such as bread and potatoes! It is ‘this for that’ approach or swapping. For example, swap:

High GI white bread –> wholegrain bread such as Bürgen® Cholesterol Lowering Whole Grain & Oats

Wholegrain Oats White potato —> low GI Carisma potatoes.

The best place to start on a low GI healthy eating is in the supermarket! A few easy swaps and planning can make a difference to your blood glucose levels and the way you feel.