Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are commonly referred to as sugar, starch, and fiber. We obtain carbohydrates typically from grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. You may have read or heard that certain types of carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, amylose, or combinations of sugars with proteins and fats) may individually play a large role in the diets of active people with diabetes. You may have seen some diets that incorporate certain kinds of carbohydrates that have been shown to minimize the glucose level in the blood. These diets are referred to as low glycemic index diets. However, the evidence suggests that there's no significant benefit to such a diet for people with type 1 diabetes, and the studies of those with type 2 diabetes have not shown any consistent benefits with the low glycemic index diet. Even though there is some evidence to support that these low glycemic index diets may have other health benefits, most experts agree that eating a combination of these sugars as they are normally found in most foods is more important than trying to isolate and monitor each one in an effort to improve your health through complex meal plans.

Table 5.2 Commonly Recommended Daily Nutrient Percentages

Other diets may focus on replacing carbohydrates with other substances. For instance, it is known that people with type 2 diabetes who are on weight-maintenance diets that replace carbohydrates with monounsaturated fats (such as almond oil, avocado oil, canola oil, olive oil, or peanut oil) reduce the amount of glucose in the blood, thus improving glucose control. However, if you consume a diet high in monounsaturated fats without ensuring that the amount of calories you consume adheres to your balanced diet plan, this increase in fat intake can lead to increased sensations of hunger, resulting in increased caloric intake and weight gain because of the reasons mentioned previously. In some people, it appears that diets high in monounsaturated fat stimulate hunger centers in the brain. Furthermore, diets high in monounsaturated fat have not been shown to decrease fasting plasma glucose levels or HbA1C values, which in this uncontrolled setting can actually be harmful. The point is that the key to success in losing weight and maintaining it does not lie in complex diet plans such as the low glycemic index diet or carbohydrate-replacement diet, but in plans that you can live with on a daily basis, leading to your long-term success.

Starches

Fiber

Sweeteners

General Carbohydrate Supplementation Recommendations