I already talked a bit about carbohydrate consumption in diabetes, and now I want to expand on that. The previous post focused on quantity of carbohydrates per meal or snack using the carbohydrate exchange lists. This time, I want to focus on quality of carbohydrates and how to include carbohydrates in an overall healthy diet with fiber, protein, and healthy fats to manage blood sugar and have other benefits.
Carbohydrate Quantity and Quality
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body. When your body digests food with carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into sugar, or glucose, and releases that into the blood.
When talking about the quantity of carbs, using carbohydrate exchange lists is helpful for meal planning because it makes it simple to consume or serve a consistent amount of carbohydrates. One exchange is 15 grams of carbohydrates.
For example, each of these sample meals has a similar amount of carbohydrates because they each have three carb exchanges.
- Peanut butter on 2 English muffin halves with ½ banana
- 1 cup of cooked whole-grain spaghetti with tomato sauce and ground turkey, and a side of ½ cup of corn
- 1 banana, 1 orange, and 1 apple
- 1 cup of cereal, 1 cup of milk
- ½ cup of brown rice, vegetables stir fried with chicken, and 1 cup of ice cream
Carbohydrate quality matters, too. Carbohydrate quality refers to the type of carbohydrates and other nutrients that are in food. Higher-quality carbohydrates may have more fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and fewer sugars and refined starches, than lower-quality ones.
Intuitively, it makes sense that a slice of whole-grain bread is higher-quality than a sandwich cookie. Both are 1 carbohydrate exchange, but the bread has fiber, antioxidants, and B vitamins. The sandwich cookie has refined starch, added sugars, and saturated fat.
Why Carbohydrate Quality Matters in Diabetes
Carbohydrate quality is important for general health, as nutrients like fiber and healthy fats can lower cardiovascular risk, and components like sugar and saturated fat can raise cardiovascular risk. In diabetes, it’s important to choose higher quality carbs to improve your glycemic response to carbs.
Carbohydrates like sugar and refined starch spike blood sugar because they’re quick to digest and release into the bloodstream. That’s the opposite of the goal in diabetes! White bread, jam, soda, and candy are examples.
Low-quality carbohydrates may also have unhealthy components, like sodium and saturated fat, that raise blood pressure or cholesterol levels. Potato chips, croissants, and French fries are examples. Pancakes with butter and buttered rice are also high in refined starch, saturated fat, and often sodium.
On the other hand, carbohydrates with fiber, protein, and other nutrients lead to a slower and smaller spike in blood sugar. Here are some nutritious options.
- Whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, and whole-grain cereal
- Beans and lentils
- Fruit like berries, bananas, oranges, apples, pears, and `grapes
- Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, corn, peas, potatoes, and winter squash,
These carbs may spike blood sugar on their own, but the nutrients it provides can make it worthwhile. Pairing it with protein and fat can help.
Non-starchy vegetables are low in carbohydrates and calories. They’re high in fiber and other nutrients. They’re almost always a good choice! Examples are tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, zucchini, carrots, and eggplant.
High and low-nutrient carbohydrates also affect weight. High-quality carbohydrates are more filling, so it’s easier to eat less of them. Lower-quality carbohydrates are less filling. It’s easy to eat too many calories and gain weight.
Choosing High-Fiber, Nutrient-Dense Carbohydrates
How can you choose nutritious sources of carbohydrates? Here are some swaps you can make to your regular choices.
| Instead of… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Breads & Sandwiches | |
| White bread | Whole wheat, sprouted grain, or sourdough |
| White sandwich rolls / buns | Whole grain or oat-based rolls |
| Croissants or pastries | Whole wheat toast with nut butter & fruit |
| White bagels | Whole grain mini bagel or half with toppings |
| Grains & Rice | |
| White rice | Brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice |
| Instant or polished grains | Steel-cut oats, farro, or barley |
| Pasta & Noodles | |
| Regular white pasta | Whole grain or lentil/chickpea pasta |
| Instant ramen or refined noodles | Whole grain or brown rice noodles |
| Breakfast & Cereals | |
| Sugary breakfast cereal | High-fiber, low-sugar cereal or homemade muesli |
| Instant oatmeal packets | Old-fashioned or steel-cut oats |
| White flour pancakes | Whole grain or oat-based pancakes |
| Sweetened muffins | Bran or whole grain muffins with less sugar |
| Snacks & Crackers | |
| White crackers | Whole grain or seed-based crackers |
| Potato chips | Air-popped popcorn or roasted chickpeas |
| Plain rice cakes | Brown rice cakes with toppings |
| Potatoes & Starchy Vegetables | |
| French fries / fried potatoes | Baked sweet potato wedges |
| Tater tots / hash browns | Air-fried veggie patties or roasted potatoes |
| Mashed potatoes with butter | Mashed cauliflower or roasted potatoes with olive oil |
| Desserts & Sweets | |
| Apple pie | Baked apple slices with cinnamon |
| Candy or gummies | Fresh berries or frozen grapes |
| Sweetened applesauce | Unsweetened applesauce or mashed fruit |
| Beverages | |
| Fruit juice | Whole fruit or smoothie with protein |
| Sweetened drinks | Water, sparkling water, or herbal tea |
| Convenience Foods | |
| Sugary granola bars | Low-sugar high-fiber bars |
| Instant mashed potatoes | Roasted potatoes or mashed cauliflower |
Now that we’ve gone into detail on carbohydrates in diabetes, it’s time to move on to other parts of your plate. Lean proteins and healthy fats can improve blood sugar control and support weight management. In future posts, we’ll talk about nutritious protein and fats, and how to build a healthy plate at every meal.
