Enjoy food

Carb counting
A good starting point is to
get the Diabetes UK e-book
Carbs Count: an introduction
to carbohydrate counting
and insulin dose adjustment –
download it free from
shop.diabetes.org.uk/go/
carbs-count
3 WAYS TO
INCLUDE GOOD
CARBOHYDRATES
✔ Choose wholegrain
breads and cereals.
✔ Eat fruit whole, rather
than as a juice. Eating an
apple with the skin on, for
example, provides more
fibre than drinking
a glass of apple juice.
✔ Try quinoa and couscous
as an alternative to pasta
and potatoes for variety
in your diet.
For tasty meal ideas, turn to
pages 43–61 or search for
ideas at www.diabetes.org.
uk/recipes
WHAT’S THE
GLYCAEMIC INDEX?
The glycaemic index (GI) tells
you whether a food raises blood
glucose levels quickly, moderately
or slowly. Different carbohydrates
are digested at different rates,
and the GI is a ranking of how
quickly each carbohydrate
containing food and drink makes
blood glucose levels rise after
eating them.
The GI rating is between 1 and
100, depending on how slowly
or quickly the food raises your
blood glucose levels. The lower
the number, the slower the carb is
digested and absorbed as glucose
in your bloodstream.
Generally, fruit and vegetables
have a low to medium GI rating.
They are digested slowly and can
help reduce fluctuations in your
blood glucose levels. Pulses like
beans and lentils, basmati rice
and wholegrains are nourishing
lower-GI foods.
Research has shown that
choosing these low-GI foods can
help manage long-term blood
glucose levels (HbA1c) in people
with diabetes, especially in Type
2 diabetes. These foods are also
better options for general health,
whether or not you have diabetes.
Not all low-GI foods are healthy
choices – chocolate, for example,
has a low GI because of its fat
content, which slows down the
absorption of carbohydrate.
Other factors that can affect
the GI rating include:
Cooking methods: frying,
boiling and baking can alter the GI
level. For example, the longer pasta
is cooked, the higher the GI. That’s
why it’s best to eat it al dente (firm
to the bite) or reheated.
Protein content: like fat,
protein slows down the absorption
of carbohydrates, so milk and dairy
products will have a low GI.
Ripeness of fruit and
vegetables: in general, the riper
the fruit and some vegetables,
the higher the GI.
Fibre: this acts as a physical
barrier that slows down the
absorption of carbohydrate, so
the more fibre in a food, the
slower it’s absorbed.
Eating to control your diabetes
isn’t just about GI ratings.
Think of the bigger picture and
choose foods low in saturated fat,
salt and sugar as part of a healthy,
balanced diet.
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www.diabetes.org.uk/enjoyfood