Diabetic eating...can you please explain to me?

[Bess]

Okay, so I know there are two types of eating for diabetics (or ideal eating, I should say)...one is a low fat, portioned way of eating, and then there is the low-carb way of eating.

 

I'm trying to understand how both approaches could work for diabetics. The styles of eating or completely opposite.

 

Reason I'm asking isn't because I'm diabetic. But I am hypoglycemic, and trying to find out the best way to eat for myself. I'm trying to understand if eating a low-fat way will work for me at keeping my blood sugar stable. How can this work if the low-fat way of eating involves eating sugar? Is it the *small portions* that make it okay?? Basically I'm rebelling against the idea of low-carb, but want to know the scientific reasons why eating the other way is okay and even beneficial for my health.

 

Thanks!

[Vida Winter]

My mom is diabetic, I am hypoglycemic. So I have a little knowledge here, not scientific at all.

 

My mom eats low carb. But after diet upon diet that did not work (she probably eats too much) she started taking Byetta which curbs her appetite and works wonders to keep her blood sugar down. Mom's problem is that she entertains a lot (fancy dinners) and has gone on a lot of cruises lately.

 

I would much rather be hypoglycemic than diabetic. What works for me is moderate carb and high protein. I do much better to have slices of chicken breast than a bowl of cereal for a snack. I need to "nosh" most of the day or I feel faint. I don't eat much sugar - we do not make dessert at our house. If the kids want dessert they can eat some ice cream or a popsicle; I just don't crave it. I do make homemade bread almost daily but try to keep from eating all I want (I love bread & butter). I also love homemade granola with pain yougurt.

 

We try to eat a lot of veggies but I could never be a vegetarian - I need eggs and meat to keep my body going, otherwise I would be hungry all the time (or filling up on cheese and fatty foods constantly).

 

If I had to make a general statement, if I were trying to have a diet that would work for both myself and my mom, it would be contain moderate amounts of meat and eggs, a small amount of cheese, large amount of veggies, moderate amount of fruit, and moderate amount of bread. And eating often (but small portions) would be the way to eat. I forgot to mention I drink from 0 to 3 cups of black coffee a day and drink lots of water. No soda drinks. A glass of red wine at night.

 

Eating this way has kept me on an even keel with good blood sugars and a good healthy weight without having to think about dieting.

 

Hope this helps

[dirty ethel rackham]

Hypoglycemics need moderate carbs and healthy fats. Low fat would probably eliminate lots of protein sources which are needed to balance the carbs. I have lived with hypoglycemia for 25 years. I can't go more than 3 hours without eating, so I have to plan healthy protein snacks throughout the day. I do the best when I balance the carbs with protein EVERY TIME I EAT CARBS. At breakfast, if I don't have eggs or another high protein low carb choice, my sugars are peaking and troughing all day long. For snacks, I must have protein with my carbs - even fruit. Peanut butter on apple slices, cheese and crackers, etc. Low carb may rob the body of too many b-vitamins, so moderate carb is probably a better way to go.

 

However, if you are craving carbs, you may need to go low-carb for a short period of time to break the cravings. Then adding in good carbs - like whole grains, whole fruits and veggies, etc - in moderation. Google glycemic index for foods that are less likely to produce a spike in insulin, which would then produce a hypoglycemic condition.

 

Hope this helps.

[Sunkirst]

My FIL treats diabetics (he's a kidney specialist), and one of our favorite dinner-time discussions is the glycemic index. Basically, the glycemic index is a measure of how quickly the food's sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. Foods that are low on the GI are absorbed slowly and cause fewer fluctuations in blood sugar. There are plenty of carbs that are low on the GI, however they are whole foods, not refined.

 

By the way, my FIL has always recommended a "whole food" diet, even before the glycemic index became a buzzword. He says it's the best way to decrease your chances of becoming diabetic.

 

Here's a link:

Glycemic Index/