The main function of carbohydrates is to store energy in your body. Some, like those found in sugar, are absorbed quickly, other more complex carbohydrates take longer to break down, and provide energy over a longer period of time. All carbohydrate containing foods (e.g. bread, cereal, pasta, rice, starchy vegetables, fruits, juices and many sugar-free desserts) increase your blood glucose levels, so it’s important to manage your intake carefully. Try to eat about every three hours during the day (meals and snacks). A bedtime snack (with protein) will help stabilise night-time blood sugar!
As a diabetic it is important to learn to recognise which foods contain carbohydrates and be able to estimate quantities. By doing so, the total amount of carbohydrates you eat will be balanced with your medicines and level of physical activity. Your dietician may have taught you a system called carbohydrate counting to keep your carbohydrate intake under control.
Are there any foods I should avoid?
One important source of carbohydrates in our diet are cereals and cerealbased products such as bread, cake or muesli. If your phosphate levels allow it, choose multi-grain products (e.g. wheat and rye) because the high fibre content is very filling and as absorption is slower they raise your blood sugar more slowly. Small amounts of oats are also a suitable choice.
The same goes for fresh vegetables, potatoes, legumes, pasta, milk and some fruits. All of these have a lower “glycaemic index”, i.e. how fast and how much a food raises blood glucose levels. Please note however that some very sweet fruits like grapes have a quite high glycaemic index.
While in the past table sugar (sucrose) was a taboo for diabetics, today a small amount of “packaged” sugar in the form of e.g. chocolate is fine as an occasional treat. Sugary beverages and food with a high sugar content are still best avoided, because the sugar is absorbed rapidly and can cause your blood glucose levels to rise sharply.