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If you are diabetic, the amount of carbs can definitely impact your BG. Any doctor will tell you, once you've been diagnosed, to start testing your BG with your meter following all meals to see how high you spike per different foods (and probably each morning as well for a fasting level). And yes, more carbs generally will mean a higher spike than fewer carbs. This will vary vastly from individual to individual even with the same diagnosis (say, Type II), the same age, gender and approximately the same BMI, and even with the same lifestyle. But certainly there's an impact, whether to an unhealthy or within-healthy-range extent, which itself will vary.
This doesn't mean all instances of diabetes (both I and II) can be "controlled by" carb intake. Some people will spike like hell at only 30 g carbs/meal. Some can go to 40 or higher with no problem. And some will seem to fluctuate. So yes, carbs impact BG but no, carb control isn't the answer to diabetes control for everyone, not by any means.
YMMV and you NEED to be MEASURING the impact of carbs on your BG, not guessing or saying someone on the internet told you that if you control your carbs (what does that mean, anyway? 30/meal? 30/day? Broken up through the day? 100/day? What?), your diabetes will "get better." OR saying "But a whole bunch of people on the internet said I SHOULD be able to eat a lot of carbs and stay healthy, so that's what I'm doing." Does anyone with any actual diagnosis really trust comments from people on the internet regarding what "should" make them - a total stranger - healthy?
That's just common sense but it bears saying. I don't agree with the "I eat tons of carbs and I'm fine so you, a diabetic, should be fine" crowd and I don't agree with the "it all comes down to carbs" crowd. There absolutely is a link between carbs and BG release/spiking but it will be different for every single person. If you're diabetic see your doctor regularly. Even when you think things are "under control" they can change in a heartbeat.
It is absolutely NOT a must for everyone. Says who? I have never been on a low carb diet and never will be. I am 5'10 and 145. I'd say 60% of my diet is derived from carbohydrates with no ill effects. and let's get this straight, health care costs and health problems are on the rise due to overeating period, not eating lots of carbs. We don't have a protein deficiency in the first world. We eat too much as a nation and move too little, so it's little surprise that there is a rise in diabetes and other issues.
I had gestational diabetes and while I tracked my carb intake and reduced it, I was not encouraged to go on a low carb diet. My blood sugar numbers were excellent.
Carbohydrates at the molecular level ARE made up of glucose/sugars.
So yes it affects your BG!
Contrary to popular belief they are not essential for nutrition. They are a source of energy but so is fat. They both contain calories but fat contains more.
Calories=Energy
You need energy to function. You need either carbohydrates or fats but since diabetics cannot metabolize glucose correctly your best choice for energy would be fat.
Anything else figured into the equation varies by individual. If you are on insulin and on a fixed dose you need carbohydrates in order to avoid the deadly lows. In this case you can eat less carbohydrates but need to adjust your insulin dose accordingly. For the Type 2's that are on medication, it all depends on your insulin production, insulin resistance (or lack of), and medications that will determine the amount of carbs you can handle. Your meter will tell you this if you use it. Many don't use it as they should. They leave it to chance. Everyone is different but yes if you limit your carb intake that will allow better control for your diabetes. Also, if you are pre-diabetic a carb restricted diet may help you avoid the disease/condition or whatever you want to call it.
Last edited by gguerra; 09-15-2016 at 08:00 AM..
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right back at ya.
