Bad Carbohydrates vs Good Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate intake is a major consideration in the planning of diabetic diets and meals. You need to focus on how many carbohydrates you can have them and even when you can eat them. Carbohydrates are a vital part of the blood sugar management process and therefore are a mandatory focus for diabetics. If a diabetic has too many carbohydrates then it can cause major problems. The wrong kind of carbs will also cause health issues. And to make matters more confusing, not having enough carbohydrates can bring about a low blood sugar level or even cause hypoglycemia.
As you can see, learning all about carbohydrates, both good and bad, is vital for diabetics. You should research and learn as much as you possibly can and discover exactly which foods are considered to have either good or bad carbs in them. After you have this knowledge you will be in a much better position to formulate your own diet plan.
Good carbohydrates mainly include whole grain and whole wheat foods. That is, foods that have not had the grain refined and the best bits taken out (to put it simply!). These include:
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole grain cereal
- Brown rice
- Raw or lightly cooked vegetables
- Fruit (watch out for high sugar fruits though)
Carbohydrate foods that you should eat minimally or not at all include the following:
- White bread and rice
- Processed foods
- Cookies
- Potato chips
Everybody needs carbohydrates as part of a healthy balanced diet but only the right kinds or carbs are needed. You will always find that bad carbohydrate foods will leave you feeling hungry again shortly after eating them whilst good carbohydrate foods will leave you feeling full and satisfied for much longer. It is also common to have a short energy spike after consuming bad carb foods, but then feeling very sluggish and lethargic afterwards. This is due to the sudden blood sugar level spike caused by these foods.
Bad carbs can also cause obesity which is another reason to avoid them.
Carbohydrates will generally make up around half of your daily diet so choosing the right ones is important or else the health consequences will be dire and you will generally feel like you have no energy all the time. Simply choosing whole grain and whole wheat over white options will make a considerable difference in your carbohydrate intake.
Related posts:
