What Type of Bread and Pasta Should I Eat on a Diabetes Diet?

What Type of Bread and Pasta Should I Eat on a Diabetes Diet?

One of the common misconceptions in diabetes is that if you have this condition, you can never enjoy eating pasta and bread ever again. This is such a pity for those who love eating bread and pasta, since it would require such a huge lifestyle change. However, the fact is that you can still enjoy the same foods that you eat before, but the key is moderation. You have to cut down your portions so that your blood sugar levels will not suddenly spike up.

However, although you can enjoy any type of food that you want as long as you keep to the prescribed portions, you have to remember that there are certain types of bread and pasta that are better for diabetics since they do not cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels. In order to understand this, you need to know about the concept of glycemic index.

Glycemic Index – What is It?

The concept of glycemic index stems from the fact food enters the bloodstream at different rates. While there are foods that are fast in entering the bloodstream, there are also foods that are quite slow in doing so. Those that are fast in entering the bloodstream are also quick in raising the blood sugar levels, while those that are slow are slow in increasing blood sugar levels.

If your sugar suddenly spikes up, it will trigger the release of high levels of insulin, which in turn can cause stress in the pancreas. The important thing is to keep let blood sugar enter at a slow pace so that the release of insulin would also stabilize.

This is the basis of glycemic index, which is the measure of the rate of entry of carbohydrates in the bloodstream. A high glycemic index means that a certain food has a fast entry rate in the bloodstream, thereby increasing the blood sugar levels quickly. Therefore, as a person with diabetes, you need to avoid foods that have high glycemic indices and instead focus on eating carbohydrate-rich foods that have low glycemic indices. Because of this, you still have a fairly wide variety of food choices, even those that contain carbohydrates, such as breads and pastas.

Eat More Complex Carbohydrates

Generally speaking, diabetics should eat more complex carbohydrates since they take a long time to be broken down compared to foods containing simple carbohydrates. Thus, their glycemic indices are lower. You should eat whole grain breads such as those made of rye, oats, barley, rice, and corn. Avoid refined breads since are made of simple sugars that are easy to be absorbed in the bloodstream.

The same goes for pasta made from whole grains. You can pair pasta dishes with protein-rich foods, since protein takes a longer time to be digested compared to complex carbohydrates. You can combine whole grain pastas with chicken and broccoli and make them a casserole. You can also make salads and pair your whole grain pasta with a variety of vegetables, such as tomatoes, olives, and peppers.

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