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Latest Glycemic Index & Carb Counting Articles
Glycemic Index & Carb Counting Article Archives
October 2012
When I became a type 2 diabetic, I wanted to find a way to manage my weight and blood sugar with diet and exercise. I tried the high carb diet recommended by my doctor and dietitian for a time. It worked wonderfully well while my blood sugar level was high, but when my blood sugar stabilized and I was able to go off medication, I started gaining weight again. The next thing I tried was low carbohydrate dieting. I found it to be a very effective way to lose weight rapidly, but I was unable to endure the regimen for more than a short time.
6 comments - Posted Oct 2, 2012
August 2011
As a dad, do you tend to be authoritative and have high expectations of your child's self control? Do you set clear limits and command respect, without bulldozing him or her? If so, you may be helping your child with type 1 diabetes stick to his or her treatment regimen.
0 comments - Posted Aug 16, 2011
February 2011
Everywhere you look, there seems to be a great tasting high carb meal, dessert, or snack staring back at you. While away at college last fall, I found a t-shirt picturing a cupcake above a skull and crossbones. For me, that image really sums up how we need to deal with being diabetic while being constantly tempted by sugary treats.
4 comments - Posted Feb 16, 2011
Ever see the top 10 lists for foods everyone should eat to superpower your diet? Ever wonder which will mesh with your diabetes meal plan? Wonder no more. Your list of the top 10 diabetes superfoods has arrived.
0 comments - Posted Feb 7, 2011
January 2011
Introducing "Type-1 University" (T1U) - the online school for people with diabetes who use insulin, including parents and caregivers. The school can be found only in cyberspace - at www.type1university.com
2 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2011
November 2010
A friend of mine recently remarked that she wants her family to eat healthier, but she just doesn't know that much about nutrition. Though I can sympathize with her in some ways (nutritional education is a daunting and never-ending process), I do feel that the overall American attitude toward food is that ignorance is bliss. It reminds me of the preteen character in the movie Son-In-Law, who puts his sister's bra cups over his ears and tells his parents in a taunting voice, "I can't hear you!" Unfortunately, what you don't know CAN hurt you, and not just you, but also your family.
3 comments - Posted Nov 22, 2010
Over the years, I have had many exercisers with diabetes ask me why they're gaining weight instead of losing it. There are two possible answers to that question. One answer is that muscle is heavier than fat, so if you are gaining muscle while losing fat-especially in the early stages of a new exercise program-your scale weight probably doesn't reflect your positive changes in body composition (i.e., less fat, more muscle).
2 comments - Posted Nov 10, 2010
August 2010
In the early days after my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, I sentenced a lot of foods to what I came to think of as my personal DO-NOT-EAT list, often with only slight provocation.
1 comment - Posted Aug 25, 2010
February 2010
A university study says that aerobic exercise, a known means of increasing insulin sensitivity, is most effective if the meals following it are low in carbohydrates. The study also revealed that consuming a low-calorie meal after exercising does not increase insulin sensitivity any better than eating a low-carb meal after a workout. In addition, it found that the beneficial effects of exercise are immediate and do not build up over time or last very long. Improvements in metabolism, including insulin sensitivity and lowered blood pressure, occur directly as a result of the latest exercise session, but taper off within hours or days. There is no "storing up" the benefits of exercise.
3 comments - Posted Feb 17, 2010
Steel-cut oats are whole grains, made when the groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) are cut into pieces by steel. Also known as coarse-cut oats or Irish oats, they are golden and look a little like small pieces of rice. They gain part of their distinctive flavor from the roasting process after being harvested and cleaned. Although the oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and germ, allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fiber and nutrients.
4 comments - Posted Feb 9, 2010
January 2010
Although my boys love to order Chicken Parmesan when we dine out, the health content is always a concern - especially because it usually arrives thickly breaded, deeply fried, smothered in cheese, and served on a mountain of spaghetti. Here's a terrific and easy stove-top recipe that's filled with all of the same great flavors, but none of the excess fat and carbs.
0 comments - Posted Jan 20, 2010
Bestselling cookbook author and nutritionist Marlene Koch (pronounced, serendipitously, "cook") has been dubbed a "magician in the kitchen" when it comes to creating great-tasting, healthy recipes that everyone can enjoy, including those with diabetes!
1 comment - Posted Jan 20, 2010
December 2009
The dictionary defines a sugar plum as a small round or oval piece of sugary candy. But for most of us, visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads conjures up a far vaster array of sweet holiday treats. From cakes, cookies, and pies, to sugar-laced seasonal beverages, and yes, plenty of sweet confections, the holiday season is arguably the sweetest time of the year - and the most difficult when one is trying to keep carbohydrates and calories in check.
0 comments - Posted Dec 15, 2009
November 2009
Q: How do I lower my blood sugar when it goes over 200 mg/dl? I have type 2 diabetes.
6 comments - Posted Nov 20, 2009
May 2009
The American Diabetes Association has released a list of "superfoods" it says "have necessary nutrients for good diabetes management, including fiber, potassium, healthy fats, magnesium and antioxidants."
22 comments - Posted May 5, 2009
March 2009
The following is a Q&A with Judith Waldrop, who participated in Living Well, a week-long residential program designed for women with type 2 diabetes. The program is a joint effort of the healthy weight loss pioneers at Green Mountain at Fox Run and the Joslin Diabetes Center. This year, Living Well will take place April 19-25, 2009.
1 comment - Posted Mar 31, 2009
January 2009
Two diets - one severely restricting carbohydrate intake but with no limit on calories, and the other emphasizing low-glycemic carbohydrates and low calories - allowed high percentages of obese type 2 patients in a university study to reduce or even eliminate their diabetes medications (95.2 percent of the patients on the extreme low-carb diet and 62.1 percent of the patients on the low-glycemic diet).
6 comments - Posted Jan 14, 2009
November 2008
Diabetes Health board member Sheri Colberg, PhD, has published a completely revised, updated, and expanded version of her 2001 book, Diabetic Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to Peak Performance. Dr. Colberg, a diabetic athlete herself, has a PhD in exercise physiology. Her book draws upon the experiences of hundreds of athletes with diabetes to provide the best advice for exercisers with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
2 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2008
Dear Laura,
I just finished viewing your clip online. You seem like a very intelligent and involved mom who decided it was time to take charge. I applaud you, and I agree with many points you make, but I disagree with your position on food.
11 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2008
September 2008
With 21 million U.S. residents now officially diagnosed as having diabetes, healthcare professionals are looking at another statistic that is causing them many a sleepless night: The Centers for Disease Control estimate that there are 57 million people with pre-diabetes in the United States. (Pre-diabetes is defined as impaired fasting glucose of 100 to 125 mg/dl, impaired glucose tolerance of 140 to 199 mg/dl, or both.)
6 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2008
August 2008
Time to tack on another strong argument against the consumption of carbohydrates: A scientist at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, says that appetite control cells in the brain degenerate as we age, leading to a sense of increased hunger and potential weight gain.
1 comment - Posted Aug 28, 2008
My husband and I have nine children. Elliott is our oldest and when he was diagnosed with type 1 at age 11 in 1996, we were blindsided. Neither my husband, nor I, nor anyone in our extended family had diabetes. Elliot had all of the classic symptoms: excessive thirst, frequent urination, uncontrollable hunger, occasional blurry vision, and (something I think a lot of parents don't recognize as a sign) bedwetting.
11 comments - Posted Aug 28, 2008
The members of the AADE are an impassioned group who genuinely want to make a difference in their patients' lives. It was an ideal place for me to be, especially because I had a concern of my own: Why am I getting red dots every time I inject? Every educator I asked went right to work examining the problem and investigating my behavior, truly wanting to help. Unfortunately, they are dwindling in number each year, while patients are increasing in number, making their work ever more demanding.
4 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2008
Type 2s who tried out either of two different basal-bolus treatments using Lantus and Apidra enjoyed significant reductions in post-meal BG levels and longer-term A1c’s.
4 comments - Posted Aug 5, 2008
June 2008
This year Carb Cards™ have added calorie and fat gram information to the 3rd edition of the carbohydrate counting flashcards. Twelve new cards with information on such foods as oatmeal, beans, and fish have been added to the revised 55-card deck to encourage healthier choices and more variety in meal planning.
1 comment - Posted Jun 26, 2008
March 2008
What is the secret of effective weight management? When a person develops type 2 diabetes, this is a critical question. Losing weight is one of the most successful ways of dealing with this disorder. This is the challenge that I faced when I diagnosed as diabetic about 15 years ago.
2 comments - Posted Mar 6, 2008
December 2007
African-American and Chinese women who eat foods that are high on the glycemic index may carry a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to two recent university studies.
1 comment - Posted Dec 30, 2007
October 2007
A low glycemic diet is sometimes advised for people with diabetes because it raises blood sugar slowly and reduces blood sugar spikes. Well, now Australian dermatologists have found that it clears up your skin as well.
4 comments - Posted Oct 23, 2007
When calculating glycemic index (GI) values, glucose is arbitrarily given the highest GI value: 100. To assign a GI value to another type of carb, a complex process is used to compare the blood sugar response elicited by the test carb to the blood sugar response provoked by glucose.
2 comments - Posted Oct 18, 2007
The take-home message from the Tufts study is that the GI value of white bread is 70. That's nothing new: The same value has been found in dozens of other studies around the world (1).
2 comments - Posted Oct 18, 2007
A study of 4,099 non-diabetic elderly patients has found that a low-glycemic index diet reduces the incidence and severity of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of irreversible blindness.
0 comments - Posted Oct 3, 2007
Saul Katz is one charismatic health bar maker, a fascinating talker and visionary who makes health bars seem like the most important thing in the world. In 1989, he began his quest to create a "functional food" that would combine science, nature, and great taste in a snack bar. Not only did he want his bar to promote health, enhance performance, and prevent disease; he also dreamed of air-dropping his bars to disaster victims in need of a good self-contained meal. It's taken over a decade of intense scientific alchemy to achieve, but he's managed to do it all.
1 comment - Posted Oct 1, 2007
September 2007
An Australian review of six short clinical trials has found that low glycemic diets (which involve eating foods that raise blood sugar slowly instead of quickly) cause about two pounds more weight loss than calorie-restricted diets.
3 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2007
June 2007
Which diet works best for you may depend on whether or not you are secreting high levels of insulin. From September 2004 to December 2006, researchers monitored 73 obese young adults who ate either a low-fat diet (55 percent carbs and 20 percent fat) or a low-glycemic diet (40 percent carbs and 35 percent fat).
0 comments - Posted Jun 19, 2007
November 2006
The glycemic index of foods you eat could be the reason that one day you find your sugars out of control, but you’re shocked, because you haven’t strayed from your diabetes nutrition guidelines.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2006
January 2006
Fifty 50 Foods is now offering a line of sugar-free and low-calorie fruit spreads that have only five calories per tablespoon.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2006
November 2005
A diet with a low glycemic load may be more effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risk than a conventional energy-restricted, low-fat diet, according to the researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2005
October 2005
Just in time for tricks and treats, Hershey’s has reformulated its line of sugar-free candies to offer consumers “a richer, creamier taste and texture.”
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2005
April 2005
What’s so great about the glycemic index?
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2005
March 2005
Before 1981, all patients diagnosed with diabetes were given dietary exchanges to follow when planning their meals or snacks. While exchanges were formulated for all food groups, the main focus for glycemic control was on carbohydrates. At the time these guidelines were established, focusing on portions seemed appropriate since the Nutrition Facts Label was not available.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
February 2005
Carbohydrates are the body’s fuel of choice. Although we ingest calories from carbohydrates, proteins and fats, it’s the carb calories that the body turns into its readily available form of energy, glucose.
1 comment - Posted Feb 1, 2005
January 2005
Caution: Consult your diabetes care team before starting a lower-carbohydrate meal plan. Diabetes medications such as insulin or oral drugs that stimulate insulin production (sulfonylureas or meglitinides) will need adjustment to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) when carbohydrate intake is decreased. In addition, meds might need to be decreased, and blood glucose levels need to be checked more often.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2005
August 2004
For years, researchers have been suggesting the glycemic index for achieving better blood glucose control.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2004
April 2003
Children with type 1 diabetes who followed a low glycemic index (low-GI) diet for one year ate approximately the same amount of macronutrients and variety of foods as a group that followed the traditional carbohydrate-exchange diet, say researchers in Australia.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
April 2002
When I was asked to write this article, my first thought was, "Oh, boy, this should be fun." But as I started my research, I found that I was way behind the curve in my understanding of the importance of tracking my food intake.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2002
December 2001
Not everyone agrees that the Glycemic Index (GI) is the way to go when planning your carbohydrate intake. Despite that fact, nutrition expert Patti Geil, MS, RD, FADA, CDE, writes about the importance of the GI in the article "From Jelly Beans to Kidney Beans: What Diabetes Educators Should Know About the Glycemic Index."
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2001
November 2001
If only all those high-carb foods like pasta and pastries weren't so high on the glycemic index, you could eat them more often.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
October 2001
Now, doctors and patients can access all the information they need regarding the patient's health with the InSight Professional. In August 2001, Disetronic Medical Systems Inc. of St. Paul, Minnesota, launched the online diabetes management program that allows users to create a personal database of their insulin intake, blood-sugar levels and more. Patients can upload information directly from their insulin pumps and blood glucose meters from their home computers.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
Which of the following statements do you think are true?
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
If you are trying to develop a diet consisting of low-GI foods, consider the following:
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
September 2001
The glycemic index (GI) may not be a leading economic indicator, but it is a leading diabetes indicator. Knowing whether the GI of a food is high or low can be a great aid in the quest for control.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
March 2000
While rigorous glycemic control is important for all diabetic patients, it's especially important after surgery. Better glycemic control after surgery reduces the rate of bacterial infections; and high post-surgery BGs often lead to more infections.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
December 1998
Meals 'n Carbs is a new CD-ROM designed by two diabetes educators to help people plan their meals with diabetes management in mind. The CD-ROM begins with basic information about digestion, diabetes and carbohydrate counting for people recently diagnosed with diabetes. It then progresses to a meal planner, in which you use your mouse to add foods to a meal and print out your nutritional information.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
May 1994
Researchers at the University of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia, are calling for a reassessment of the value of the glycemic index in the treatment of diabetes (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 1994). They cite 11 medium to long-term studies that have specifically used the glycemic index (GI) approach to determine clinical gains in diabetes or lipid management. All but one study produced positive findings.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1994
A study from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada, indicates that slower rates of carbohydrate absorption might have advantages in reducing after-meal high blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1994