If you have diabetes, it isn’t enough to just watch your sugars. Reading the labels on your favorite foods can help you understand your blood sugar fluctuations and manage your diabetes better.
Step One: Read the Ingredients
Ingredients on the label are listed in descending order. The thing at the top of the list is in your food in the largest amount; each successive item is in a smaller amount than the one before it. Look for healthy ingredients like whole grains and monounsaturated fats.
Know your sugars — anything that ends in -ose like lactose and sucrose or -tol like malitol and sorbitol are different types of sugar.
Step Two: Consider the Carbs Carefully
Don’t just look at the sugars on the label; count the carbs, too! Carbohydrates turn to sugar in the body. Look for high fiber foods — the more fiber in serving, the better it may be for you.
Check out some low-carb options for your diabetic diet.
Step Three: Think About Sugar and Sugar-Free
Sugar free doesn’t mean carbohydrate free! Compare your sugarless favorites side by side with a standard (sugar) product and look at the carbohydrates. If they are relatively close in carb count, let taste or price be your guide. If they are very different in carb count, choose the one that’s lower.
By the way — sugar free doesn’t mean calorie free, either.
Need more options for satisfying your sweet tooth? Start here.
Step Four: Watch Fats and Calories
Fat free foods may have more carbohydrates than the full fat versions! Again, compare food labels between your fat free and full fat favorites. The total amount of fat listed doesn’t tell the whole story; look at monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (the good fats) compared to saturated and trans fats (the bad fats).
Step Five: Pay Attention to Serving Size
This one’s a no-brainer, right? Eating twice the serving size means you are doubling the calories, fats, sodium, and carbs.
Does your diet need a major overhaul? Maybe a vegetarian diet is right for you.