Type 1 Diabetes Diet

Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, whether high in sugar or high in starch (such as bread, potatoes, processed breakfast cereals, and rice), temporarily raises blood sugar and insulin levels. The blood sugar–raising effect of a food, called its “glycemic index,” depends on how rapidly its carbohydrate is absorbed. Many starchy foods have a glycemic index similar to table sugar (sucrose). Beans, peas, fruit, and oats have low glycemic indexes, despite their high carbohydrate content, due mostly to the health-promoting effects of soluble fiber. Controlled studies have found that people with type 1 diabetes who follow a low-glycemic-index diet have better long-term control over their blood sugar levels compared with those following a high-glycemic-index diet. However, other studies find similar benefits from training patients to adjust their insulin doses according to the total carbohydrate content of each meal or snack (“carbohydrate counting”). People with type 1 diabetes should always discuss changes in their diet with their treating physician.

Diabetes disrupts the mechanisms by which the body controls blood sugar. Until recently, health professionals have recommended sugar restriction to people with diabetes, even though short-term high-sugar diets have been shown, in some studies, not to cause blood sugar problems in people with diabetes. Currently, the American Diabetic Association (ADA) guidelines do not prohibit the use of moderate amounts of sugar, as long as blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol are maintained within normal levels...