Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient, and a controversial one. Everywhere you look, low-carb diets are touted as a way to lose weight and fight inflammation. Carbohydrates are not bad. They provide the body with glucose, which the body converts into energy. In fact, carbohydrates are the brain’s preferred source of energy.
People with diabetes need to make careful and informed choices when it comes to carbohydrates since they affect blood sugar levels. They should continue to incorporate carbohydrates in their diet but should also keep track of how much they consume at every meal.
In patients with type II diabetes, the body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which breaks down carbohydrates into usable energy. This causes the person’s blood sugar to easily fall too low, a condition known as hypoglycemia, or spike too high.
Another condition, called insulin resistance, can also make carb monitoring very important. Insulin resistance happens when the body’s cells no longer respond properly to insulin in the blood. This causes high blood sugar, which can lead to heart disease, kidney damage, eye damage, and weight gain. Insulin resistance that is not treated can develop into type II diabetes.
Being diagnosed with diabetes or insulin resistance can feel destabilizing, but you can take back control with dietary science you can use every day.
In this video, I show you how to bake delicious homemade focaccia bread with healthy ingredients that help stabilize your blood sugar. I also show you how to calculate the right amount of carbohydrates for someone with type II diabetes to eat at each meal.
The human race has been baking bread for thousands of years, and even a serious diagnosis does not mean abandoning one of the world’s most popular foods. Here is how I upgraded the typical loaf of bread to the nutrient-rich focaccia in the video:
- Adding sliced low-starch vegetables. These vegetables are full of fiber, which result in a smaller impact on your blood sugar levels.
- Sprinkling on pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds also contain fiber, as well as healthy fats.
Baking the perfect loaf of bread has a lot in common with eating healthy. Success comes from a series of small steps, and accurate measurements can help you make the right decisions in the process. It takes time to see results, but the results make the process worth the effort!
