But why should I eat carbs if my
body has trouble processing them?
“A lot of people have started dramatically limiting or gett ing rid of carbs
because they’re tired of blood sugar [fl uctuations] that they don’t know
how to manage,” says Jennifer Smith. And since there’s so much negative
talk around carbs these days, it can seem like cutt ing back on carbs is a clear
win for managing your diabetes.
But completely cutt ing out carbs is oversimplifying things. “It’s very tunnel-
visioned,” Smithson says. Foods that contain carbs also contain a wealth of
other nutrients our bodies need, like vitamins and minerals. And plants provide
thousands of unique compounds, called phytonutrients, that help fi ght disease.
It can be hard to think outside the carb-focused diabetes box sometimes, but
your body and your long-term health depends on these nutrients.
It would seem that a simple solution would be to choose foods that are high
in these nutrients yet low in carbs, but it’s not that easy. Th e most nutrient-
rich foods ”nutrient-dense” is the term our experts use are plant foods,
which all contain carbs. “Vegetables, beans, nuts, and fruits are so high on the
nutrient-density chart compared to just about everything else,” says Lynch.
Rather than simply thinking about a number of carbs, Lynch suggests
thinking about the “quality of carbohydrates” a food provides: how many
other nutrients can you get from the carbs you take in? (See the chart, below.)
Th e bott om line? Your body may have trouble using carbs when you have
diabetes, but carb-containing plant foods are still an essential part of maintain-
ing a happy, healthy, and energetic you. Th e key is not only to keep an eye on
the amount you eat, but also to choose wisely in terms of quality.
Comparing Apple Juice to Oranges
To fi nd “quality” carb foods, compare the amount
of carbs to the amount of other nutrients,
especially fi ber, vitamins, and minerals.
OK, I Get it: fruits &
veggies are good
for me. what about
grains & legumes?
Grains and beans are also plant foods,
so, yes, they contain carbs. But they also
contain a lot of other nutrients, including
vitamins, minerals, and fi ber. Th e big issue
with grains is that they’re often refined,
which makes them more versatile and eas-
ier to use, but also strips them of nutrients.
For example, whole wheat is refi ned into
white fl our by stripping it of its fi ber- and
micronutrient-rich bran and hull.
Processed foods are the group of carb
foods that aren’t as healthy. Refi ned grains
(like white rice) and foods made from pro-
cessed sugars and grains (like soda, sweets,
and white bread) spike your blood sugar
quickly. Th ey’re also oft en low in other nu-
trients. “[Refi ned grains and sugars are] not
what we’re talking about when we say ‘have
carbohydrates,’” says Smithson. “We want to
focus on the carbs that have fi ber.” In short,
the more a plant food resembles how it’s
found in nature, the healthier it is.
Do carbs cause
diabetes?
Th e short answer is no. “Th is is not your
fault,” says Virginia Valentine. Both type
1 and type 2 diabetes are complex dis-
orders, with causes that are not entirely
understood. What we do know is that a
combination of genes and environment
likely play a role.
“Th e only thing you did wrong is when
you selected your grandparents. Maybe
next time pick a bett er set,” Valentine adds
cheekily. To help her clients understand that
there are factors outside of their control
that contribute to a diagnosis, she points
out many people in their communities eat
the very same foods as they do and many
of these people do not have diabetes.
But just because your choices didn’t
cause your diabetes doesn’t mean that your
choices don’t impact your health. “Th is is
not your fault but it is your responsibility,”
says Valentine. Rather than dwelling on the
cause, try to focus on what you can do now
to manage your health.
½ cup apple juice vs. 1 medium orange
Winner!
CARBS
FIBER
POTASSIUM
VITAMIN C
FOLATE
VITAMIN A
14 g
0 g
125 mg
1 mg
0 mcg
1 IU
15 g
3 g
237 mg
70 mg
39 mcg
295 IU
The ADA supports eating
8–10 servings of fruits and
vegetables each day to
help lower blood pressure.
ALTER-EGO / SHUTTERSTOCK (APPLE JUICE)
