Should I follow a diet that is high in fiber or with a low glycemic index?
There is no one diet or meal plan that works for everyone with diabetes. The important thing is to follow a meal plan that is tailored to personal preferences and lifestyle and helps achieve goals for blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels, blood pressure, and weight management–making consulting with a registered dietitian critical. Research does show that for most people with diabetes, the first tool for managing blood glucose is some type of carbohydrate counting. Balancing total carbohydrate intake with physical activity and diabetes pills or insulin (if needed) is key to managing blood glucose levels. Glycemic index is an emerging system that is being explored to help people further refine carbohydrate counting. The glycemic index (GI) ranks food based on their immediate effect on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrate foods that breakdown quickly during digestion have a high GI. Their blood sugar response is fast and high. Carbohydrates that breakdown slowly, releasing g
