Healthy Life Free Diabetes

Carbohydrates Matter

Whether one has diabetes or not, carbohydrates matter--despite their bad name, the right carbs are necessary for a healthy diet. Note we said the right carbs! For those with Type 2 diabetes, understanding the differences between simple and complex carbohydrates can be a matter of life and death.

Consistently eating too many simple carbs at a meal can make blood sugar levels soar, and cause serious complications over time. That's why--for both adults and children with Type 2--striking a balance in the carbs one eats can help keep blood sugar in an acceptable range.


When carbs are eaten, they are converted to glycogen, and either used immediately for energy, or stored in the muscles and liver to be used for energy later. Simple carbs raise blood sugar much faster and higher than complex carbs. Candy, cake and sugar-laden soft drinks fall into this category. Milk and certain fruits are also considered simple carbs, though they contain vitamins, fiber and other important nutrients that the body needs.

Complex carbs are digested more slowly than simple carbs, so blood sugars don't rise as high or as fast. Foods like brown rice, whole grains, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta and high-fiber cereals are complex carbs. Some vegetables, including broccoli, corn and legumes (kidney beans, chick peas), are also complex carbs.

So when counting carbs make sure you are not only counting the carbs, but also avoid or reduce those simple carbs to avoid those blood sugar spikes.

Fruit and Diabetes

Research is finding that there are significant health benefits from eating fruits such as blueberries. A recent study by Harvard University researchers concluded that eating whole fruits helps ward off diabetes. In a study published in the British Medical Journal, nutrition experts report that consumption of blueberries cut people’s risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 26 percent.

Study participants were asked about their consumption of grapes or raisins, prunes, bananas, cantaloupe, apples or pears, oranges, grapefruit, blueberries, strawberries, and stone fruits (peaches, plums, or apricots).

Blueberries had the strongest effect on cutting diabetes risk, followed by grapes and apples, especially when three or more servings a week were eaten. A standard serving of blueberries was half a cup.

Prunes, pears, bananas, and grapefruit also helped lower diabetes risk, while the other fruits did not.

Juice No Substitute

This same study also revealed that consumption of fruit juices-including apple, orange, and grapefruit were not an equal substitute for consuming the whole fruit. People who drank at least one serving a day of juice had a 21 percent higher risk of developing diabetes than those who did not.

There are a few possible reasons, according to the study. "During juicing processes, some phytochemicals and dietary fiber are lost." And since fluids are more rapidly absorbed than solids, drinking juice brings on a "more rapid and more dramatic glucose and insulin response" than eating whole fruits. Another factor the study did not address was the type of juice. Added sugars to packaged juice may be associated with diabetes risk.

The questionnaires did not specifically ask whether the juice people were consuming was pasteurized or sweetened, although many store-bought juices are. If you choose to substitute juice for whole fruit, do so by using a home juicing machine and including the pulp in the juice.


Rather than simply counting carbs, people should pay attention to the quality of the carbohydrates in their diet. Whole grains are a healthier choice than refined carbohydrates such as white bread, and whole fruits are a healthier choice than processed juices.