Can I Eat Pasta If I Have Diabetes
Having diabetes does NOT mean that if you like or love pasta, you will now have to give it up…nope, it does not. It DOES however mean that you should be choosier about the types of pasta you eat, your portion size and maybe how often you include pasta with your meals. We all need carbohydrates in our diet—it provides our bodies with the necessary fuel to keep us going. The critical question is how much and what kind of carbohydrate. Whole Grain Pasta versus Regular Pasta Whole grain pasta in general has lower calories, more fiber and more nutrients than regular pasta made from refined flour. Refining strips fiber, vitamins and minerals from the grain (usually wheat grain) and in return, you get a softer, smoother texture. 1 serving (1 cup) of whole grain pasta contains 174 calories, 37 grams of carbohydrate and 6.3 grams of fiber as compared to a serving of regular pasta with 221 calories, 43 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams of fiber. That extra fiber in whole grain pasta (with fewer carbohydrates) can slow down the absorption of sugars from your digestive tract and this can mean that your blood sugars will not spike as much as they might with regular pasta. In addition, whole wheat pasta has a glycemic load of 15 while regular pasta has a glycemic load of 23. In both whole wheat pasta and regular pasta, about 80% of the calories are derived from carbohydrates.[1], [2] Put all this together and serving for serving, whole grain pasta gives you more fiber, more nutrients, fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates than regular pasta, making whole grain pasta a better choice, overall. Also, you can always opt for non-wheat based pasta such as corn, quinoa or rice-based pastas. I advise you to read the following diet tips for diabetes: Portion Size All the numbers given ab Continue reading >>
Diabetics & Pasta
Most individuals with diabetes are fearful of the great Italian meal simply because of pasta's infamously high carbohydrate content. Nonetheless, with proper meal planning, pasta can be safely incorporated into a diabetic diet. The key is to limit the portion size and to select pastas made from high-fiber whole grains. Diabetes and Carbohydrates Individuals living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes must monitor their carbohydrate intake in order to control their blood sugar. Excessive intake of carbohydrates can lead to hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. When an individual's blood sugar runs high for an extended period of time, it can lead to other medical complications such as compromised eyesight and kidney disease. To avoid hyperglycemia and associated diseases, diabetics should moderate, but not eliminate, their intake of carbohydrate-containing foods, such as pasta. Carbohydrate Content of Pasta As a member of the grains food group, pasta contains a significant amount of starch, a complex form of carbohydrate. One diabetic serving of pasta is 1/3 cup of cooked pasta, or the equivalent of 15 grams of carbohydrate. One serving of pasta also contains fiber, another complex carbohydrate which helps to control blood sugar. Whole-wheat pasta contains the most fiber: roughly 3 to 5 grams of fiber per serving. Incorporating Pasta into a Healthy Diabetic Diet According to the American Diabetes Association, most diabetics may consume 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per meal. As a carbohydate-containing food, pasta is safe to consume when following a diabetic diet; however, because 1/3 cup equals 15 grams of carbohydrate, the amount of pasta in one meal should not exceed 1 cup, or 45 grams of carbohydrate. Additional sauces such as marinara and Alfredo contain minimal amounts of Continue reading >>
Diabetes Type 2 Symptoms: Add Whole Grain Pasta To Your Diet To Help Control Blood Sugar | Health | Life & Style | Express.co.uk
Diabetes type 2 diet: Eating this type of pasta can help reduce the risk of symptoms You can avoid a blood sugar spike by opting for whole grain pasta A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found whole grain consumption benefited insulin sensitivity. Fasting insulin rates were 10 per cent lower after consumption. Nutritionists at Healthline recommend when shopping or eating out, opt for whole grains like millet or quinoa instead of white grains. The site says: White grains are high in carbohydrates and can cause spikes. Whole grains have higher amounts of fibre, phytochemical and nutrients, and can help to regulate blood sugar. Regular snacks can have a negative effect on blood sugar levels, so if you do get peckish between meals, there are three snacks you should always opt for. Diabetes is a common life-long health condition. There are 3.5 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 500,000 who are living undiagnosed with the condition. Diabetes type 2 symptoms: Many people will not even realise they have the condition Certain foods should be avoided to manage symptoms of diabetes and reduce the risk of the condition. Eating carbohydrates can make your blood sugar shoot up, and Matthew Freeby, MD, director of the Gonda Diabetes Center at UCLA Health, says one particular food that falls into the carbohydrate category should be avoided all together. Speaking to Prevention, Mr Freeby said popular breakfast item, the bagel, should be crossed off the menu. He explained: Many of my patients with diabetes think about sugar as being the worst thing thats impacting their blood sugar, but its really about carbohydrates. I tell them to look at nutrition labels for the total carbohydrate content, not just the sugar content. Donuts a Continue reading >>
13 Best And Worst Foods For People With Diabetes
If you have diabetes, watching what you eat is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. "The basic goal of nutrition for people with diabetes is to avoid blood sugar spikes," said Dr. Gerald Bernstein, director of the diabetes management program at Friedman Diabetes Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Candy and soda can be dangerous for diabetics because the body absorbs these simple sugars almost instantly. But all types of carbs need to be watched, and foods high in fat—particularly unhealthy fats—are problematic as well because people with diabetes are at very high risk of heart disease, said Sandy Andrews, RD, director of education for the William Sansum Diabetes Center in Santa Barbara, Calif. Worst: White rice The more white rice you eat, the greater your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a 2012 review. In a study of more than 350,000 people, those who ate the most white rice were at greatest risk for type 2 diabetes, and the risk increased 11 percent for each additional daily serving of rice. "Basically anything highly processed, fried, and made with white flour should be avoided," Andrews said. White rice and pasta can cause blood sugar spikes similar to that of sugar. Have this instead: Brown rice or wild rice. These whole grains don't cause the same blood sugar spikes thanks to fiber, which helps slow the rush of glucose into the bloodstream, Andrews said. What's more, a Harvard School of Public Health study found that two or more weekly servings of brown rice was linked to a lower diabetes risk. Worst: Blended coffees Blended coffees that are laced with syrup, sugar, whipped cream, and other toppings can have as many calories and fat grams as a milkshake, making them a poor choice for those with diabetes. A 16-ounce Continue reading >>
Diabetes Power Foods: Whole Grains And Fiber
Imagine this food: It's low in calories. It makes you feel full. And you can eat as much of it as you want. Too good to be true? It's fiber and it is real. You can find it in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Most everyone should eat more fiber -- especially if you have diabetes. Even though fiber is a carbohydrate, your body can’t break it down. This means you don’t digest fiber, and it doesn't raise your blood sugar. And as fiber moves through your body, it helps with digestion, makes you feel full, and may help control your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. How Much Fiber? Think you eat enough fiber? Chances are you could stand to eat more. Men over age 50 should get at least 30 grams of fiber each day and women over 50 at least 21 grams daily. Most of us get less than recommended. There are lots of delicious ways to add fiber to your diet, but the key is to do it slowly. This will help prevent gas and bloating. Drinking more water can help, too. Eat Your Whole Grains Whole grains are loaded with fiber. Look for breads, cereals, tortillas, and crackers that have whole wheat flour, whole-grain cornmeal, whole oats, whole rye, or buckwheat flour on the ingredients list. Here are some tasty ways to add more whole grains to your diet: Start the day with a half-cup of high-fiber bran cereal topped with banana slices or berries (12 grams of fiber) or a whole wheat English muffin (4.4 grams). Choose whole wheat pasta (3 grams) over white. Serve it with your favorite vegetables for even more fiber. Make a sandwich on whole-grain bread. (Chose bread with 2 or 3 grams of fiber a slice.) Try recipes that use other types of whole grains, such as barley or bulgur (3 to 4 grams). Have brown rice or wild rice (3.5 grams) instead of white. Sprinkle with fres Continue reading >>
Myth: All Grains Make Your Blood Sugar Spike
“I’m not eating any carbs, because they make your blood sugar spike.” “Nobody should eat grains; they all have a high glycemic index, especially pasta.” If you’ve heard — and believed —statements like these, the truth may surprise you: many grains have a very low glycemic index – including pasta. And a large body of research ties whole grain consumption to reduced risk of diabetes and inflammation. It’s true that blood sugar levels matter. Researchers link many chronic diseases, from diabetes to heart disease, with eating too many foods that send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride. Indeed, when you eat such foods, especially those made with highly processed grains and sugar, your blood sugar can spike then quickly plummet, leaving your energy depleted and causing damage to essential bodily systems, potentially affecting everything from cancer risk to brain health. It’s healthier to choose foods that provide a steady, slow release of glucose (blood sugar). The Glycemic Index rates how quickly carbohydrate foods are converted into glucose – and you may be surprised to learn that many grain foods have a low GI score (considered 55 or less on the 1 to 100 GI scale). Virtually all intact whole grains have a very low GI score. Check out these typical scores: Grain Food GI Score Whole grain barley 25 Rye berries 35 Buckwheat 45 Brown rice 48 Whole wheat pasta 37 “White” pasta 45 Even if you’re aware that whole intact grains – eaten in porridges and pilafs, grain salads and soups – have a low glycemic index, you may be surprised to see pasta keeping good company with these intact grains. Pasta has a low GI score, with whole grain spaghetti rating about 37, and even “white” pasta coming in at 42-45. That’s because the starch struc Continue reading >>
Can I Eat Pasta If I Have Diabetes?
Yes, you can eat pasta if you have diabetes. Pasta is a source of carbohydrate with 1/3 cup cooked pasta containing 15 grams of carbohydrate (1 carb choice). One third cup of pasta is not a lot of pasta therefore a couple suggestions are to: 1) use two or three of your carbohydrate servings for pasta (2/3 to 1 cup of pasta); and 2) add low carbohydrate vegetables such as cooked, broccoli, carrots, zucchini squash, and green beans to your pasta dish to increase the volume of food without adding more carbohydrate to your meal. Serve your pasta and steamed vegetables with a lean protein choice (baked fish, beef tenderloin, or boneless, skinless chicken breast. You can most definitely eat pasta if you are diabetic. However there are specific guidelines you should follow in order to keep blood sugars normal: Use whole wheat pasta that is enriched with fiber. This will slow down the digestion and not cause your blood sugars to rise as rapidly. Choose a lean meat or protein to accompany the pasta. Be sure to watch portion control and do not exceed 30-45 gm Carb from your pasta. Usually 2/3 cup pasta is a great portion! Be sure to meet with a Registered Dietitian to calculate exactly how many Carbs per meal you should consume. Think comforting bowls of pasta are off the menu because you have diabetes? Think again. Whole-grain pastas are a great source of B vitamins and fiber, and reduce inflammation in the blood vessels. However, this food does come with a couple warning flags. First, overcooking pasta raises its glycemic load (follow the package directions and pull the pasta off the heat when it's al dente). Second, beware of portion size. A good bet is to pair 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked pasta with a bevy of vegetables and a bit of lean protein and healthy fat for a dish that's ea Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Whole-grain Pasta?
With medicines, insulin and diet, you, the diabetic, can control your disease and often sidestep its complications. The most worrisome food group in the diabetic’s diet, the carbohydrate group, also goes by the name “carbs.” Understanding carbs helps you make confident food choices. Good carbs, like whole-grain pasta, do play a role in a healthy diabetic diet. Video of the Day The body uses sugar as energy for its cells. Everything you eat eventually turns into sugar and nourishes the cells. Some foods, like simple carbs, become sugar quickly. Eating these demands an immediate supply of insulin from the pancreas. Complex carbs, which take longer to break down to sugar, puts less stress on the pancreas and easily find insulin escorts to take them safely to a body cell. Whole-grain pasta, bread and cereal make the best carb choices for a diabetic because of their complex structure. Carbs consist of strands of starch. Simple carbs have fewer strands while complex carbs have a network. Refined white flour uses only one of the three grain parts. This makes it a simple carb which becomes sugar rapidly in the body. By contrast, whole wheat or other whole grains such as oats, rice, barley, rye and corn, contain all three parts of the grain, making them more complex in nature. Complex carbs, such as whole-grain pasta, take much longer to break down into sugar. Whole-grain pasta, considered a complex carb, makes an excellent choice for a diabetic. Multigrain combines wheat and other grains, but you should read the ingredients list to ensure they included the "whole" grain. Most brands of pasta now offer a variety of whole-wheat and multigrain products. The shapes and sizes make them suitable for dishes such as, casseroles, soups, salads and side dishes. Proteins take even l Continue reading >>
Pasta: To Eat, Or Not To Eat?
One of my favorite foods is pasta. I think I could eat pasta every day and never tire of it. And when I’ve had a rough day, nothing comforts me as much as a plate of pasta with butter (or trans-fat-free margarine), Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Yet pasta is much maligned in the diabetes world. I’ve noticed that people who have diabetes become very passionate when discussing this food. There’s the camp that is indignant at the idea that pasta even exists — it spikes up blood glucose, causes weight gain, and may just be responsible for global warming (OK, that’s an exaggeration). There’s another camp who still eats pasta, but feels horribly guilty for doing so, and will swear with their right hand in the air that, “I really only ate a half a cup” (and 99% of the time, it’s just not the case). I don’t mean to trivialize the subject. Pasta can be tricky to fit into one’s diabetes eating plan. But not because it sends blood glucose levels to the moon. My belief (and you’re welcome to disagree with me) is that most of us struggle with portion control. It’s been engrained in us that pasta is a main dish: that it should be piled high on the plate and smothered in red sauce, with a crusty, buttery slice of garlic bread resting on the side. This is where the problems come in. Here’s what I mean. Take a look at the calories and carbs in the pasta meal that I just mentioned: 3 cups of pasta: 135 grams of carbohydrate, 663 calories 1 cup of sauce: 30 grams of carbohydrate, 185 calories 1 slice of garlic bread: 24 grams of carbohydrate, 170 calories Total: 189 grams of carbohydrate, 1,018 calories If you dine in an Italian restaurant and manage to clean your plate, you’ll consume even more carbohydrate and calories. When you look at p Continue reading >>
8 Diabetes-friendly Pasta Recipes
Pass the pasta If you have type 2 diabetes, you may have assumed that your pasta-eating days were over. Depending on your situation, that's not necessarily true. For some, bread and pasta can still be a part of a diabetes-friendly diet if you limit portions, follow the right recipes, and work them into the recommendations set by your dietitian. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about how your blood sugar may react after a pasta meal—the effect can be highly individual, so it's not a bad idea to test your blood sugar after eating to see how you react. Linguine With Pepper Sauce The star of this dish is the sauce: Red bell peppers, olive oil, fresh garlic, basil, and balsamic vinegar are sautéed and then put into the blender together to create a sauce that's packed with vitamin C and fiber. Yum! Ingredients: Olive oil, cooking spay, red bell pepper, garlic, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, uncooked linguine Calories: 117 Try this recipe: Linguine with Red Pepper Sauce Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Your whole family will love this one-pan meal. (And if you're eating alone, it works great as leftovers.) Spaghetti is baked with a mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and seasoning, and is topped with reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Chicken breast adds lean protein. Swap in whole-wheat spaghetti for an even healthier meal. Ingredients: Uncooked spaghetti, cooking spray, onion, garlic, stewed tomatoes, low-sodium Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, frozen cooked chicken Calories: 395 Try this recipe: Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Basil Scallops with Spinach Fettuccine A 3-ounce serving of scallops sets you back just 95 calories and less than a gram of fat—and pumps you up with an impressive 17 grams of protein. Scallops are also a Continue reading >>
Problem Foods: Can Diabetics Eat Pasta?
Amy Reeder is a Certified Diabetes Educator with a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Utah. She has worked in the diabetes field since 2005 and has been a Certified Diabetes Educator since 2007. Ahhh, pasta. Everyone loves it! But it is one of those foods that has confusing messages attached to it. It’s a carbohydrate and sometimes carbs get a bad rap, as we all know. Any carbohydrate-rich food is going to cause a rise in blood sugar, whether you have diabetes or not. If you have diabetes, however, you need to manage that rise in blood sugar in order to stay healthy and avoid complications over time. So how do you enjoy pasta and manage blood sugar? One way is to choose different types of non-traditional pasta. Regular pasta is made from white flour, which is digested and absorbed easily by the body causing a spike in blood sugar after eaten. But there are many different types of pasta on the market shelves these days that can be part of a healthy diet and not cause such havoc with blood sugar. Most of these pastas are referred to as “whole grain,” but can have very different properties and tastes. Whole Wheat/Whole Grain Pasta Whole wheat pasta is commonly referred to as whole grain pasta. It is made from whole wheat flour and contains five grams of fiber per serving. Compared to regular pasta that has two grams of fiber per serving, this is a wise choice. Fiber slows down the digestion process and allows for a slower release of sugar in to the bloodstream, resulting in more even blood glucose levels as opposed to sharp spikes. Whole wheat pasta has a different look and taste than regular pasta. It is brown and tastes a little nuttier. If you are sensitive to this different color or taste, try this type of pasta in soups or in a dish that has a Continue reading >>
Best Pasta For Diabetics
We ALL love pasta, right?! It's just one of those foods that is such a comfort food. I know for me it's always been like that BUT I also know that because it is such a comfort food it is VERY easy to over eat it! Seriously…I know there have been times when I've eaten an enormous bowl and still gone back for more. SOund familiar? But when you're a diabetic it's not really possible to eat an enormous bowl of pasta because you will soon see your blood sugar sky rocketing. And even if you're not diabetic, you will soon see those pounds stacking on if you over consume the carbs! So let's go over some facts and talk about the best pasta options for diabetics. Pasta Nutrition Facts Let's compare the nutrition facts for 1 serving of pasta. One serving is equivalent to half a cup. As you can see from these comparisons there is between 18-22 g total carbs and between 15-20 net carbs. If you're confused about carb counting, check out our easy tutorial over here. Realistic Serving Sizes These images show the reality of pasta servings. The first one is only half a cup and as you can see it doesn't really amount to much when put on a normal sized dinner plate. Then we have what might be someones typical serving of pasta (if not more). In the second image we see about 3 times as much, so 3 serves of white spaghetti like this amounts to 64.8 g total carbohydrates. Too Many Carbs I love using visual comparisons because it really lets you see the difference. While you could try to justify that eating whole wheat spaghetti would be okay with 2 serves being around 30 g net carbs, over the long term this is just too many carbs and you will find you can't control your blood sugar properly. So What's The Best Pasta For Diabetics? Sure, the traditional pasta might not be the best pasta for d Continue reading >>
Low-carb Pasta: Is The Diabetic’s Search Over?
Pasta is such a high-carbohydrate food that most people with Diabetes refrain from eating it (even the whole wheat or muli- grain varieties). Is it still possible for a person with Diabetes to eat spaghetti? Several months ago I was given the opportunity to try out some pasta products from EXPLORE ASIAN. They have made a big enough, and a delicious enough change to my eating life that I want to share information and my experience with the products with my fellow Diabetics. All of these pastas are: Low in total carbohydrate (after subtracting the dietary fiber, which is not broken down into glucose and therefore does not affect blood sugar levels). They are also organic and kosher. All of these pastas are gluten free. They’re also very pure in their ingredients: a type of bean + water. A friend, Ginger Vieira here at DiabetesDaily, suggested I give these products a try. She likes the “Black Bean Spaghetti” version and was curious what a chef would make of it. This chef makes a lot of it. I have a favorite, but I will get to that in a minute. These products made in China. Well, it is claimed that Marco Polo brought the Italians pasta from China. I thought it was worth a try. Let me also tell you that beans are not in the top ten of foods I like to eat (generally, despite the fiber and protein, I find beans a little too high in carbs for MY diet) so the fact that I really like these products surprises me more than I can say. Cooking Method: Each of the varieties was initially prepared the same way. Just a little olive oil, butter, fresh tomato, garlic and cheese. This “Fresca” sauce is light enough to allow the properties of the noodle come through. Results & Review: I started out with the Black Bean Spaghetti. After cooking according to the package directions, I Continue reading >>
Diabetes Diet - Gestational
For a balanced diet, you need to eat a variety of healthy foods. Reading food labels can help you make healthy choices when you shop. If you are a vegetarian or on a special diet, talk with your health care provider to make sure you're getting a balanced diet. In general, you should eat: Plenty of whole fruits and vegetables Moderate amounts of lean proteins and healthy fats Moderate amounts of whole grains, such as bread, cereal, pasta, and rice, plus starchy vegetables, such as corn and peas Fewer foods that have a lot of sugar, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, and pastries You should eat three small- to moderate-sized meals and one or more snacks each day. Do not skip meals and snacks. Keep the amount and types of food (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) the same from day to day. This can help you keep your blood sugar stable. CARBOHYDRATES Less than half the calories you eat should come from carbohydrates. Most carbohydrates are found in starchy or sugary foods. They include bread, rice, pasta, cereal, potatoes, peas, corn, fruit, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, cookies, candy, soda, and other sweets. High-fiber, whole-grain carbohydrates are healthy choices. Vegetables are good for your health and your blood sugar. Enjoy lots of them. Carbohydrates in food are measured in grams. You can learn to count the amount of carbohydrates in the foods that you eat. GRAINS, BEANS, AND STARCHY VEGETABLES Eat 6 or more servings a day. One serving equals: 1 slice bread 1 ounce (28 grams) ready-to-eat cereal 1/2 cup (105 grams) cooked rice or pasta 1 English muffin Choose foods loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy carbohydrates. They include: Whole-grain breads and crackers Whole grain cereals Whole grains, such as barley or oats Beans Brown or wild rice Whole-wheat pa Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Whole Wheat Bread? August 23, 2011 Return To Blog
Diabetes is a metabolic disease, meaning there is a glitch in the way the body converts food energy into usable energy. A healthy reaction to eating carbohydrate is a rise in blood sugar (glucose) followed by insulin being released as a response. The insulin acts as a key to open up cells within the brain and organs to let glucose in to be used as an immediate source of energy. Any unused energy is then stored in the liver, muscle, and fat tissues. Someone with diabetes has a rise in blood glucose but insulin is either not released or cells are resistant to the insulin. This is why diabetics have difficulty returning their high blood sugar levels back down to normal and thus need to control how much carbohydrate (glucose source) they put into their body throughout the day. Control carbohydrates. With a little effort and control diabetes can easily be managed. Diabetics should not condemn, but rather control carbohydrates. They should focus on allowing their body only the amount of carbohydrates it can handle at one time (this can be determined by a doctor or registered dietitian). Despite being diabetic, the body still needs and uses carbohydrates as its preferred source of energy. In fact, it is the only source of fuel for the brain! So it should never be eliminated, just merely controlled so your body can handle the glucose load. Stick to an eating plan. There is no single ideal eating plan for those with diabetes; the recommended plan is specific to a person’s weight, medication, blood sugars, cholesterol, and other medical conditions or concerns. Despite the varying eating plans, all diabetics should be consistent with their eating habits. Also, they need to eat about every 4-5 hours to prevent blood sugars from getting too low. Additionally, breakfast is an impor Continue reading >>
