Diabetic Diet with Carbs

Question:

I was diagnosed with diabetes in August 2006 and my doctor told me to stop eating all carbs. I did this and have since gone down three dress sizes. I’m trying to follow The Supermarket Diet, but you say to eat three servings of wheat a day. How can I follow my doctor’s orders — and stay on the diet?

First, congratulations on dropping three dress sizes! Since your approach seems to be working, I’m hesitant to change it. But I do see a red flag: Cutting out all carbohydrates — especially whole grains and vegetables — means a less nutritious diet. So I’m wondering if your doctor told you to cut out all carbs — or limit complex carbs such as bread, rice, pasta, baked goods such as cookies, candy, and starchy vegetables such as corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beans. These are the most concentrated forms of carbohydrates and you should, in fact, cut back. Fruits are the next most concentrated source of carbohydrates, followed by dairy (which contains naturally-occurring milk sugar) and less starchy vegetables like greens, tomatoes, etc. I’m assuming you stopped eating just complex carbs and maybe fruit but, hopefully, you didn’t cut out the less starchy vegetables. I suggest you check back with your doctor to make sure you’re eating enough carbs. (Why they’re important: Carbs turn into glucose, which your body uses to fuel organs and muscles.) According to the American Diabetes Association, you should limit — but not ban — complex carbs and fruit, and still eat vegetables.

Even on a weight loss diet (1,500 calories per day, say) you should be able to eat at least one serving of complex carbs per meal, and about two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables daily. But again, check back with your doctor before changing your diet at all.