The following question was submitted by one of my readers for discussion for this week's blog post, "I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I would like to know, should I avoid carbs all together or is there a minimum you must eat?"
Carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation within the past few years with the popularity of the Atkins and South Beach Diet Fads. In reality, carbohydrates are the body preferred fuel source and can be a source of many vitamins,minerals,and fiber, so it is not a good idea to avoid all of them.
There are "good carb choices" and "bad carb choices". Choose the "healthy" carbohydrates, or in other words, "nutrient dense" choices such as those found in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and skim/low fat dairy foods. The carbs that should be limited or avoided are those in snack foods or baked goods (i.e. cookies, cakes) or candies. Additionally, even "good choices" need to be eaten in moderation. An appropriate range of carbohydrates in our diets is between 40-65% of total calories/daily. Someone who eats 2000 calories daily should eat between 800 - 1300 of those calories from carbohydrates. The brain needs an average of 130g (520kcals) of carbohydrates daily to function optimally.
If you were just diagnosed with Diabetes, I would strongly suggest contacting a CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.
