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Should I Cut Carbs If I Have Diabetes

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People that have diabetes have to be concerned about their weight in order to prevent long-term health complications that can be made worse from their diabetes. If you are someone that has diabetes hopefully you have consulted with a dietician or nutritionist that specializes in diabetes management. They can give you the best advice on what type of diet is best for you to achieve your goals. The other major concern when cutting carbs out of your diet is the effect it will have on your blood sugar levels. This must be carefully monitored in diabetics to avoid dramatic changes in your blood sugar levels. If you are asking yourself "should I cut carbs if I have diabetes?" here is some helpful advice.

Understand that carbohydrates (compared to many nutrients found in the foods we eat) have a huge effect on blood sugar levels. When we eat something with a lot of carbs in it the body will break this down quickly and turn it into sugar. This will dramatically raise our blood sugar levels. This is most true when eating "simple" carbohydrates. Things like processed foods made with enriched, white flour (white bread, pastries, sugared cereals, etc). Anyone with diabetes knows how dangerous spikes in their blood sugar levels can be.

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It is better to eat "complex" carbs. These are foods that are made from whole-grain flour such as wheat bread, wheat pasta and vegetables. Complex carbs are used by the body much more slowly than the "simple" carbs. This means they are broken down into sugar at a much slower rate so the risk of spiking your blood sugar levels is much lower.

You should never just cut carbs out of your diet completely. Cutting carbs for a prolonged period of time forces your body into what's called ketosis. Ketosis is a process that causes a decrease in the delivery of much needed oxygen to your tissues. This lack of oxygen will force your kidneys, heart, liver, digestive system, eyes (your major organs) to work harder which places greater stress on them. Being in a long-term state of ketosis is not healthy for anyone.

Should a diabetic cut carbs to lose weight? It is better to stick to a well-balanced diet and meal plan, combined with exercise to lose weight if you are diabetic. Never completely cut carbs to lose weight if you are diabetic. The risks will far out weigh the benefits.

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