Carbs

Below are a variety of questions I’ve received so far.

My blood sugar is a bit elevated. While there appears to be a difference between whole grain and whole wheat, is this impact not on nutritional labels?

It should say if it is whole wheat or whole grain. Both are good but look for 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain and between 2-5g fiber per serving

Is a carb not a carb? Should I just manage total daily carbs?

There are simple and complex carbs. Simple carbs are refined, such as pies, cakes, and cookies. Complex carbs are vegetables, legumes and grains. Yes, you could manage your total daily carbs. Approximately 50% of your total calories would come from carbohydrates.

Should my total carb daily intake level be monitored and lower than normal guidelines?

It’s not about low carbs…it’s about evenly balanced carbs throughout the day to avoid spikes in blood sugar. This gets more into carb counting which is beyond the scope of this program. You can email me if you would like additional counseling.

What do you think about new Dreamfield Pasta that claims to have low glycemic index and low digestible carbs?

Many factors go into the glycemic index, making it unreliable. It is very difficult to measure since it depends on where the food came from, how it was prepared, what else was eaten with it, if you ate it on an empty stomach or still had undigested food, etc. If you enjoy the taste, that’s fine or have regular whole wheat, just stick to one serving and see how it affects your blood sugar if you are testing it.

Do you have a gluten/free diet plan/menu available?

Since this is a basic, public health program, we don’t offer specific menus for medical nutritional therapy. However, the plan is very easy to follow and can easily modified for special needs. If you would like, you can email me to schedule an appointment for further counseling/meal plans. For recipes go to www.celiac.com, csaceliacs.org/recipes.php or glutenfree.com/info/recipes_other.aspx

I can't find the online food log. I would like to start using one.

You can use www.fitday.com or www.sparkpeople.com are both good sites.