Getting your diet right is essential when you have diabetes. You need to watch your carbohydrate and sugar consumption to maintain your blood sugar levels. But how do you know what you are eating? Well, you need to learn how to read food labels when you have diabetes. This guide provides you with the basics so that you can then make the right choices when shopping.
Look at the Ingredients First
To begin with, study the ingredients and keep an eye out for healthy ingredients like wholegrain, monounsaturated, and healthy oils including olive oil. Try and steer away from products containing hydrogenated fats.
Remember that the ingredients are listed in order, so the ingredient with the highest content features first and is then followed by the ingredient with the second highest content, and so on.
Study the Carbohydrate Content in Detail
This is the most important aspect of how to read food labels when you have diabetes. The total amount of carbohydrates breaks down into complex carbohydrates, sugar, and fiber. Don’t hone in on zero-sugar foods, as foods like milk and fruit contain natural sugars. By the same token, make sure to watch out for foods extremely high in carbohydrates.
High-fiber foods are great because if a portion of food contains more than 5gs of fiber, you can take half of the fiber amount away from the total carbohydrate count.
Don’t Be Fooled by No Sugar and Fat-Free Foods
A lack of sugar doesn’t mean a lack of carbohydrates, so watch out for the carbohydrate content, especially on sugar-free foods. Sugar alcohols such as xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol may also contain carbohydrates. Likewise, fat free foods may also contain carbohydrates.
Final Thoughts -It’s All about Carb Counting
When you learn how to read food labels when you have diabetes, you soon come to realize that’s it’s all about carb counting. Meal plans have carb counting as their basis, giving you a structure by which you can maintain a healthy lifestyle.
