Since diabetes is caused by high amounts of sugar being in your blood, sticking to a
low-carb diet with very low amounts of sugar is often recommended. Take a look at this
information about being a woman with diabetes and sticking to a low-carb diet.
How Low-Carb Diets Help
The reason many people with diabetes or pre-diabetes will go on a low-carb diet is
because it helps reduce inflammation, and control the amount of sugar that is in your
diet. Many of the foods allow on a low-carb diet, including more extreme versions like
keto, are already promoted in a typical healthy diabetic diet. Going low-carb makes it
easier for you to make the right options, avoiding the starchy vegetables and high GI
fruits you shouldn’t eat with diabetes, helping you get enough protein and healthy fats,
and keeping you away from added sugars and processed rice and pasta.
Transitioning to Low-Carb
If you are new to low-carb, you might not want to go cold turkey right away. It is often
easier to transition into low-carb slowly, by making small changes one at a time, until
you are eventually following a low-carb diet. For example, if your biggest addiction is to
potatoes and rice, don’t’ cut them out completely just yet. Start slowly moving to low-
carb options, like sweet potatoes for white potatoes, and cauliflower instead of rice. If
you like sweets, start reducing the baked goods and candy you eat, and replace it with
fresh fruit, which adds more natural sugars into your diet. Make these simple food
swaps and you will soon be following a diet lower in carbs and that is more diabetic-
friendly.
Tips for Moving Forward
You will notice that once you get used to low-carb living, it is easy to find options at
home and on-the-go. Here are some more tips for following a low-carb diet to help with
your diabetes:
Start with low-carb foods you already enjoy – This is a big change, so to make it
easier, start with foods you already eat that are low carb. This might be nuts and seeds,
a certain type of berries like strawberries, or the lean protein you like to eat.
Experiment with new fruits and veggies – Have your fill of fruits and veggies while
eating low-carb, experimenting with more low-carb options you haven’t tried. You might
want to try a different way to maek broccoli in the oven by roasting it, or perhaps you
want to add berries to your salad.
Meal prep and plan ahead of time – You might find that your biggest struggle with
switching to a low-carb diet is that there aren’t as many convenience foods for you to
enjoy. If this is the case, plan and prep ahead of time so that you always have meals
and snacks waiting for you.