Question I have just been told that I have type II diabetes. I need to be able to co-ordinate with a low purine diet. I am confused with regards to carbs/sugar.
Answer Hi Karen,
It shouldn't be too hard to coordinate a diabetic diet with a low purine diet. The main thing to remember between the two is that your proteins should be low purine, which means no organ meats and limited shellfish.
Regarding carbohydrates and sugars: sugars are just one particular type of carbohydrates. Carbs are found in starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, corn, pasta, and all wheat products. They are also found in all fruits and vegetables, but some far less than others. For example, a typical banana has about 25 grams of carb, but 1/4 cup of string beans has only 4 grams.
All carbs raise blood glucose levels in diabetics. Essentially, one gram of carb will raise your blood glucose by 4 points, so if your level was 100 BEFORE eating, and you ingest 25 grams of carbohydrate, then the peak value (about 2 hours later) will be approximately 200, which is not so good. However, every diabetic is different, so your best bet is to check as frequently as your doctor recommends, to see what various foods do to you. (For example, I can eat 1/2 cup of plain sweet potato with no problem, but white potatoes send my levels through the sky; my cousin is the exact opposite!)
What *I* would recommend, for best results, is that you limit your carb intake to fewer than 100 grams per day, with no more than 20 grams at any one meal or snack. Choose high-fiber carbs: whole fruits instead of fruit juice, whole grain cereals and breads such as Ezekiel bread, etc. Be mindful of "hidden" carbs, such as the 12 grams of carb in an 8 ounce glass of skim milk. Be a label reader!
Your "goal" is to keep your blood glucose reading UNDER 155 2 hours after eating.
