Truth or Myth
Truth or Myth? People with diabetes can never eat sugar or desserts.
What is a myth? Portion control and carb counting allow occasional treats.
This nutrient has the biggest impact on blood glucose and is the main focus of carb counting for people with diabetes.
What are carbohydrates?
This is the first thing you should check on a nutrition label because all the other numbers are based on it.
What is the serving size?
According to Plate Method, approximately 1/2 of your plate should be this type of food.
What is non-starchy vegetables?
You want a quick snack that will keep you satisfied. Which is the best option:
A. pretzels
B. fruit snacks
C. apple with nut butter
D. graham crackers
What is apples with peanut butter?
Truth or myth? "Sugar-free" or "no sugar added" products are always free of carbohydrates and will not raise blood glucose.
What is a myth? Many still contain carbs from other sources such as sugar alcohols, starch, or milk.
In traditional carb counting, one "carb choice" or serving is generally equal to this many grams of carbohydrate.
What is 15 grams?
For people with diabetes, this number on the label is the most important one to look at when counting carbohydrates.
What is total carbohydrate (in grams)?
Which of the following is a whole grain: white bread, blueberries, brown rice, chips
What is brown rice?
You are choosing between two breakfast options. Which would provide more fiber?
A. White toast with butter + jelly
B. Oatmeal with nuts and berries
What is oatmeal with nuts and berries?
Truth or myth? Fruit is a "free" food that does not need to be counted in a carbohydrate budget.
What is a myth? Fruit contains natural sugar/carbohydrates that affect blood glucose.
These three food groups almost always contain significant carbohydrates and must be counted: starches/grains, fruit, and this dairy item.
What is milk (or yogurt)?
This value is listed under total carbohydrate and can be beneficial for digestion and balance blood sugar response.
What is dietary fiber?
Which one of these foods is a non-starchy vegetable: beans, potatoes, peas, zucchini
What is zucchini?
You are grocery shopping for bread. Which would be the best way to identify a higher fiber bread?
A. Choose the bread with the fewest total carbs
B. Look for "multigrain" or "wheat bread" on the packaging
C. Compare the fiber content on the nutrition facts label
D. People with diabetes should not eat bread
What is compare the fiber content on the nutrition facts label?
Truth or myth? All carbohydrates affect blood glucose the same way, so the source (bread vs. candy) does not matter if the total grams are the same.
What is a myth? Glycemic impact can vary with fiber, fat, protein, and food form, though total carbs remain the primary count.
When reading a nutrition label, this value (not the sugar grams alone) is the primary number used to count carbohydrates for a serving.
What is total carbohydrate?
These appear under total carbohydrate on many "sugar-free" or "diabetes friendly" products and may still affect blood glucose, though often less than regular sugar.
What are sugar alcohols?
You are ordering a burrito bowl. Which combination best follows Plate Method?
A. Rice, beans, cheese, sour cream
B. Moderate portion of rice + beans, chicken, lettuce/veggies
C. Rice, chicken, and chips
D. Beans, cheese, sour cream
What is a moderate portion of rice + beans, chicken, lettuce/veggies?
You want to enjoy dessert after dinner. This approach can help you include dessert while still achieving your blood sugar goals.
What is choose a reasonable portion of dessert and enjoy it as part of your overall meal plan?
Truth or myth? Non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli, spinach, or salad greens) are so low in carbohydrate that most people can eat them freely without counting in basic meal plans.
What is truth? They generally have minimal effect in typical portions.
Advanced carb counting often uses this ratio to determine how many units of rapid-acting insulin are needed to cover a given amount of carbohydrate.
What is an insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio (or I:C ratio)?
To accurately count carbs from a package, you multiply the total carbohydrate grams by this number if you eat more (or less) than the listed serving.
What is the number of servings you are eating?
Your plate has 1/2 plate pasta, 1/4 plate garlic bread, 1/4 plate chicken. What is one change you could make to balance this meal?
Multiple answers may apply. What is...
-Substitute garlic bread for non-starchy vegetables?
-Adjust carbohydrate portion?
-Add vegetables?
You are preparing lunch. This is an example of a meal you could choose with a higher fiber carbohydrate, lean protein, and non-starchy vegetables?
Feel free to discuss with your team :)
Answers will vary... What is
-grilled chicken + brown rice + roasted broccoli?
-salmon + quinoa + asparagus?
-ground turkey + whole wheat pasta + side salad?