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When it comes to flours, making the right choice is very important to blood sugar control.
So we’ve gathered some great info here for you to use in your diabetes friendly kitchen and menu preparations.
Are Grains & Flour Really Good For Fiber?
We’ve often been told that eating whole grains is a great source of fiber. And while ‘whole grains’ do provide some fiber they are not the only thing that provide us with our daily fiber needs, vegetables do too.
For example: 1 slice of wholewheat bread has 1.9 grams of fiber, while a carrot has 2.3 grams. All grains and vegetables do range in fiber content, but vegetables are a great source of daily fiber and are also higher in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than grains.
So we don’t have to eat grains in order to get adequate fiber.
Changing A Grain Into A Flour Changes The Way It Affects Blood Sugar
Often when we take a grain and make it into flour, it changes the carb and fiber content. So what tends to happen for you as a diabetic is that most types of flours will make your blood sugar spike like wild fire. At least that’s what most people experience, which is why our meal plans contain virtually no grain flours at all.
An example of this is buckwheat. Eaten whole it has a glycemic index (GI) of around 49, which is a low GI. But take it and turn it into bread and it changes to a GI of 67, meaning it affects your blood sugar more rapidly and more intensely than eating the whole grain itself.
Here is another example using wheat. Whole wheat kernals are a very low GI of 30, but we don’t tend to eat whole wheat kernals, we eat whole wheat flour and it has an average GI of around 74.
Whole Grain Flours Are A Better Option
It’s true that whole grains are better as far as nutrition goes.
The Minnesota Department of Health explains, the whole grain kernels are made up of 3 parts:
- Bran – Outer layer of the grain that contains fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, phytochemicals, and 50-80% of minerals in grains like iron, copper, zinc, magnesium
- Endosperm – middle largest layer containing mostly carbohydrates, protein, and small amounts of some B vitamins and minerals
- Germ – inner component containing healthy fats, B vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants like vitamin E
When you eat refined grains (the white stuff) you are only getting the endosperm, so basically all of the nutrition has been stripped from the grain, which isn’t really ideal. So if you are going to choose any type of grain, choose only whole grains.
Using These Flours Is Even Better
BUT, as suggested above, even whole grains can be problematic for people with diabetes. So we only use almond flour or almond meal, coconut flour, ground flaxseed meal, sesame flour, and other nut flours in the majority of our low carb breads and bakes.
On the odd occasion, we use a small amount of ‘normal’ flour (1-2 tablespoons) such as arrowroot or corn flour, just to thicken sauces, which can be difficult to do with low carb flours.
Take this delicious burger as an example, the bun is our 3-Minute ‘no carb’ Microwave Bun. It tastes just like bread but has zero carbs, that’s right…zero!
Let’s now compare a normal flour based burger with one of our low carb burgers, made from our 3-minute microwave bun.
Your Choice Of Flour Can Cut Carbs In An Instant
Here we have a classic burger (something we all love), up against our low carb classic burger #2 (amazingly delicious). It’s made with our zero carb 3-minute microwave bun.
Flours By Total Carb Content
Now let’s dig into some of the nutrition facts. Remember to pin and share this with others too because it’s really helpful info. 🙂
Flours List By Net Carb Content
Using net carbs is another useful way to determine the healthiness of foods, because when you subtract the fiber content from the total carbs (Total carbs minus fiber = net carbs), you’re left with the ‘available’ carbs – the amount of carbs that will end up in your bloodstream and ultimately influence your blood sugar levels.
Here’s a handy chart of flours in order of net carb content:
Flours By Glycemic Index
“The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating.” Source
High GI foods rapidly effect blood sugar, while low GI foods have a slow digestion and absorption and produce a more gradual rise in blood sugar. Below 55 is considered low GI. So the lower it is the better and the higher it is the faster it affects blood sugar and the worse it is for you as a diabetic.
It’s difficult to find all the flours isolated for their glycemic index so this list breaks down into sections for breads (since we commonly eat flour like this), flours, and other.
BREADS
- Pumpernickel bread 41-46
- 50% oat bran bread 44
- Sourdough rye bread 48
- 80% barley bread made via sourdough 53-66
- Sourdough wheat bread 54
- Sprouted grain bread 55
- Chickpea flour bread 55-67
- Pita bread wholemeal 56-69
- Pita bread white 57-67
- Rye bread 57-78
- Rice bread 62-72
- Wholemeal spelt bread 63
- Semolina bread 64
- 80% oat kernel and white flour bread 65
- White spelt bread 65-74
- Buckwheat bread 67
- 80% barley bread 67-70
- Wheat whole grain 68-69
- Wheat white bread 71
- Wonder white bread 71-77
- Gluten free white bread 71-80
- 100% wheat white bread 85
- Millet bread 104
FLOURS
- Buckwheat flour 35
- Semolina 59
- Arrowroot 67
- Cornmeal 69
- White flour 71
- Whole wheat flour 74
OTHER
- Almonds 0
- Whole wheat kernals 30
- Carrot cake with coconut flour 36-39
- Coconut flour pancakes 49-51
- Flaxseeds have not been tested because they do not contain carbohydrates
A few interesting things to take note of are:
1. When you take a grain and make it into a flour, it completely changes it’s GI
For example: Whole wheat kernals are 30 (low GI) and whole wheat flour is 71 (high GI). This was already mentioned above, but it is a significant jump wouldn’t you agree?
2. Eating sourdough bread significantly reduces the GI
For example: Rye bread is 57-68 (medium-high GI) but sourdough rye is 48 (low GI)
This is very interesting because making sourdough produces beneficial gut bacteria that help with digestion, and this clearly has a strong impact on how it then influences the blood sugar response.
3. You will notice that most flours are high GI
In our list of breads above, you will notice that chickpea bread is highlighted as the cut off point because all breads below that are high (and higher) in GI, meaning they are not good options for you as a person with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
4. The flours we use have a low carb and low GI
We use both low carb and low GI flours in our breads, cakes, crackers, and bakes, so that you get the best results all round. 🙂
We’d encourage that you use those too, but at least now, with all this information you can make a more informed choice about what flours you will use.
So that’s the run down on the best flour to eat as a diabetic. Did you learn some interesting stuff? What flours do you use?
Melissa
What about Natures Own Keto Bread? Or Mission Carb Balance Tortillas, or Zero Carb ones?
Thank you
Dr Jedha
Hi Melissa, yes, there are more lower carb bread options available now, which is a good thing!
Jill
What about Organic Einkorn Whole Wheat Flour ?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Hi Jill – if you look at the nutrition label for this product it probably contains around 40g for 1/2c so your best bet is to avoid this! Organic can make something seem healthy, but this type of flour is still very high in carbs and will wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. Look for nut flour such as almond meal, ground flaxseed or coconut flour for options that are much lower in carbohydrates!
Debbie
So, when I grind my wheat and use it, it still has the same value as processed wheat flour you buy at the store?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Yes, the nutrient value (carbs) would be the same for both products you describe. If you’re looking to reduce carbs try one of the alternate flours discussed in this article such as almond or coconut flour!
Jean wilson
I am learning quickly..trying to find what I need to substitute out, so my husband of 70yrs old, can still enjoy his menu of foods
Patty Rachan
Can I substitute almond flour for all purpose flour in recipes 1:1? Or do I have to adjust it to make it work ?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
You definitely have to play around with the ratios and adjust individually. It can also be helpful to use a mix of low carb flours when substitution (ie. coconut flour and almond flour) which often yields better results than just one low carb flour substitution. Some recipes do better substituting nut flours and others do take transfer as well.
Mary Herrera
What about resistant starches? Pasta, potatoes, and rice that have been cooked then refrigerated overnight before consuming them?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
You can find more about resistant starches in this article. The bottom line is that while this might be marginally better for your blood sugar, they are still high carbohydrate containing foods and should best be minimized in your diet.
Connie Smith
I’m a diabetic 2 I need to know what a good bread to eat I’m been trying to leave junk food alone what a good snack to eat other than sweet candy is rice good to eat or pasta I need help on this ! You can get in touch with me though email
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Hi Connie, all ‘normal’ breads, pastas, and rice are best avoided as these are starch-based foods that are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the nutrient with the greatest influence on blood sugar, so avoiding or minimising these foods helps to bring down levels. View our recommended food list here.
Dennis L Diess
Do you ACV strait or diluted?
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Diluted in water is best.
Bj
how do you know how much of 1 flour to substitute for regular flour?
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
That can be a bit trickier because low carb flours often don’t work in the same way as regular flours. It’s often best to have actual recipes for the things you are wanting to make, that use the flours you want to use. We do have a guide available to our members but it’s not available on the blog right now.
linda hailstock
This information was great for me. I love 🍞 bread all kinds. Now I know what is better for me. Thank you so much.li
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Glad you found it helpful Linda
Phyllis hense
I use lots of different blends depending on what I’m making. I have found that I like using a half and half blend of nut flour and regular flour to make cookies and I blend rice flour with other flours to make noodles. I also like mixing flax seed flour in to almost everything cause I like the taste. I eat mostly sourdough bread and I’m working on learning different ways to make my own. Time will tell.
Karen Brooks
I sure would like some recipes for Almond and Coconut cookies
Conrad
Interesting article, but I’m finding all sorts of inconsistencies between all the different sources I’m reading through and comparing.
Even in this article itself, at the beginning to mentioned buckwheat bread has a GI of 67. However, lower in the article where you present to GI of different types of breads, buckwheat bread is presented with a GI of 47.
Just can’t seem to find a good source!
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
It is surprising that glycemic index can be different for the same foods, this is because it is a general test of a glycemic response. However, our team double checked the buckwheat bread and this appears to be a typo. Although we do proof read, human error does happen! This will be rectified in the article. For you interest, the GI is 67 for buckwheat bread and 47 if the bread is a 50% mixture of buckwheat groats and white wheat flour.
Harshani Cooray
Thank you for the article . It was very useful to me. I just want to know about something about your membership. In this article i saw a link to the lots of bread recipes & its cost 29usd or something around that price. Im not very sure about the price. So if i become a member i can access those recipes too or i have to pay separately for that bread recipes ?
Malorie: Dietitian (MS, RD, CLT)
Hello Harshani,
Our 30 day turnaround cost 29USD. To have access to all our recipes, including the bread recipes, you can become an Annual VIP Member.
Tim
Ok now what to eat ?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
If you’re looking for general low carb diet guidelines then make sure to check out this article— basically eliminate all pasta, bread, rice, and sweets and eat endless amounts of vegetables, plus protein, healthy fats, and dairy.
If you’re asking about which flours to eat make sure you stick to the nut flours such as coconut or almond flour, or flaxseed is another nice alternative.
Pat
basically low carb Paleo
rob rob
A recipe for the 3-Minute ‘no carb’ Microwave Bun would be appreciated….thanks!
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Hi Rob, All our bread recipes are reserved for members at this time.
Michael
Very useful information. Thank You
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
You are welcome! Let us know if you ever have any questions.
Laura
I have been reading lately that it it more important to follow the glycemic load rather than the glycemic index of a food ince the serving sizes of foods tested is often unrealistic. What are your thoughts on this?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
We feel that the best method is to use total carbs as time and time again it is shown that carbohydrates are the type of nutrient that most impacts blood sugar levels. Both glycemic index and glycemic load are useful tools, and often times mimic total carb, but there are certain foods (ie. snickers bar) that are seemingly misplaced on the chart when looking at glycemic index/load. Read about the other drawbacks of the glycemic index and glycemic load in this article.
Conrad
In the article above, it is mentioned that net carbs, not total carbs, is the more useful variable. I eat a lot of coconut products, from flours, milks and sugars. There is a major difference in the total carb value to the net value for coconut flour, indicated in the article. How should I finally approach this?
Malorie: Dietitian (MS, RD, CLT)
Hi Conrad, check out our article on total vs. net carbs- it gives a great overview of the pros and cons of both methods!
Renee
Carrot may have more fiber, but they also have a lot of sugar. My husband’s dr made him quit eating carrots.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Most people do just fine eating carrots. They might have slightly more sugar than some other veggies, however they are still significantly lower in sugar compared to candy, soda, and baked goods. Read more here!
Dora Boalhosa
hi
I don’t see anything on agave flour is it good for diabetics?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
I am not familiar with agave flour, Dora. I cannot locate nutrition facts for it either– but bottom line is check the total carbs and you want to find something that is around 10 grams per half cup. If it’s anything like agave nectar then I would not recommend it and you can read more about agave nectar over here.
Birinder
Hi, I am type2. What is to substitute whole wheat flour?
I am using diabetic flour. I am also into Jasmine/ sticky rice.
I take one apple/ pear/ oranges & 1 banana everyday in the morning & evening.Is it ok to eat fruits ?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Great questions! The best flours to use are nut flours, as indicated in this article. It depends what exactly you are trying to create as to what flour will work best, I often find using a combination of coconut/ almond/ and flax meal creates a good generic flour for many of my recipes.
Rice is a high carb food and we do not encourage you to eat any type of rice. Find some suggestions for rice substitutes in this article.
Fruit can be a high carb food as well, but there are some lower carb varieties you can still consume, particularly berries such as strawberries or blueberries. Give this article a read for a few more suggestions!
Ana
Hello.
My teenage daughter has been put on a (temporary) but ERY restrictive diet for moderately severe acne. She is already vegetarian. It’s low glycemic, low iodine. They allow no dairy, no canned food, no beans!, no brocholli, no spinach, no kale, no tofu or soy, no ” natural flavor”(soy?), no oils other than: real olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil, no corn, no asparagus, no honey, no sweeteners other than stevia (which she only has a tiny amount of). I have been cooking a lot and buying expensive grain-free chips and pizza crust. She eats mostly the following: almond milk, almond butter, brown rice, wild rice, homemade granola, quinoa, unripe bananas, frozen berries and peaches, apples, avocados, guacamole, bitter greens, green beans, coconut flour, coconut water, herbal tea, egg whites (no yolk), tomatoes (no skin or seeds). She was putting almond butter on brown rice cakes but found out they are high on the GI. Do you know about puffed kamut? I cannot find the GI for it. Any advice or tips are appreciated. Hopefully after a few more weeks she can eat more normally, only eliminating milk and iodinized salt. She takes the following supplements: 2,000 IU of Vit. D, 30 mg Zinc and ALA.
Thank you! – Teen’s Mom
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Hi Ana, unfortunately I have not heard of kamut before and am unable to offer any knowledge of the grain. Your best bet may be to reach out to your daughters doctor, or whoever prescribed the diet and request additional resources– they may even be able to refer you to a dietitian who specializes in this type of diet. The article we have previously published about GI is very specific to it’s application for diabetes so I don’t imagine much of the information would be applicable to this situation. Good luck!
Kulwant
Hi there, what would you recommend I use to sweeten my tea, coffee and any desserts as I am trying to cut back on refined sugars and don’t like sweetners ! I am 53 years old and not a diabetic but taking precautions 🙂 Thank you
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Stevia or erythritol are probably your best bet for sweeteners, or something natural like coconut sugar is another option, but you would need to check your tolerance to that. Monk fruit is another good option that has been increasing in popularity as of recent. Give this article a read for some more information about sweeteners.
Nick
What about amaranth flour ? I found it to be very versatile!
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Amaranth flour is like most other flours – high in carbs and glycemic index. While the seeds themselves are lower in GI, as soon as they are puffed or turned to flour, their GI raises up to around 70. Overall we don’t encourage it but if your levels are okay, it may work for you.
Teresa
I too am confused about coconut flour. The flour cheat sheet indicates total carbs 68 net carbs 24. Then, the chart “flours listed by net carbs…” total carbs 42 and net carbs 16! Both measured based on half cup. So which is accurate and is coconut flavor bad if you are worried about cholesterol? Really interested in clearing the confusion. Thanks
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Sorry for the confusion! Rest assured that coconut flour is a perfect substitution for regular flour. It contains around 36 grams of carbs and 16 grams of net carbs per half cup.
You do not need to worry about coconut flavor/ coconut flour/ coconut oil because of cholesterol. Check out this article for the truth about cholesterol levels.
rida
Can I use sucral sweetner in tea? I”ll be thankful If you give me your whatsapp account number please.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Hi Rida, It looks like sucral is a artificial sweetener. While these are often marketed at “safe” for diabetics, there is definitely some valid concern that artificial sweeteners might not be the best choice with regards to other aspects of your health. Here is a list of better sweetener choices, and a little bit more about artificial sweeteners.
Debbie
Hello Emily,
Have you ever heard of Natures Earthly Choice, Great Day Nut Flour Blend?
The nut blend contains: almonds, coconut, Pecan and walnuts.
What are your thoughts on this flour? I just saw it for the first time last week at the store.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
I haven’t heard of it, but if it soley contains NUT flours (no wheat flour, no corn flour, no gluten free flour) then it seems like it would be a fine choice. Take a look at the carb info, I would suspect it should be around ~10 grams of carbohydrates per 1/4c serving.
Preeti
I’m not a diabetic but kind of healthy eating person maintaining my weight. So i wanted to know about the yellow corn sprouted flour and sprouted bread. Are these good choices for low carb and weight management?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Both yellow corn and sprouted bread (such as Ezekiel bread) are still very high in carbs. If you aren’t concerned about your blood sugar level, then sprouted bread is probably a better choice than most other commercial breads. But, with that being said you would not want to consume in large portions and may be better off picking something from this list.
preethi m
Thank you so much, that was very helpful. So regarding flours, can i go with buckwheat flour instead of nut flours? which one do u suggest?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
While buckwheat flour is lower in GI (glycemic index) compared to most flours, recognize that it still contains 43g carbs per 1/2 cup. This is as much as regular flour! We find that our members get the best blood sugar results by counting total carbs, not glycemic index.
You can read more about GI over here, but to answer your question your best bet is to pick a nut flour such as almond, coconut or flaxmeal.
Catherine
Hi, I’d like to know if I made waffle/pancakes by using buckwheat flour, will that be fine for type 2 diabetic? Thanks.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
We do not recommend using buckwheat flour; better options are nut flours such as almond or coconut and flax meal. Buckwheat flour contains 42 grams of carbohydrates per half cup- that’s 3x the amount of carbs found in almond flour. (Remember, carbohydrates are the nutrient that most impact blood sugar!!)
With a little trail and error you should be able to make waffles/pancakes with a combination of those nut flours. You can use an egg to bind the flour together and consider adding a pinch of stevia for sweetness. Let us know if you come up with a yummy recipe!
Tayo
can you please tell me the GL of unripe plaintain flour. thanks
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Tayo, I am not familiar with unripe plantain flour. The glycemic index of unripened plantains is around 40, but processing and cooking can greatly effect that value. Your best bet is to use nut flour such as coconut or almond flour, or flax meal.
Kamer Shoaib
What about spelt flour and sorghum, im unsure if thats a low gi
I want to be able to make chappatis out of them
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
We encourage people to avoid all grains as even though some of them may be slightly lower GI, they are still high in overall carbs. In any case, both spelt and sorghum flours are high GI at around 65-70.
Chilanga
Hello. Is amaranth flour recommended for diabetes/pre-diabetes?
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
We don’t recommend it Chilanga because it is a high carb food. 1/4 cup is around 20 grams of carbs.
Carol
Hi someone gave me a supposedly healthy recipe for banana nut muffins using the bananas to sweeten the muffins. Being diabetic 2 they said spelt flour is good for diabetics. Is this true?
Thank you
Carol
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Carol, in general we don’t encourage bananas or spelt flour because of the high carbohydrate content.
How about giving this Low Carb Carrot & Cinnamon Bread Recipe a try?
Susan O'neil
Emily I have type 2 diabetes and I Most of the time my blood sugar goes up but I find out that most of the food I was eating before raise my blood sugar so I stop eat those food but I need some advise from you because are dietician can someone with type 2 diabetes can drink organic protien powder smoothies sometime in the I don’the feel to eat. Thank you.
Your truly miss Susan.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Susan, yes, there are many acceptable protein powders that can be included in a healthy, diabetic diet. Look for one that has minimal ingredients (under 10 if possible) and no artificial sweetener- here is the link to article we have previously written on selecting a protein powder.
K B Singh
I m a diabetic and doctor has put me on insulin. I take 40 units of insulin per day. My sugar level fluctuate though I have same food every day. I go for 5 KM walk daily. Could you please tell me what should I do to control my sugar level while providing me the food chart
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Everyone’s sugar levels are going to fluctuate throughout the day. The key is controlling the fluctuations so that they remain within an acceptable range. Have you considered trying a low carbohydrate diet?
Based on research we have reviewed at DMP, we believe this is one of the more effective ways to gain control over blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are the nutrient that most impact blood sugar/A1c, so naturally if you eat a lot of foods high in carbohydrates it can become very difficult to gain control over your levels. Because you are on insulin, let your doctor know you are going to change your diet so that they can better monitor changes in your sugar levels. Here is a food list to get you started.
Shahida
Hi, I know red lentils have a low GI of 21 but what about when red lentils are turned into flour? Please help me as I have serious issues of sugar cravings and I’ve recently made chapattis with organic oats ground to flour, and quinoa ground to flour.
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Red lentil flour will still have a low glycemic index, but really the major issue with all the flours you’re using is their carb content. If you’re struggling to lower blood sugar or A1c levels, cut out all those flours and stick to almond, coconut, flax, sesame – the types of flours that will not spike sugars. You can also make delicious low carb breads.
Shahida
Does quinoa flour have high carbs?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Quinoa flour is also going to be high in carbs- about 20 carbs per 1/4 cup. You can read more about quinoa and diabetes in this article. Without a doubt your best bet is to stick with almond, coconut, flax, and sesame flours.
Rhonda Wain
According to the Diabetic meal plan at the beginning of this article coconut flour has the highest GI rating but you suggest using it
I too are trying to lower my carb intake to control my diabetes but find information confusing
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Hi Rhonda, I think there may be some confusion regarding the chart you are looking at.
Remember, GI measures how much of an impact a certain food will have on your blood sugar. In general, foods higher in fat and/or fiber will have a lower GI value- meaning they are better for your blood sugar. We’ve written a whole article about GI which might help clarify some things for you as well.
Take a look at the article again: The chart itself lists calories, net carb, total carb, fiber, protein & fat for each flour. The big thing I notice from looking that this information is that coconut flour is high in VERY fiber, which reduces overall net carbs. Further down on the page, it states that bread coconut flour pancakes have a GI between 49-51 = low GI food. Therefore, coconut flour is one of the flours we recommend using.
Michael Hennessey
Hi Jedha,
I have been following your site for a year now. I say follow because the last 4 months I have not been eating or exercising right. I am prediabetic and in the first 3 months went from 6.2 A1C to 5.6 just by changing diet and adding a (vinegar, lemon juice) drink.
I kind of stopped when doctors and dieticians got in a tiff. I also had some medical problems that stopped me in my tracks.
I use all of the flours above plus Hemp flour, mostly for a pancake a week. My problem is I really dislike vegetables. I will get on them for a few months and then start craving something better and pretty soon it is bad again. I went from 250 pounds a year ago to 238 pounds then back up to 252 pounds. Trying to get back on a regime now, but feel like who cares I am 68 and had a good life.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Remember, there are SO many different vegetables out there and SO many different ways to prepare them. That link above has a yummy casserole recipe that might be something new for you to try. Another tip that I use when I start to get tire of vegetables is to make a trip to a farmers market or vegetable stand. I find this gives me some new found inspiration for healthy food.
Many people often find themselves feeling a bit overwhelmed at times during this journey, try giving this article a read for some tips.
Michael J Hennessey
Thank You for your help.
Deepa
Hi! I was reading your dialog, may I know Michael how did you reduce your A1c from 6.2-5.6 in 3 months. And what is this vinegar lemon drink you mentioned. I was at 6.8 but now stuck on 6.2 for months. I want to reduce it to 5.6 like yours. If you can help me with your changes you made. Pls do respond, thank you Michael waiting your response.
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Hi Deepa, Michael changed his diet and followed the guidelines we share here at DMP. You can read many more testimonials to see that what we share works to lower blood sugar and A1c. The lemon drink he mentions is over here. There’s always things you can change to get better results Deepa! You can explore our website for info, or perhaps you could consider joining as a member where you’ll have access to many more exclusive resources.
A. Smith
I have a grain mill with which I grind wheat and oat groats to make bread. Does it make a difference in the numbers when I make these flours myself? I am not low carb or diabetic, but have friends who are.
Thanks!
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Unfortunately it does not effect the nutritional value, meaning wheat and oat flours probably aren’t the best option if you’re looking to make a lower carb meal or treat for your friends.
Rida
How about chickpea flour or gram flour? Is it good? I am gestational diabetes patient.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Your best bet is nut flour (almond, coconut) or flax meal. Chickpea flour, while lower than refined flour, still contains over 25g of carbohydrate per half cup. And graham flour is over 40g of carb per half cup. Stick with nut flours for best blood sugar control.
Melanie
Hi! I am wondering if you could recommend which low GI flours are good to use for what purposes. For example: I wanted to make dough dumplings to go with a vegetarian stew but did not know which flour would be ok to use so I used white : (
Which flours are good for baking muffins or banana bread? Which ones for pancakes? Also is Bobs Red Mill baking flour low GI? I know it’s gluten free but I don’t know about GI.
Thanks for this great info! I’m type 1 diabetic but trying to cut back carbs and get blood sugar under control and my mom just beat cancer so she’s eating no sugar…low GI flour is best for both of us.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Melanie- here is a great resource when looking for GI content of specific foods. The two main flours included in the product you describe are garbanzo bean flour and potato starch; while garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour might be right around that cutoff point of low GI, potato starch is definitely a high GI flour. There are far better choices out there we encourage almond flour, almond meal, coconut flour, ground flaxseed meal, sesame flour, and other nut flours.
White flour is not going to be a good choice either. As far as your dumplings, I am not sure which would be best as that is not a recipe I’ve tried to replicate. Although, I often find using some of these flours in combination helps create the best end product. Let us know if you create a good recipe!
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
We use almond flour for dumplings, almond flour, coconut flour or flaxseed meal for muffins and breads. Coconut flour works well for pancakes. However, these flours do not perform like other flours so to avoid wasting ingredients, so it’s best to work from recipes at first. We have many in our members site if you would like to consider joining us.
Adriana
Can you please tell me the GI value of whole quinoa flour?
Are there any scholarly sites which give the GI so I can reference it?
Regards,
Adriana.
Jedha
Quinoa is about 35 Adriana. This is a great GI resource we use. We have some info on quinoa here too.