Tools & Resources
Carbs 101
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Living with diabetes does not mean you need to avoid carbohydrates. The key is understanding the type, amount, and timing of the carbs you eat.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbs are one of the three main nutrients (along with protein and fat) that our body needs. When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar), which raises your blood sugar.
Types of carbs
- Sugars: Digested quickly and raise blood sugar fast. Found naturally in fruit and milk, and added to foods like candy, desserts, and sugary drinks.
- Starches: Digested more slowly but still raise blood sugar. Found in foods like bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes.
- Fibre: Not broken down by the body and does not raise blood sugar. Found in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Learn more about fibre here.
Which foods contain carbs
Many foods contain carbs. Knowing which ones can help you manage the amount and type you include in your meals and snacks.
Carb-containing foods
- Grains: bread, cereal, rice, pasta, millet, oats
- Fruit and juice
- Milk and yogurt
- Starchy vegetables: potatoes, corn, peas, plantain, yams
- Legumes: beans, lentils
- Sweets: desserts, candy, sugary drinks
- Some sauces (e.g., ketchup, BBQ sauce, pasta sauce)
Low or no carb foods
- Protein foods: meat, fish, eggs, tofu
- Oils and fats
- Non-starchy vegetables: broccoli, spinach, peppers, cucumber
How carbs affect blood sugar
When we eat carbs, they break down into sugar in our body and enter our blood. Insulin helps move this sugar into cells to be used as our main source of energy. If you have diabetes, your body struggles to move sugar into your cells, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Carbs raise blood sugar, but how much and how fast depends on:
- Amount: Larger portions cause bigger increases
- Type: Low-fibre, fast-digesting carbs raise blood sugar more quickly
- Timing: Eating too often or too close together can lead to higher levels
Other tips:
- Meals with protein, fibre, and carbs together help reduce spikes
- Spacing meals and snacks every 3–4 hours can help keep levels steady
- Eating the same amount of carbs meal to meal and day to day help manage blood sugar over time
Everyone responds differently—pay attention to your own patterns by checking your blood sugar 1-2 hours after meals.
What types of carbohydrates can I eat?
The quality of carbs matters.
- Choose higher-fibre foods more often
- Eat foods closer to their natural form (less processed)
- Include protein and fibre with carbs to slow digestion
Fibre helps:
- Slow the rise in blood sugar
- Improve blood sugar control over time
- Increases feeling of satisfaction from your meal
Understanding the glycemic index
The glycemic index (GI) shows how quickly a food raises blood sugar.
- High GI foods: Raise blood sugar quickly
- Low GI foods: Raise blood sugar more slowly
Choose low GI foods more often. If eating high GI foods, pair them with protein or fibre to reduce spikes. To learn more about the glycemic index, see the Glycemic Index Food Guide.
How many carbohydrates should I eat?
Carbohydrate needs are different for everyone. A registered dietitian can help you find the right amount.
The balanced food plate is a simple starting point:
- ½ plate: non-starchy vegetables
- ¼ plate: protein
- ¼ plate: carbohydrate foods
This helps control carbohydrate portions and encourages balanced meals. Carb counting is a more detailed approach that may be used, especially if you take insulin.
What about sugar? You can still include small amounts of sugar.
- Limit added sugar to less than 10% of daily calories
- Sugar raises blood sugar quickly, so amount and timing matter
- Choosing to use non-nutritive sweeteners is a personal decision
The key takeaway - focus on how many carbohydrates you eat, what type you choose and when you eat it. Small changes in these areas can make a big difference in managing blood sugar.