05/26/2026
Read this before you cut out another carb.
Because the biggest mistake I made when
I was first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes was not the food I started eating. It was the food I stopped eating that was actually helping me.
I cut out everything. Every carb I could find. Bread. Rice. Fruit. Potatoes. Pasta. Gone. All of it.
And my blood sugar barely improved. My energy crashed. My cravings went through the roof. And I sat at every meal feeling miserable and deprived and wondering why I was still struggling.
Here is what nobody told me at any of those appointments.
Not all carbs are the enemy. Some of them are actually some of the most powerful blood sugar stabilising foods available. And cutting them out completely was making things worse, not better.
These are the carbs I kept eating. And they are a big part of why my blood sugar finally started changing.
1. π« Lentils
A GI of just 29. They digest so slowly that my blood sugar barely moved after eating them. High in protein. High in fiber. Incredibly filling. I eat them at least three times a week.
2. πΎ Steel Cut Oats
Not instant oats. Not flavoured oats. Steel cut oats cooked from scratch. The minimal processing keeps the GI low and the fiber high β meaning my blood sugar stays stable all morning long.
3. π« Chickpeas
A GI of 28. One of the most underrated foods for diabetics. I add them to salads, soups, and stews. They keep me full for hours and my post meal glucose barely moves.
4. π Sweet Potatoes
Yes they are a carb. But they are also rich in fiber and have a significantly lower GI than white potatoes. I eat them cooled with a protein alongside and my blood sugar response is completely manageable.
5. π« Berries
Strawberries. Blueberries. Raspberries. Blackberries. These are natureβs sweetest blood sugar safe treat. High in fiber, low in sugar, and packed with antioxidants that actively improve insulin sensitivity.
π¬ Want to know every carb that is safe for your blood sugar and every one that is secretly spiking it? Comment FREE below and I will send you the complete food guide, completely free and straight to your inbox right now. ππ
6. πΎ Barley
The most underrated grain for blood sugar control. A GI of just 28 and it keeps you full for hours. I use it instead of rice in soups and stews and the difference in my post meal numbers is remarkable.
7. π Lentil Pasta
I was not ready to give up pasta. So I switched to lentil pasta instead. More protein. More fiber. A much lower GI. And honestly, it tastes just as good once you find the right brand.
8. π« Cooled Rice
This one surprised me. Cooking white rice and then cooling it in the fridge converts a significant portion of its starch into resistant starch which your body digests far more slowly. The GI of cooled rice is almost half that of hot rice. I still eat rice. I just always cool it first.
9. π Sourdough Bread
The fermentation process that makes sourdough significantly lowers its GI compared to regular bread. It was the only bread I kept in my life and my blood sugar responded completely differently to it than it ever did to white or whole grain bread.
10. π« Black Beans
Rich in fiber, protein, and slow digesting carbohydrates. A GI of around 30. I add them to almost everything and they have never once caused a significant blood sugar spike.
The moment I stopped treating all carbs as the enemy and started learning which ones worked for my body, everything changed.
My blood sugar stabilised. My energy came back. My cravings quietened down.
And I stopped feeling like I was fighting my body at every single meal.
You do not have to give up carbs forever.
You just need to know which ones are on your side.
And now you do. π