The Difference Between Carbohydrates

Today marks the 16th day since my diagnosis as a type 2 diabetic.  While I’m a noob in terms of being a diabetic, I’m not new to the lifestyle.  My mother was a type 1 since she was a child and my daughter is a type 1 diabetic now.  I have been exposed to what it means to be a diabetic for literally my entire life.  If there is one thing I know, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are controlled all or in part by diet and lifestyle. 

One thing we started early on in my family is when we are grocery shopping, we always look at the nutrition label on the foods that we buy.  With diabetes, carbohydrates or “carbs” are the thing to look for when determining food choices.  Type 1 diabetics know they must take a certain amount of insulin to be able to convert the carbohydrates into energy properly.  Type 2 diabetics, although most do not take insulin, still pay attention to carb intake as a means of balancing their diets.  

Are all carbs the same though?

Does the “Total Carbohydrate” amount in the nutrition information label mean if I eat 18 grams of carbs of one thing, that my blood glucose level will respond the same as if I eat 18 grams of carbs of a different food?  Take a look at my results.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical or dietary professional.  Just because I experienced the following results, does not mean anyone else will.  Always ask your healthcare provider about questions regarding your diet and its affect your blood glucose levels. 

For me, I tried two brands of bars.  One is sold as an “energy bar,” the other as a “protein bar.”  After I saw how my bg level responded after eating them, I now know why.  Take a look at the picture below, you will see both bars contain almost the same number of carbohydrates, however the energy bar causes a larger spike in my bg level that the protein bar even though the protein bar has twice the number of calories than the energy bar does. 

Notice the larger spike in my blood glucose after I ate the Cliff Mini Bar.  While the carbs are basically the same, it’s the sugar percentage that makes the difference.

What happened

When looking at the above readings, you will see about a 30 point spike in bg levels from the energy bar compared to about a 10 point increase after eating the protein bar. Both bars have their place in my diet though.  The protein bar is a good choice as a snack between meals or even post workout.  The energy bar is a great option to eat about 20 minutes before I go to the gym for a 300 plus calorie burn.

Now that I know why they call it an energy bar, The Cliff Mini is a great choice to have about 20 minutes before a workout.  Notice how the spike was not as pronounced since I ate it just before I worked out at my local gym.

My explanation

The energy bar contains over 4 times the amount of sugar as the protein bar does.  Complex carbohydrates don’t spike your blood glucose as much as simple sugars do.  While both bars are close in carb content, it’s the sugar amount that makes the difference.  Keep in mind I’m not a professional. I welcome your comments about this as well.