Type 2 Diabetes and Grains That Are Life-Savers for Diabetics!

Type 2 diabetics are typically taught that avoiding bread is generally a good idea, because even the lowest GI wheat bread is still pretty high on the scale. But there are grains out there which can be used for both delicious cooking and the maintenance of a reasonable blood sugar level. If you're willing to get a little creative in life, you can do some incredible things using these three grains.

Healthy Grain Choices:

Here we're going to discuss a few unusual grain choices that can seriously alter how high the GI of your diet will get. Never think for a second that you're "doomed" to high GI, just because you like grains. There is no reason why things that are good for you have to taste like cardboard.

1. Barley: Barley is a grain that is used in beer. If you didn't know that, you probably already eat a very healthful diet in the first place. But barley can actually be "bearded" through a process of removing certain parts of it, which makes it into the most low GI food grain that has ever officially been tested. You simply will not find a lower GI than bearded barley, which can replace rice (a traditionally high GI food item), in any recipe you may have in mind. Just resist the temptation to call it shaved barley.

2. KAMUT: Khorasan or "KAMUT" wheat is the largest type of wheat in existence. Aside from the fact that it has between 12% and 18% protein in it, it also has very large grains, which contribute to having a low GI. You can do pretty much anything with KAMUT (which must legally meet a decent laundry list of purity and health requirements), that you can do with any other kind of wheat. It's just better at it, in much the same way people say that Chuck Norris is better at everything than most people are. KAMUT has a nice, nutty flavor about it, which is probably good for people who are allergic to (but still enjoy eating) nuts.

3. Bulgur: The last of our little grain tour today is bulgur. Even though it sounds like something which should certainly cause you to get fat, it's actually a durum wheat based cereal grain that is prevalent in Greek and middle eastern cuisine. As a substitute for rice or couscous, bulgur is an overall better choice. It has a lower GI, more fiber, and a larger amount of vitamins and minerals in it than the other grains. While it isn't quite as good as bearded barley, bulgur does have the additional virtue of coming in four different sizes, which are also known as levels of coarseness.

Choosing low GI grain products instead of refined versions, is a top Type 2 diabetes prevention strategy. You need to remember that breads and grain products are concentrated sources of carbohydrate, although not nearly as high as sweets and desserts.