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Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel
Every diabetic person has different needs but with my bff she seems to function better the more protein she has and I'm not going to explain this well at the moment but protein has an effect with carbohydrates that can offset a spike in blood sugar, so if there are say, lentils and meat, rice isn't as much of an issue. One item that is full of protein but can be used like a grain is quinoa and you may be successful using that with your father. It packs a lot of protein and a low glycemic index, and it can be made into salad, put in soups, and I have used it like rice for a stir fry and in turkey meatloaf to keep moisture instead of breadcrumbs.
I'd check those soups because the amount of sodium in the majority of prepared foods is insane, and even in the healthy request and select harvest it is still very high. I have found some brands that are often organic that come in the juice box style with a lot less sodium that also have fiber, but not all, Imagine brand is a decent one. Of course we could make our own soup but I keep those containers of soup at work for the times I have no time or haven't planned ahead. Sodium is kind of crazy because it can mess with your blood pressure and cause water retention and bloating that can be no bueno if you're doing a costume fitting.
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This is true to an extent but I wouldn't say "offset" at all. It can be dangerous for a diabetic to think this unless they have proof through testing. What does happen is that eating protein or even adding some fat for that matter to carbs, can lessen the blow so to speak or make it so that the spike isn't as high as it would be if eating carbs alone,
or it could just be a delay in the spike, which is why testing sometimes 4/5 hours later is necessary. However, like you stated every diabetic is different and some are more sensitive to carbs than others. For some, protein/fat added to carbs or not, too many carbs in a meal and the blood sugar becomes abnormally high; maybe not as high as eating carbs alone but still too high to be acceptable.
An excellent book that breaks all of this down, is very easy to read, and presents the experiences of many long time diabetics is
Blood Sugar 101 by Jenny Ruhl. I found this book later, after reading others, but wish I had it when I was newly diagnosed. It would have saved me a lot of confusion and frustration, but I recommend it to all diabetics and their supporters or just anyone that is interested in the topic. Actually, everyone should be concerned about their blood sugar and for some, it's already too high even though their doctor might not say anything until they're in the pre-diabetic range, which is really too late. Some never get to the pre-diabetic range but might still have issues related to high blood sugar.