Protein is essential part of our diet. It is used to build muscle and tissues. Protein is also as essential in blood sugar management. When protein is consumed at the same time as carb, it will help to slow the absorption of the carb so that the increase in the blood sugar will not be as dramatic. A perfect example: if you ate just a banana, the result would be a very quick rise in your blood sugar as a banana is pure carb. That immediate influx of sugar often reminds me of something like a nuclear plant from a cartoon where the red lights are going off and the sirens are blaring for emergency. When sugar flows into your blood stream that rapidly, I imagine the brain, similar to the cartoon nuclear plant, trying to relay to your pancreas: send out all available insulin. For those with Type 2, the body will release all remaining insulin making cells (remember those with Type 1 no longer have the cells to make their own insulin). If you have enough of these “red alerts” then eventually those insulin producing cells will die off out of exhaustion. Note: of course it is more medical than this however this is something I have come up with as an easy way to explain to my patients how eating carb alone can burn out their insulin producing cells faster.

Now let’s say you take that same banana and pair it with my all time favorite food- peanut butter (yum). Immediately, the body process is altered. The peanut butter which is a protein (and a fat) will help to slow down the carb rush into your blood stream. Therefore no red flashing lights and no sirens blaring. Just a nice subtle notification to your insulin producing cells to please release some insulin as there is some carb entering the system. Remember my goal here is to help you maintain good numbers thus achieving your A1C goal of under 7. One way big way you can do that is my learning how to eat properly. Making this one adjustment will help immensely- pair every carb you eat with a protein source. I must note here that the EXCEPTION to this is if you are experiencing a low blood sugar (less than 70)- this is when you ABSOLUTELY want that quick rush and only quick fast acting carb (juice, regular pop, glucose tablets, etc.).

With all that being said here is a list of some protein sources:

• Meat (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc.)
• Fish
• Dairy (eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese)
• Tofu
• Beans/Legumes
• Nuts
• Protein additives (whey, soy, pea, milk- can be found in protein bars, powders, cereal)

My next blog will be all about helping you to meal plan with this idea in mind!

Your “just for today” challenge is to do your best to try so that every carb you eat is paired with a protein source.