Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

3/24/03

Q:

My name is sara and I am 35 yrs. I am diabetic for the past four yrs. I am an Indian. Does eating wheat chappatis instead of rice reduce the sugar level. What type of exercise is required. I have been cycling for 15 minutes and burn about 40 calories. I want to know the proper diet and exercise to keep my diabetic under control.

A:

Wheat chapattis, in moderation, are better than basmanti rice. Rice is more quickly converted into blood sugar. One chapatti at a meal is sufficient. It is the total amount of starch at one setting that will greatly determine your blood sugar rise. Monitoring your sugars daily will let you know what ranges you are in. The amount of exercise needed for varies for everyone.