When you’re part of the 1 in 3 Americans with diabetes or prediabetes, it can come as a shock when your doctor recommends you stop eating certain foods and focus on creating a blood sugar control diet.

Foods like bread, pasta, rice, and other starches suddenly lose their place in your meal plans.

And the truth is that most diabetics DON’T give up these foods. That’s because when you try to stop eating them, you still feel hungry after every meal…

And rather than feeling hungry, you’d rather drop the blood sugar control diet and take the risk of making your diabetes worse…

Which makes perfect sense.

Only… it’s not healthy at all.

And it creates a domino effect that does little to improve your condition.

Today, I’m going to help you solve this problem once and for all by showing you how you can cut out those starches by replacing them with more nutritious ingredients that are just as easy to cook, provide a healthy vitamin punch, and have a ton more flavor.

But first…

Why Aren’t Bread, Pasta, and Rice Good for Diabetics?

So, you probably know that once you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, you’ll need to reduce or eliminate sugar from your diet…

And the reason is that when you eat sweets, it raises your blood sugar and your body is no longer producing enough insulin to counter the increase…

Fortunately, this is common knowledge and there are countless diabetic-friendly options out there to satisfy your sweet tooth (even though I recommend eating fruit instead).

Here’s the thing…

Bread, pasta, and rice may not have the same sweet taste, but they have almost the exact same process as sugar.

When you eat these high-calorie foods, your body converts their carbohydrates into glucose, raising your blood sugar the same way as if you had a candy bar.

Now, imagine how much of these foods you’re eating with every meal and if you replaced them with cakes or pies…

Doesn’t look very healthy, does it?

Not only that, but you know that full feeling? Well, it goes away quickly when you eat more of these base foods…

Which means you’ll probably be reaching for another serving soon after eating.

And I’m going to go even further and tell you that another problem is that they don’t provide quality vitamins and nutrients.

That’s why they’re usually labeled as “empty calories.”

To top it all off, there’s some bad news. Unlike diabetic sweets, you won’t find a whole aisle in your grocery store dedicated to alternative base foods – maybe an alternative pasta or two at best.

However, there are foods in your supermarket that deliver excellent nutrition, make you feel full, and can help get your diabetes under control. They’re just not marketed as such…

Case in point…

Blood Sugar Control Diet Staple: Buckwheat To The Rescue

Buckwheat is one of those foods that has fallen out of favor largely due to changes in agriculture…

Once a common crop in the U.S., most farmers switched to corn and wheat because they respond better to nitrogen fertilizer…

And it’s a pity, because buckwheat is packed in nutrients, has all nine essential amino acids, and a lower glycemic load than most of your normal base foods.

So, when you substitute rice with buckwheat, you’ll actually feel more full after eating… A perfect addition to your blood sugar control diet, if you ask me.

And just like rice, it’s dead simple to cook:

How to Cook Buckwheat

1. Use a ratio of 2 parts buckwheat to 3 parts water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and add buckwheat.
3. Once the water level has reduced to the top of the buckwheat, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for ~15 minutes or until done.
4. Fluff with a fork and serve with your favorite sauce, stir fry vegetables or other toppings for rice.

Or you can do what I do – simply put all your veggies, meat, spices, and buckwheat to cook together for a tasty, one-pot meal.

If you don’t like the strong, nutty taste of buckwheat, there’s another option out there that can also take the place of rice or pasta…

Blood Sugar Control Diet Staple: Quick and Easy Quinoa

Buckwheat may be more popular in Asia, but if you look to South America, you’ll find another base food that provides similar benefits without the empty calories of our traditional starches – quinoa…

Now, it’s true that quinoa has exploded in popularity over the past decade…

But it’s for a good reason.

When you compare quinoa with bread, rice, and pasta, there’s no denying the nutritional advantage that quinoa offers…

In addition to vital nutrients like manganese, magnesium, and phosphorous, quinoa also has an excellent protein profile, which helps with that full feeling.

And if you think it’s hard to cook, think again – it’s exactly the same process as rice:

How to Cook Quinoa

1. Use a ratio of 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and add salt and a pat of butter (optional).
3. Add the quinoa and return to a boil.
4. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for ~12 minutes or until tender and you can see the tail separating from the seed.
5. Fluff with a fork and serve with your favorite sauce, stir fry vegetables, or other toppings for rice.

What I like to do with quinoa is cook up a batch and let it cool before adding it to other ingredients like lightly-cooked vegetables to create something similar to a pasta salad that’s best eaten cold.

Last but not least, I want to mention another swap you can make to reduce your empty calorie intake and improve your diabetes…

Blood Sugar Control Diet Staples: Healthy Vegetables

Ok, so this one is more of a general swap than the previous two, but it’s equally as powerful…

Instead of bread, pasta, and rice, simply eat more vegetable dishes to feel full.

Filling vegetables like potatoes (both regular and sweet), carrots, peas, beans, and cauliflower are extremely cheap and making the switch to them will barely affect your grocery budget…

While at the same time boosting your health by leaps and bounds.

Now, I know that most people have trouble making this change, but believe me when I tell you that it’s definitely worth it…

In addition to the obvious benefits for a blood sugar control diet, you’ll also gain a number of other health advantages, such as…

• Less brain fog
• Less sweet cravings
• More energy
• Better digestive function
• Better skin tone

And much, much more.

When you replace pasta, bread, and rice with the healthier options listed above, your body will start regulating insulin better and with a little bit of exercise and other techniques, you’ll be well on your way to feeling healthy again…