The HCF (high carbohydrate, high fiber) diet reduces a patient’s consumption of fats and simple sugars by replacing them with plant fibers and other complex carbohydrates. This nutritional plan can help patients with diabetes control their glucose (blood sugar) levels and may reduce the amount of insulin or antidiabetic agents needed to control the condition.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps cells transport glucose from the blood into the cells. The glucose is then used for energy. In most people, the body constantly adapts the production of insulin to meet energy needs. However, in patients with diabetes, the body cannot achieve this balance. This makes proper nutrition crucial to maintaining normal glucose levels.

The HCF diet incorporates foods that may reduce the amount of insulin a patient requires. Instead of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, the majority of calories in an HCF diet come from fiber and other complex carbohydrates. The recommended daily dietary intake while on the HCF diet is:

For many years, the best-known government food guide was the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) based its recommendations on this pyramid. The Food Guide Pyramid was divided into six food groups. Foods to be eaten in the greatest quantities were at the base, and foods to be consumed in lesser quantities were near the top of the pyramid.

However, in 2005, the USDA issued a revised version of the pyramid called MyPyramid. This new food guide pyramid incorporates knowledge about nutrition that has been learned since the early 1990s. It also encourages regular exercise as an essential part of any healthy dietary regimen.

The new approach abandons the “one size fits all” approach of the old Food Guide Pyramid and instead urges people to tailor their diet to their needs. This is accomplished through an interactive Web site in which people build an individual diet based on information including age, sex and level of physical activity.

The greatest difference between an HCF diet and the USDA MyPyramid are the recommended amounts of fat and fiber. In the HCF diet, two-thirds of dietary fat is replaced with complex carbohydrates. These foods provide two forms of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber slows the rate of food absorption. Insoluble fiber is not digested. It helps regulate gastrointestinal functions and keeps the colon clean.

In general, good sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber include whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables and beans. Fiber is not found in any foods that come from animals such as meat, fish, poultry, dairy products and eggs. Sources of soluble and insoluble fiber include:

Patients should have nutrition counseling before starting any meal plan. People with diabetes are often advised keep track of their carbohydrate consumption with methods such as the diabetic food exchange or carb counting. Tools such as the glycemic index may also help.