When it comes to dieting, there are tons of silly rules out there on pairing and not pairing foods for health. One recommendation that is healthy for most individuals is to pair carbohydrate and protein foods. Any time you eat a carbohydrate food, also eat a protein food. For example, if you eat an apple, have a little peanut butter; if you eat popcorn, also eat a string cheese.

Carbohydrates and proteins are both nutrients that provide our bodies with calories. Fats also contain calories. When broken down in our bodies, carbohydrates are broken into small units of sugar and proteins are broken into amino acids. The sugars are absorbed and used by the body for energy and the amino acids are used by our cells for a variety of processes includes: building hormones, neurotransmitters, and muscle.

When you eat a carbohydrate food and your body breaks it down into sugar, naturally your blood sugar rises as this sugar is absorbed. Pairing carbohydrates and protein foods reduces spikes in blood sugar.

If the food also contain fiber, it will help control your appetite. The fiber takes longer to digest which means we feel fuller longer and are less likely to be hungry before our next meal. When possible, choose carbohydrate foods with 3 or more grams of fiber!

Pairing carbohydrates and protein is healthy for almost all people including individuals with diabetes and those who want to prevent diabetes. Please note: if you need to increase your blood sugar (also known as blood glucose) due to a diabetic low, avoid fiber and protein as this will hinder getting blood sugar back to a normal level.

Pairing carbohydrate and protein food is an easy way to control blood sugar and appetite. Here is our chart of carbohydrate and protein foods to get you thinking about delicious pairs!