Can You Eat Grits If You Have Diabetes?

Grits are high in carbs. Although you can still eat grits if you have diabetes, you should keep portions small and load up on other healthful foods to limit their effect on your blood sugar.

Grits are a creamy, thick porridge made from dried, ground corn that’s cooked with hot water, milk, or broth.

They’re widely consumed in the Southern United States and typically served with breakfast.

Since grits are high in carbs, you may wonder if they’re acceptable for a diabetes-friendly diet.

This article tells you whether you can eat grits if you have diabetes.

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Very high in carbs

Grits are made from corn, a starchy vegetable, and are thus high in carbs. One cup (242 grams) of cooked grits packs 24 grams of carbs (1).

During digestion, carbs break down into sugars that enter your blood.

The hormone insulin then removes these sugars so that they can be used for energy. However, people with diabetes do not produce or respond well to insulin and may experience potentially dangerous blood sugar spikes after eating lots of carbs (2).

As such, they’re advised to limit large portions of high-carb foods and aim for meals that balance all three macronutrients — carbs, protein, and fat.

That said, you can still eat grits if you have diabetes — but you should keep portions small and load up on other healthful foods to limit their effect on your blood sugar.

Since grits are made from corn, they’re high in carbs and can raise blood sugar. However, they’re not completely off-limits for people with diabetes.

Processing methods affect blood sugar

The way that grits are processed also affects your blood sugar.

Grits products differ in their amounts of fiber, an indigestible carb that passes through your body slowly and helps lower blood sugar (3).

The more fibrous your grits, the healthier they are if you have diabetes.

Grits are available in several forms, including (4):

• Stone-ground: made from coarsely ground kernels of whole corn
• Hominy: ground from corn kernels soaked in an alkali solution to remove the outer shell
• Quick, regular, or instant: ground from kernels processed to remove both the outer shell and germ, a nutrient-rich part of a corn kernel

Since the outer shell is a major source of fiber in the corn kernel, stone-ground grits tend to contain more fiber than more processed varieties, such as regular or instant (1, 4).

As a result, stone-ground grits are likely the best choice for people with diabetes, since they may not increase blood sugar as much as other types.

However, quick, regular, or instant grits are the most widely available varieties outside of the Southern United States.

Stone-ground grits boast more fiber and nutrients than more processed forms, such as regular or instant, and may thus be less likely to trigger blood sugar spikes.

The glycemic index of grits can vary

Due to different processing methods, the glycemic index (GI) of grits can vary considerably.

On a scale of 0–100, the GI measures to what extent a certain food increases your blood sugar. It depends on starches, processing, other nutrients, cooking method, and several other factors (5).

The GI of instant, regular, or quick grits is likely high because they’ve been processed to remove the germ. On the other hand, stone-ground grits probably have a lower GI (5).

One study in 11 healthy adults noted that grits made from milled and fermented corn flour had a moderate GI of around 65 while grits made from non-fermented corn flour scored above 90 (6).

Yet, high-GI foods don’t necessarily lead to poor blood sugar control in people with diabetes. The amount you eat and which foods you consume along with them also matter (7).

For example, eating 2 cups (484 grams) of grits will likely increase your blood sugar more than eating 1/2 cup (121 grams) alongside eggs, non-starchy vegetables, or other diabetes-friendly foods.

Heavily processed types of grits may have a high GI, underscoring the importance of small portion sizes if you have diabetes.

How to add them to a well-rounded, diabetes-friendly diet

If prepared carefully, grits can be part of a balanced, diabetes-friendly diet.

You should try to use stone-ground grits, as these contain more fiber and are less likely to spike your blood sugar. If you can’t find this type in your local store, you can buy it online.

It’s also important to cook your grits with water or broth instead of milk and cheese. While these dairy products might be popular add-ins, they’ll also raise the carb content.

You can still create a flavorful dish by using spices like garlic.

Nonetheless, bear in mind that grits are typically served in large portions with high-calorie foods like butter and processed meats.

Try to limit yourself to one or two servings, making sure to eat a variety of lean proteins, healthy fats, vegetables, legumes, and fruits as well. It’s best to avoid refined carbs and sugary foods.

Grits can be incorporated into a wholesome, diabetes-friendly diet that includes nutritious foods and limits sweets and refined carbs. Just make sure to refrain from large portions, use stone-ground varieties, and cook without milk or cheese.

The bottom line

Grits are a creamy Southern dish made from ground corn.

While they’re high in carbs and can increase blood sugar, you can eat them in moderation if you have diabetes.

Just be sure to pair this savory porridge with healthy, low-carb ingredients and choose less processed, stone-ground varieties when possible.