I've only had good experiences with RDs.
It does depend on where you live tho. Here in California Registered Dietitians are well regulated and highly educated. But I know in some other states and countries that is not the case. Also be careful of "Nutritionists". Many people use the word interchangeably but again here in California a RD is liscenced but anybody can call themselves a Nutritionists.
That being said, it I my understanding of carbs is that what is very important is the amount of fiber associated with the food. Forgive me if you already know this but Carbs are not Evil. Not even sugar is evil. As long as there is fiber associated with the carbs, the digestion of those carbs are slowed down.
What I was taught is that you want at least a 10:1 ratio of carb to fiber.
An apple has 25 g of carbs but it also has 4 g of fiber. Even tho most of those g of carbs are just plain old sugar, the associated fiber still slows down the digestion of the sugar. As a comparison a slice of white bread has just 15 g of carbs. but less than a gram of fiber.
In many ways a plant based diet is a good diet for a diabetic. Sure it has a lot of carbs. But it also has a lot of fiber. Again, forgive me if you already know this but milk, eggs, and meat contain No fiber.
Another good tip for diabetics is to combine a high fiber food with a low fiber food. For instance if you miss white rice try eating it with black beans. Although black beans have a lot of carbs - they also have a lot of fiber. People who ate black beans over rice actually have their blood sugar levels go down
When buying processed food look for Whole Grains. but be careful. Many products that claim to be whole grains are not. Even the ingredients list can be misleading. A product can list whole grains as the first ingredient and only be 51% whole grains. The rest can be something worse.
Looking at the nutrition label and checking out the carb:fiber ratio is a good bet.
Also here in the US we have the Whole Grain Stamp. It takes a lot of the math out of figuring out if a food is healthy.
Diabetics also need to be concerned with timing. Even if the food is exceeding healthy you should not eat too much all at once. I think there is a 15/15 rule for diabetics. No more than 15 g of carbs every 15 minutes. So if you are going to have that apple - split it in half or even quarters and consume it over a half hour or hour.
The last thing I think is important to mention is that there is a lot evidence that diabetics should be concerned with the amount of fat they consume. I think its very important to keep the percentage of fat in your diet down.
FYI
“Whole grain” has become a healthy eating buzzphrase, and food companies aren’t shy about using it to entice us to buy products. Browse the bread, cereal, or chip aisle of your fa...
www.health.harvard.edu
The number of carbs per day for people with diabetes varies depending on age, weight, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors.
www.medicalnewstoday.com
Find out what nutrients are in black beans and learn how they can help everything from eye health to weight control.
www.webmd.com
An Aid for Busy Shoppers The Whole Grain Stamp features a stylized sheaf of grain on a golden-yellow background with a bold black border. Its eye-catching design makes the Whole Grain Stamp easy to spot on food packages. Busy shoppers welcome this easy shortcut for finding products offering at...
wholegrainscouncil.org
Low blood sugar can be dangerous. Here’s how to treat your low.
www.cdc.gov
Saturated fat can be toxic to the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, explaining why animal fat consumption can impair insulin secretion, not just insulin sensitivity.
nutritionfacts.org
