One of the most confusing things as I've begun the process of trying to figure out diabetes, is just figuring out what I can and can't eat. I've bought several books. I've been researching things on diabetes.org. I've been googling and scouring the internet for information.
One thing I've learned about is glycemic index. A bunch of people way smarter than me have compiled a rating system for how fast sugar is absorbed in the blood stream. This is important because one of the primary goals when handling diabetes is to keep the amount of sugar (or glucose) in your blood relatively constant. You don't want it to spike too high after eating.
Here is a great resource that explains glycemic index as well as glycemic load. Glycemic load is all about how much you can eat of a given food. This is important because, for example, a piece of candy has a very high glycemic index, but if you just eat one piece, the load is not very high and therefore won't heavily affect your blood sugar. (That's good news! As a diabetic you can still eat candy, just watch how much you're eating.)
The information has been a bit overwhelming. I asked my doctor about a million questions, just about food. I have an amazing doctor that was very patient with all my questions. If you have questions, make sure to ask your doctor. You (or your insurance) are paying that individual a lot of money. Get your money's worth. The most valuable thing your doctor can give you is information. So be sure to get it.
Here are a few links with info:
What is glycemic index? (linked above as well)
What are some good low GI foods?
Look up the GI of any food.
GI and GL for 100 common foods
List of low GI foods
List of high GI foods
Feel free to ask me any questions. I will gladly answer what I know, but I am by no means a replacement for your doctor.
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