Individuals with diabetes need to be extremely conscientious of their carbohydrate intake because too many carbohydrates can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association suggests that the best way to keep blood sugar controlled is to count the grams of carbohydrates being consumed at a meal or snack.
What Are Carbohydrates?
According to Harvard University, carbohydrates are made up of three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Together, these elements form a molecule of sugar. Some foods may contain carbohydrates composed of only one or two molecules of sugar, and these carbohydrates are often called simple sugars. Other foods contain carbohydrates composed of three or more molecules of sugars, and these carbohydrates are commonly known as complex carbohydrates.
What Foods Contain Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrate-containing foods can be sorted into four major categories: starches, fruits, milk and yogurt and other carbohydrates. The starch group includes foods such as bread, pasta, potatoes and corn. The fruit group includes fresh fruit, canned fruit, dried fruit and fruit juice. The milk and yogurt group basically contains those two items. Diabetics should note that cheese is not included in this group because it is actually low in carbohydrates. The final group, other carbohydrates, includes any other food containing carbohydrates, such as desserts, jams and jellies and honey.
How Many Carbohydrates Are In Different Foods?
According to the American Dietetic Association, one diabetic serving, or diabetic exchange, of any carbohydrate-containing food is equal to approximately 15 g of carbohydrate. A diabetic exchange varies depending on the food. For example, a diabetic serving size of rice is 1/3 cup while a diabetic serving size of milk is 8 oz. Three graham cracker squares, a medium apple, and a cup of light yogurt also contain about 15 g of carbohydrate.
Are There Other Ways to Count Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates can also be counted by reading the nutrition label. As suggested by Diabetes America, Inc., diabetics should examine three sections of the nutrition label: serving size, total carbohydrates and fiber. The serving size is important because all of the nutrition information on the label pertains to that specific serving size, and sometimes serving sizes are a lot smaller than expected. The total carbohydrates gives the total grams of carbohydrates in a serving of that food, and this is the value one should use when counting carbohydrates. Fiber, which is listed below total carbohydrates, is also important to note because fiber tends to keep the blood sugar from getting too high after a meal.
What About Counting Carbohydrates When Eating Out?
Diabetics who find themselves dining out several times a week may want to invest in a carbohydrate counting guide. These helpful guides can be purchased at most major bookstores for about $10 (as of 2010). They include most foods found in popular restaurant chains and list how many carbohydrates are in the various entrees, appetizers and desserts.
