Foods with carbohydrates cause blood sugars to elevate, says the American Diabetes Association. A carb-controlled diet can help manage blood sugar elevations for people with diabetes. People with diabetes who monitor the amount of carbohydrate they consume, and set a limit to that amount, will have an easier time keeping their blood sugar within goal range.
Features
The carb-controlled diet features equal amounts of carbohydrate at each meal, explains Greenwich Hospital. So, each breakfast, lunch and dinner will have the same amount of carbohydrate. The amount of carbohydrate is measured in grams. The carb-controlled diet is a balanced diet with foods from all of the major food groups.
Guidelines
Greenwich Hospital suggests people on a carb-controlled diet eat their meals at the same time every day and never skip meals. It also recommends avoiding foods high in sugar, including soda, cookies, candy and fruit juices. These foods are concentrated sources of sugar, and offer little nutritional value. People on a carb-controlled diet need to control portion intake, even eating too much of a food considered healthy can raise blood sugar levels. Sugar-free does not mean carbohydrate-free, Greenwich Hospital explains. People following a carb-controlled diet should read labels of sugar-free foods, noting the total carbohydrate content.
Carbohydrate Foods
Starches, fruits and milk are sources of carbohydrate in the diet. A serving of these foods contains about 15g of carbohydrate, explains the American Diabetes Association. Serving sizes include one slice of bread, 1/3 cup of rice or pasta, four to six crackers, a 3 oz. baked potato, 1/2 cup of canned or frozen fruit, 1/2 cup of beans or starchy vegetable, and 1 cup of milk or yogurt.
The American Diabetes Association says food labels can be used to determine the carbohydrate content of packaged foods. People reading labels need to pay close attention to the serving size and the total carbohydrate.
How Many Carbs?
People following a carb-controlled diet can start with 45 to 60 g of carbohydrate per meal, notes the American Diabetes Association. The amount depends on how well the diabetes is managed. The Greenwich Hospital suggests consulting with a dietitian to assist with calculating individual carbohydrate needs.
Benefits
A carb-controlled diet allows diabetics more flexibility with food choices, says the Joslin Diabetes Center. People with diabetes can use food labels to fit in combination and frozen foods into their meal plan, these foods were more difficult to manage on the traditional exchange diet. A carb-controlled diet also allows for tighter blood sugar control. The more precise people are with the amount of carbohydrate they eat with each meal, the better they are able to control post-meal blood sugars levels.
