Excessive carbohydrate consumption, whether it's in the form of starchy vegetables, candy and breads or pasta, can raise your blood sugar to damaging levels and wreak havoc on your body. For individuals diagnosed with pre-diabetes or for those at high risk for developing type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes, reducing carbohydrate intake is essential to maintaining proper blood glucose and weight control as well as optimal health.
Significance
Counting carbohydrates is an important part of diabetes management. Limiting total carbohydrate intake not only reduces the frequency and intensity of high blood sugars or high blood glucose levels, but decreases the risk of diabetic complications including diseases of the eyes, nerves, kidneys and heart. Maintaining a reduced carbohydrate diet is necessary for controlling blood glucose levels and maintaining optimal health as a type 1 or type 2 diabetic.
Types
Before you can count carbohydrates, you must be able to identify one. Carbohydrates include all types of starch, sugar, sugar alcohol and fiber. Starches and fiber are complex carbohydrates that can be in the form of white and whole grains such as bread and rice, legumes like peas and beans and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn. Simple carbohydrates or sugars include table sugar, syrup, honey, jams and jellies, candy and baked goods, fruit as well as milk and yogurt. Meat and other proteins like eggs, butter, cheese and tofu as well as fats and oils contain zero carbohydrates.
Features
By understanding nutrition labels, you can more accurately assess your total carbohydrate intake at each meal. You should start by noting the serving size of your food product as this will help calculate its total carbohydrate. The total grams of carbohydrate contained in one serving of your food product is listed a few lines below serving size. This number already takes into account sugars, sugar alcohols, fiber and starches. To calculate your total carbohydrate intake for this food, multiple the grams of carbohydrate in one serving by the total number of servings you plan to consume. If a nutrition label is unavailable, use carbohydrate counters like CalorieKing to estimate the total carbohydrate content for your food or restaurant meal.
Size
When you don't pay attention to what you eat, it is easy to overindulge and consume far beyond the recommended intake for total calories, carbohydrate, protein and fat. Close attention to carbohydrate consumption is especially important for diabetics. The American Diabetes Association recommends that all diabetics, pre-diabetics and glucose intolerant individuals limit their total daily carbohydrate consumption to between 15 and 20 g for snacks and 45 and 60 g for meals. Limiting your total intake to no more than 240 g of carbohydrate is essential to maintaining healthy blood glucose levels and reducing the risk of diabetic complications.
Considerations
Small dietary changes can result in significant reductions in your carbohydrate intake. Replacing common table sugar with artificial sweeteners like Equal or Splenda eliminates all the carbohydrates you might otherwise consume in your morning coffee or as part of a recipe for baked goods. Similarly, limiting your consumption of honey, syrup, jams and jellies and candy to special occasions and substituting diet, low sugar or no sugar versions for regular juices, sodas and sugary drinks will instantly cut back on your carbohydrate consumption. Keep in mind, however, that the best way to reduce dietary carbohydrate is by consistently counting your carbohydrates and being mindful of what you eat.
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