If you're one of the 23.6 million diabetics who need to watch what they eat to manage their blood glucose levels, carbohydrate counting can be one essential method to maintaining your health. According to the American Diabetes Association, 8 percent of the American population has diabetes, with the total prevalence increasing 13.5 percent between 2005 and 2007. One of the most popular methods for managing your blood glucose level is by carbohydrate counting. To get started, you'll need a little equipment and some time, but after a few weeks, it will seem second nature to you.
Step 1
Measure all of the carbohydrates you eat during the day using either the information on the side of a the package label, from software or Internet resources or by using a food scale. Keep in mind that few of the foods you eat will be 100 percent carbohydrate, so may want to keep a small calculator handy to compute what percentage of each serving is carbohydrate. For instance, the label on the side of a cup of non-fat yogurt might indicate that one cup or an 8 ounce serving contains 18 grams of carbohydrates. Record that amount as part of your daily total.
Step 2
Calculate your own carbohydrates when you have no other resources available. For instance, if you'd like to include a piece of French bread with dinner, cut a slice from the load and weigh it on your food scale. Assuming that the bread weighs 80 grams, you'll need to look up the carbohydrate factor (or percentage of carbohydrates) French bread contains. In this case, it's .50 or 50 percent of the total weight of the bread. Multiply 80 grams by .50 and the bread contains 40 grams of carbohydrate.
Step 3
Check with your physician or registered dietitian for the number of carbohydrates you're allowed per meal and per day. A rough estimate for many diabetics is 50 to 60 grams per meal, but your unique health condition may dictate something else. Also, keep in mind the effects that exercise has on your caloric and carbohydrate intake. Those who are active can often afford to eat more carbs than someone who is sedentary. If you have any doubt about the number of carbs you're eating, check with your dietitian and check your blood glucose level frequently throughout the day.
Step 4
Keep some fast acting carbohydrates handy in case your blood glucose falls too low. While you're learning how to fine-tune the number of carbohydrates you need, you may experience episodes of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. For instance, if you're out on a long walk and begin to feel light headed, you may need to eat a 5 gram, fasting acting glucose tablet. As a general rule, one gram of carbohydrate will raise your blood glucose level 5 points for someone weighing 100 lbs. While you can use other forms of glucose, the commercially prepared, fast acting tablets work the best.
Tips and Warnings
- Take time to learn how much a single serving of a particular food weighs. Include snacks in your total carbohydrate count.
- Avoid over or underestimating your carbohydrates. Make adjustments slowly over time.
Things You'll Need
- Food labels
- Food weighing scales
- Books, software and the Internet
