People with diabetes have to manage their food intake to keep their blood sugar (glucose) regulated. Carbohydrate counting calculates the grams of carbohydrates you consume, since carbohydrates have a large impact on glucose. Your doctor or health care team will be able to provide you with a limit to your daily carbohydrate intake.
Step 1
Know your carbohydrates. The three main types of carbohydrates are starches, sugars and fiber. Starches include vegetables such as potatoes, dried beans and grains. Sugar is naturally occurring in foods like milk or fruit, or it is added during processing such as in syrups. Fiber is in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes. The American Diabetes Association recommends a daily intake of 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day for good health.
Step 2
Create a meal plan by working with a nutritionist or referencing the diabetes food pyramid supplied by the American Diabetes Association. Have your custom-tailored meal plan looked over by a nutritionist or medical professional to ensure you have not missed anything in your diet if you decide to create your own meals. The food pyramid recommends six to 11 servings of grains and starches, three to five servings of vegetables, two to four servings of fruit, two to three servings of dairy and 4 to 6 ounces of meat every day. Fats, sweets and alcohol should be saved for special treats.
Step 3
Read food labels to determine how many carbohydrates are in each serving of packaged foods. Make adjustments to the total carbohydrates if you are not consuming the recommended serving size. Consult a reference for foods with no label.
Step 4
Consult the glycemic index (GI) list of foods as a general guide to determine how quickly and how much different sources of carbohydrates increase your blood sugar compared to pure glucose. Foods with a high GI tend to cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. Foods with a low glycemic index are digested more slowly, which causes the blood sugar changes to be lower. The GI does not rank foods by carbohydrate values, but by how the food has been processed.
Step 5
Choose good carbohydrates to supplement your diet. Whole grain products such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, whole oats and bulgur are excellent sources of good carbohydrates. If you try to opt for a low carb diet, chances are you will rebound your weight once you come off of the diet, so healthier carbohydrates are a better choice for long-term health maintenance.
Things You'll Need
- Diabetes food pyramid
- Glycemic index
