Carbohydrate counting is one of the basic methods for diabetes meal planning. It is used to plan, control and estimate the amount of carbohydrate being eaten. Since carbohydrates are the major source of glucose in the body, it is helpful to know how to use carbohydrate counting to estimate insulin needs and to control blood glucose levels.
Background
Carbohydrates include foods such as fruit, vegetables and milk, as well as starches such as bread, pasta, potatoes, crackers and rice. These foods are broken down into glucose in the body. Knowing how many carbohydrates you need and how many you plan to eat are part of the overall plan for keeping blood glucose levels under control. Each person with diabetes needs a personal meal plan that includes the right amount of carbohydrates for their age, weight and activity level. The American Diabetes Association recommends starting at approximately 45 to 60 g carbohydrate per meal.
Method
To start, you need to have an idea of how many carbohydrates are appropriate for your meal plan. It's necessary to know how many carbohydrate choices, or servings, to include with each meal or snack. One carbohydrate choice is equal to 15 g. For example, a food that contains 45 g of carbohydrate would equal three carbohydrate choices. If your meal plan includes four carbohydrate choices per meal, you would want to eat 60 g of carbohydrate.
Making the Determination
There are many books available that list the amount of carbohydrate in different foods. The nutrition facts label on food packages list the total carbohydrate content for one serving of that food. First check the serving size amount at the top of the label, then check the total carbohydrate listing.
Learning More
It's important to consult your health care team to design the right meal plan for you. A registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator is a health care provider who can help you make a personalized meal plan and to learn more about carbohydrate counting. It's important that you discuss any changes in your diabetes treatment plan with your doctor.
