Your body converts carbohydrates into glucose for use as energy. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made from refined white flour, are quickly converted into glucose and will cause a dramatic increase in glucose levels. Complex carbohydrates, found in vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, are converted into glucose more slowly. Limiting your total carbohydrate intake and choosing complex nutrient-dense carbohydrates will help prevent high blood sugar for type 1 diabetics.
Step 1
Calculate how many calories you should eat daily. To maintain your current body weight, people with type 1 diabetes should eat 16 calories for every pound of body weight. A woman who weighs 125 lbs. would eat 2,000 calories to maintain her current weight. To lose weight, eat 10 percent fewer calories.
Step 2
Determine how many grams of carbohydrates you need, based on your total caloric intake. If you eat 2,000 calories in a day, about half of those calories, or 1,000 calories, should come from carbohydrates. Each gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories, so 1,000 calories is equivalent to 250 g carbohydrates.
Step 3
Divide your carbohydrate intake evenly throughout the day. Avoid a surge in glucose by eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates at each meal and snack. Only carbohydrates will affect your blood sugar levels -- protein and fat will not raise your glucose level.
Tips and Warnings
- Limit your intake of salt, saturated fat and trans fat to lower your risks of health problems associated with diabetes.
- Avoid eating too much protein, which may strain your kidneys.
