Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot make enough insulin or cannot properly utilize insulin, a hormone that is responsible for allowing glucose in the blood stream to enter the body's cells and be used for energy. When glucose builds up in the blood, it can lead to many complications and poor health outcomes. Counting carbohydrates in the food you eat is a meal planning method that can help you control your blood glucose levels and maintain optimal health.
Identify Food Components
Foods are composed of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose that will enter the bloodstream, causing increased blood sugar levels. Carbohydrate-containing foods include: Sweets, desserts, and soda, breads and grains, fruit and fruit juice, milk and yogurt, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, peas and beans.
Portion Sizes
One serving of a carbohydrate food contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate. In most cases, one serving is about ½ cup, or ½ the size of your fist. Milk and yogurt are an exception, with a serving size of 1 cup. If the food comes from a package, read the nutrition facts label and look for the total carbohydrate grams per serving. Measure or estimate the foods you eat to figure out how many servings you are eating per meal or snack. It is important to eat meals and snacks at planned, regular times and to try to eat about the same amount of food at each meal.
Find the Amount that Works for You
Many people can manage blood sugar levels by eating 3 or 4 carbohydrate servings per meal, but you will need to adjust based on your blood sugar readings. For example, if your blood sugar is usually high after lunch, you may need to eat fewer carbohydrate servings at that meal. Writing down what you eat for 3 to 7 days along with blood sugar readings can help you identify these patterns. Share the results with your doctor and dietitian. Your health care team will help you find the optimal balance of food and medication to control your diabetes.
Remember Overall Health
Fruit and cookies both contain carbohydrates, but they are not equal nutritionally. Focus on getting most of your carbohydrate servings from healthful foods that contribute vitamins, minerals and fiber to your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Don't forget that just because a food does not contain carbohydrates does not mean you should eat unlimited amounts. Diabetes can lead to other serious conditions such as heart disease, so be mindful of total calories consumed as well as the amount of fat in the foods you eat.
