Counting Carbohydrates

counting carbohydrates in your daily food intake will indeed help you to maintain a control over your blood glucose level. Carbohydrates ,compared to other nutrients ,have a much higher potential to raise your blood glucose level as the body breaks down the carbohydrates in the food into glucose to be used for energy. Healthy foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk are also carbohydrates that provide energy, minerals, vitamins and fiber. If an excess amount of carbohydrates are administered to the body, your blood sugar level can reach harmful levels. In order to keep track of the carbs you consume, the best way is carbohydrate counting.

A quick check of your blood sugar levels prior to and after meals will keep you updated whether you are consuming more carbohydrates than your insulin can cope up with. It is easy to learn the basics of counting carbohydrates in a short time by first knowing which foods have carbs and how much they contain. You don’t need to know about carbohydrates in all the foods and only knowledge about foods you consume frequently would be enough. It is absolutely essential that you start counting carbohydrates in the foods that you consume most frequently and determining the amount of carbs in your usual portions. You will have to make adjustments in your carb count if you eat multiple servings of a particular food. Making a plan about the foods you intend to eat and choosing the foods that contain carbohydrates would help you to determine the amount of each carbs you will be consuming. Once you familiarize yourself with counting carbohydrates, check your blood sugar levels before and after meals which will give you an estimate if the foods you eat match with the amount of insulin your body makes.

Most probably, starting the counting carbohydrate method would be the hardest part. Once you know the amount of carbohydrates in a single serving of your food, it won’t be so overwhelming. Those who use counting carbohydrates still have to follow a healthy meal plan.

It is vital that you pay attention to other types of food you consume, apart from counting carbohydrates for diabetes. Adults usually eat 6 ounces of meat so it might be advisable to limit the saturated fats that are eaten like bacon, cream, butter and high fat meats.Weight gain and other problems such as heart disease can be cause if too many servings of meats and fats are eaten.Counting carbohydrates gives you more flexibility in the choice of foods you eat and will help you maintain your blood glucose levels within the target range.

Filed under: Diabetes Testing Supplies

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