Carbohydrate Counting

There are a few things you need to know before you start counting carbohydrates. You need to know how many grams of carbohydrates you can have for each meal. You identify the amount of carbohydrates in food by using reference sources such as food labels, books, the Internet, etc. All food labels include the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Your diabetic meal plan needs to be flexible and designed for your preferences. It also needs to achieve the desired goal, which is to stay within the designated amount of carbohydrates allowed for each meal. Whether you use the carbohydrate gram counting method or another method, it should, at minimum, list the calories, carbohydrate, protein and fat content of foods. Nearly 100% of the digestible starches and sugars eaten appear in the bloodstream as glucose (sugar) within a few hours after eating. All digestible starches and sugars are carbohydrates.

There are two types of carbohydrates:
           Simple and Complex

Simple carbohydrates like fruit, milk, syrups, honey, and all the "ose" foods, regular sodas, and sweets are in the bloodstream within fifteen minutes. Simple carbohydrates are used as quick energy sources.
Complex carbohydrates are usually associated with fiber and other nutrients, which provide a slower reaction or increase in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates usually peak after about sixty to ninety minutes and are in foods like bananas, tomatoes, squash, carrots, and dried beans. Learn to distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrates.
Protein and fat still matter in the diet, but their absorption rate is much slower; they do not raise blood sugar as quickly as carbohydrates do. Protein and fat can take hours to digest, but eaten with a meal, they may slow down the quick action of carbohydrates. When checking food labels, look for foods lower in carbohydrate content.
A healthy meal plan should be 55% to 65% carbohydrates daily, mostly complex carbohydrates. Your daily amount of carbohydrates is based on the number of calories you consume each day; this number becomes the basis for carbohydrate counting.
The amount of calories an individual needs each day will vary with the individual. If you lead a very sedentary lifestyle, you cannot consume the same amount of calories that a person who is very active can. Consult with your doctor or diabetic educator for the accurate amount of calories you will need daily to maintain or lose weight. Once you know how many calories a day is recommended, you can figure out the carbohydrates needed.
How you figure what you will need for a 1,800 calorie meal plan with 60% carbohydrates? Multiply 1,800 calories (or your amount of calories) by .60 (the percent of carbohydrates I am using) and .25 grams (because there are four calories in each gram of carbohydrates). This will yield 270 grams of carbohydrates daily (1,800x.60x.25=270g). Keep the calorie values below because you will need them.

Calorie Values Per Gram
Fats, Oils - 9 Calories per gram
Protein = 4 Calories Per Gram
Carbohydrates = 4 Calories Peer Gram

Next month I will show you different ways to divide your carbohydrates among the meals and/or snacks you need each day
and how to put a meal together counting carbohydrates.