Carbohydrate counting for people with diabetes who do not use insulin
What is carbohydrate counting?
Carbohydrate counting is the recommended method of meal planning for people who have diabetes. Carbohydrate counting involves adding up the amount of carbohydrate in your food. Spreading carbohydrate throughout the day helps prevent high blood sugar after eating, because carbohydrate affects your blood sugar more than other nutrients. All forms of carbohydrate increase your blood sugar. Foods that contain carbohydrate include:
- Fruits and vegetables.
- Milk and yogourt.
- Starchy foods (such as breads, cereals, and vegetables such as potatoes and corn).
- Sugary foods (such as candy and cakes).
Foods that contain sugar usually have more total carbohydrate in a serving than foods that contain starch. Contrary to what you may have heard, you can include foods that contain sugar in your diet when you have diabetes. However, if foods that are high in sugar make up a large part of your diet, you are probably not eating enough of other, more nutritious foods.
You can use artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda or NutraSweet) that do not contain sugar. You also may eat foods that contain sugar alcohols, a type of sweetener sometimes used in foods labelled "sugar-free," such as candies, cookies, and soft drinks. Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate.
Test Your Knowledge
Carbohydrate counting helps you know how much carbohydrate you are eating during a meal.
Which of these foods contain carbohydrate?
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Why do I need to count carbohydrate?
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| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: February 22, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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