| To print a copy, we recommend downloading the (PDF) print version. (Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, if you don't already have it.) |
Paying Attention to Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate foods are sugars and starches. Sugars and starches are in
milk, yogurt, and milk products;
grains and grain products (bread, rice, noodles, pasta, cereal);
vegetables, dried beans, dried peas;
fruits and fruit juice;
sugar, honey, corn syrup and molasses;
sweetened foods such as desserts.
People with diabetes need to pay attention to all foods that contain carbohydrates, not just high-sugar foods.
Carbohydrates give you energy to use, or to be stored to use later. Most carbohydrate foods have health-giving vitamins and minerals.
Insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells, for the body to use for energy. When you have diabetes, your body does not make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin your body makes. Without insulin to move sugar into your cells for energy, sugar stays in your blood. This is called “high blood sugar.”
Carbohydrate food: most is changed to sugar within 1 1/2 hours after eating.
Protein food: half is changed to sugar within 3-4 hours after eating.
Fatty food: a small amount is changed to sugar within several hours after eating.
As you can see, carbohydrate foods make your blood sugar level go up the fastest. To control your blood sugar, keep track of the number of carbohydrate choices in your meals and snacks. Use your meal pattern that your health care provider or dietitian gave you to plan meals that give you a variety of foods.
Keep your blood sugar in a healthy range.
To manage your disease,
| Example: One carbohydrate choice (15 grams of carbohydrate) equals
|
plan meals and snacks to include the number of carbohydrate choices in your meal pattern;
eat meals and snacks at about the same time each day.
What is a carbohydrate choice?
One carbohydrate choice is a serving of food that contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate. Your food plan tells you how many choices you have for each meal. You decide which carbohydrate foods you want to eat.
To count carbohydrates, you need to know the amount of food that makes a serving, and the amount of carbohydrate in the food. If you eat double the serving size, you need to count two carbohydrate choices.
1 small apple = 1 choice
(15 grams of carbohydrate)
1 large apple or 2 small apples
= 2 choices
(30 grams of carbohydrate)
Carbohydrate counting:
| Carbohydrate counting helps you keep track of how much carbohydrate you eat for meals and snacks. It’s best to eat small amounts of carbohydrates at different times during the day, rather than a lot at one time. This helps control your blood sugar levels.
The Basics of Diabetes, International Diabetes Association |
Eating too much food at one time can raise blood sugar levels too high. This can be dangerous. Carbohydrate counting helps you keep track of how much carbohydrate you eat for meals and snacks. Skipping meals can cause blood sugar to drop too low. This will make you feel weak, tired and hungry, and you may eat too much at your next meal.
Stay healthy by controlling your blood sugar.
You may have high blood sugar and still feel fine. Or, you may not feel so well. You may feel tired and have no energy. You may urinate often and feel thirsty.
If your blood sugar level stays high, so does your risk of heart attack and stroke. High blood sugar can damage kidneys, nerves, blood vessels, nerves and eyes.
Healthy meals include foods that contain a balance of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Carbohydrate affects blood sugar levels more than protein and fat. People with diabetes should carefully control the amount of carbohydrate they eat.
|
The Diabetes, Carbohydrates and You
fact sheet series was developed by the UMaine Cooperative Extension Diabetes Education Committee, including |
For more information, contact your county Extension office.
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.
Return to Publications Catalog Online Table of Contents
Return to Publications Homepage
Putting knowledge to work with the people of Maine
A
Member of the University of Maine System
Last Modified:
08/14/08
These pages are currently being maintained from the
Communications Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Send comments, suggestions or inquiries to www-questions@umext.maine.edu
COUNTY OFFICES | PROGRAMS | RESOURCES | PUBLICATIONS | WHAT'S NEWS | UMAINE EXTENSION HOME | UMAINE