|  | Conditions Treatments | Diabetes

Carbohydrate-Controlled Diets for the Diabetic

Diabetes is characterized by the body's inability to properly control glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. If left uncontrolled, high blood glucose can lead to a number of serious complications throughout the body, including damage to the eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves and cardiovascular system. Diet is an extremely important factor in controlling high blood glucose, especially when it comes to carbohydrates, which provide most of the body's glucose supply.

  1. Understanding Carbohydrates and Blood Glucose

    • According to the American Diabetes Association, carbohydrates (carbs) come in three main forms: starches, sugars and fiber. Starches include grains such as wheat, barley, oats and rice; pasta; vegetables such as potatoes, peas and corn; and dried peas, lentils and beans. Sugars include those that occur naturally in fruits and milk, as well as processed forms of sugar such as brown sugar, table sugar, molasses and corn syrup. Foods containing substantial amounts of fiber include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and legumes.

      When you eat a high-carbohydrate food, you typically increase your blood glucose. The exact rise in glucose---as well as the speed of that rise---depends upon the type of carbohydrate you consume, as well as your body's particular sensitivity to carbohydrates.

    Carbohydrates and Calories

    • Controlling carbohydrates should be part of your overall dietary approach to diabetes. According to the peer-reviewed EndocrineWeb, if you have Type 1 diabetes, your basic diet should allow you 16 calories per pound of your body weight. If you have Type 2 diabetes, you will typically need 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day, with variations allowed for your gender, current weight, overall activity level and body type.

      Generally speaking, your overall carbohydrate intake should be between 40 percent and 60 percent of your daily calories. As a rule, the fewer carbohydrates you eat, the lower your daily blood glucose. However, if you compensate for your lowered carbohydrate intake with higher amounts of fat or other unhealthy dietary options, you can offset any potential health gains.

    Counting Carbs

    • Begin controlling your carbohydrate intake by counting the carbs in the foods you eat. Ask your doctor or a certified nutritionist to provide you with information on the carbohydrate content of common unprocessed foods. Packaged foods typically list their carbohydrate content on their labels, but you can also ask your nutritionist if you can't find this information. To safeguard yourself in restaurants and other dining environments, find a reliable portable guide to all foods and their carbohydrate content.

      You can count your carb intake either in grams or as part of a system that measures food in units of exchange. In this sort of system, one exchange is roughly 15g of carbohydrates. If your carbs come in the form of fiber, you can subtract roughly one-half of their weight from your carbohydrate totals. Consult your doctor or nutritionist to learn more about the details of a carbohydrate-exchange program.

Diabetes - Related Articles