Carbohydrate counting
Posted on September 19, 2009
It is important to have a good understanding of carbohydrates in order to manage blood glucose levels well. The most difficult part is balancing carbohydrate intake with insulin. The secret is to know how much carbohydrate foods contain and then perform a blood test 2 hours after meals to check whether that quantity has been covered by the insulin administrated.
Getting Started
You will need to buy a good set of digital kitchen scales that show the weight of food in grams. Here is a link to some products that will do the job.
An introduction to carb counting by Yorkhill.
Some of the more expensive ones have functions on, so that when you weigh a food item you can key in a code and press a button and it will display the carbohydrate amount.
You will also need a resource book like the Collins Gem Calorie counter or and Carb Counter
WHAT ARE CARBOHYDRATES?
To know how much carbohydrate you eat, you need to be clear about which foods are primarily carbohydrate and which contain enough carbs that require counting.
Carbohydrate can be found in the following foods:-
Food rich in starches
- Bread
- Pasta, corn, millet, rice, cornflakes
- Potatoes
- Legumes
Milk & Milk derivatives
Milk sugar or lactose found in milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese.
The effect of milk and milk products on blood glucose levels is delayed because these products contain protein and fat.
Fruits
Fruits affect blood sugar levels because they contain fructose and sucrose. Fructose affects blood glucose levels slowly because the liver must first convert it into glucose. Some fruits contain more fructose and sucrose than others such as grapes and bananas and may have more of an effect on bloods glucose levels.
Sweets and sugary snacks
Other links about Carbohydrate counting
http://www.insulin-pumpers.org.uk/pdfs/recipe.pdf
Recommended Reading
To help you learn carbohydrate counting, the following books are useful:
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