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 yogurt.
- Starchy foods (such as breads, cereals, dry beans, 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 eat 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 and that contain no calories. You also may eat foods that contain sugar alcohols, a type of sweetener sometimes used in foods labeled "sugar-free," such as candies, cookies, and soft drinks. Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate that does not affect blood sugar very much. They do contain some calories, but less than sugar. Eating more than 20 grams (g) a day of mannitol or 50 g a day of sorbitol may cause diarrhea.
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 grams?
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| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: February 10, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator | |
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