WEBMay 15, 2024 · Many people with diabetes count carbohydrates, or carbs, to make managing blood sugar easier. If you take mealtime insulin, you'll count carbs to match your insulin dose to the carbs in your foods and drinks.
WEBTracking your food intake and your blood sugar before and about 2-3 hours after your meals for a few days can provide useful information for you and your diabetes care team to see how different meals impact your blood glucose so you can determine the right amount of carbs for you.
WEBBy counting how many grams of carb you’ll be eating, you can more accurately dose mealtime insulin and keep your blood glucose stable. If you don’t use mealtime insulin, you might count carbs to track how your intake affects your glucose levels. Or you may choose to use a more basic form of carb tracking, such as the
WEBIn diabetes meal planning, 1 serving of a food with carbohydrate has about 15 grams of carbohydrate: • Check serving sizes with measuring cups and spoons or a food scale. • Read the Nutrition Facts on food labels to find out …
WEBTo meet your blood glucose targets, you will need to balance your carbohydrate intake with physical activity and diabetes medicines or insulin shots. Nutrition labels on food packages tell you the food’s serving size, the total grams of carbohydrate per serving, and other nutrition information.
WEBWhen you have diabetes, keeping your blood glucose in a healthy range can help you feel your best today and in the future. Carbohydrate counting — or “carb counting” — is a flexible meal-planning tool (not a diet) that can help you understand how your food choices afect your blood glucose level.
WEBCarbohydrates (carbs) are the sugars, starches and fibers found in food. Carbs raise your blood sugar. Counting carbs will help you plan your meals and adjust your insulin. Ask your Diabetes Educator what amount of carbs is best for you. What foods have carbs?
WEBLearn how to count carbohydrates in the following sections using: Food Nutrition Labels; Carbohydrate Exchange Lists; Weighing the food; What do I need to get started counting carbohydrates? To get you started counting carbohydrates, pick up these items: A calculator; Measuring cups; A food scale
WEBCount 1 cup raw vegetables or ½ cup cooked nonstarchy vegetables as zero carbohydrate servings or “free” foods. If you eat 3 or more servings at one meal, count them as 1 carbohydrate serving.
WEBCarbohydrate counting is a flexible way to plan your meals. It focuses on foods that contain carbohydrate as these raise your blood sugar the most. Follow these steps to count carbohydrates and help manage your blood sugar levels. Your registered dietitian will guide you along the way. STEP 1 Make healthy food choices