What's Inside
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing that your medical team will usually want to discuss with you is your diet, and more specifically, the number of carbs you consume daily.
This is because the breakdown of carbs in your digestive system increases your blood sugar level, which is why carbohydrates play an essential part in controlling diabetes.
In addition, by this point, you are undoubtedly aware that maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is directly connected to successfully managing your diabetes.
Is It Important To Count Carbs?
Studies have indicated that consuming carbohydrates at various levels may aid blood sugar management, and the amount of carbohydrates that is best for an individual to consume differs from person to person.
It is essential to consume the number of carbohydrates that allows you to feel your best and that you can reasonably expect to keep up with over the long run.
An intake of fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates daily tends to have the most significant outcomes, and it may minimize or even eliminate the requirement for insulin or diabetic medication.
Results appear to be more dramatic when the intake of carbohydrates is tightly reduced. A diet consisting of 2,000–2,200 calories per day accounts for 9–10 percent of the daily calories.
When keeping track of your carb intake, some experts recommend concentrating on the number of net carbs you consume rather than the total number of carbs you consume.
Carbohydrates considered “net” are calculated by subtracting the amount of fiber from the overall amount of carbohydrates.
Diets that let people with diabetes consume carbohydrates comprising up to 26 percent of their total daily calorie intake are beneficial to diabetics as well.
This is equivalent to 130–143 grams of carbohydrates for those whose daily caloric intake ranges from 2,000 to 2,200 calories.
How much of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates?
There is not a single diabetic diet that is appropriate for everyone who has the condition. It is essential to see your primary care physician and a nutritionist to determine the proportion of carbohydrates, fat, and protein that should make up each day’s diet.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, between 45 and 65 percent of an individual’s total daily calorie intake should come from carbs. However, several research points to the possibility that consuming fewer calories could be advantageous for people with diabetes for two different reasons.
To begin, your blood sugar levels will decrease proportionately to the number of carbohydrates you consume
The proper way to count carbs
If you have never been required to count carbohydrates before, you may be at a loss regarding how to get started following a diabetes-friendly diet.
However, keeping track of carbohydrates is essential if following a diabetes-friendly diet.
Because one gram of carbs contains four calories, you need to convert the calories in carbohydrates into grams to determine how many grams of carbohydrates you should consume daily. To begin, schedule a consultation with a dietitian to determine the optimal number of calories for your daily diet.
For instance, if you need 2,000 calories per day and want to get 30 percent of those from carbohydrates, you would need to consume the following proportion of the 2,000 total calories:
0.3 x 2,000 = 600 calories
After that, divide that number by four because one gram of carbohydrates has four calories:
600 / 4 = 150 grammes
It would be best if you strived to consume no more than 150 grams of carbohydrates daily. Make sure to spread them out evenly throughout the day by including them in various meals and snacks.
Combining carbs with protein and fat is essential to slow digestion, prevent a rise in blood sugar levels, and maintain a sensation of fullness for a more extended period.
Work with your primary care physician to determine the best way to balance the number of carbohydrates you consume with your medications, the insulin you take, and the exercise regimen you follow. All of these factors will affect how and when you consume carbohydrates.
SUMMARY
There is no universally accepted suggestion for the number of carbohydrates diabetics should consume in their diets.
On the other hand, limiting carbohydrate consumption to no more than 26 percent of your total daily calorie intake may assist you in better managing your condition.
