How to count carbohydrate grams in your diet if you are on insulin
Counting and balancing your carbohydrate (or carbs) intake is very important for a diabetic person. The best doctors in Green Park say that counting carbohydrates can help in maintaining blood sugar levels in the optimum range. Clinics in Green Park often ask their patients to count their carbs.
Why should you count carbs?
- It allows you to keep your blood sugar level in check.
- It helps you to adjust the amount of insulin he or she takes since it is based on the gram weight of the carbohydrates you consume.
- The ratio of insulin to carbohydrate for every person is universal.
How should you count the carbohydrates in every meal?
Internal Medicine Specialist - You should know the type of carbohydrates present in the food you eat. This includes even the smallest snacks you eat (example: a slice of bread or a spoon of sauce). Most packaged food has labels or tags indicating the value of carbohydrates, proteins and so on. Even carbohydrate guides are used by many people.
In the food that is not packaged, you must know the standard portions of carbohydrates which 15 grams in each serving is usually.
Example: If your doctor has suggested you take 1 unit for every 10 grams of carbohydrates, and you calculate a consumption of 50 grams of carbohydrates, you must take 5 units of insulin. Using such calculations, you can keep the ratio of your insulin to carbohydrate in check.
Things to keep in mind:
- You must ensure you count every portion you consume. The packets usually give you the value of carbohydrates in grams per serving, but you might end up having more than one portion. In such cases, you need to consider the weight of every portion.
- Eat more proteins and fat as they do not raise the blood sugar levels much.
- Exercise reduces the amount of insulin one may require.