Monitoring Your Carbohydrates with Diabetes

When maintaining a healthy diet, it is important to remember that balance is key with all foods. This is also true when managing your diabetes.

Gina Salvatori, a registered dietitian with CHC Solutions, Inc., stated, “Carbohydrates will greatly impact your blood sugars.”

The digestive system breaks carbohydrates down into sugar. When this sugar enters the blood, the pancreases releases insulin which allows cells to absorb the sugars. This causes blood sugar levels to lower. Those with diabetes have a problem with this process. They are either unable to produce insulin, cannot produce enough or their cells cannot absorb the sugar. This causes the sugar to build up in the blood leading to high blood sugar.

Types of Carbohydrates

There are 3 types of carbohydrates:

  • Starches, also known as complex carbs, come from things such as starchy vegetables, dried beans and grains.
  • Sugar can be naturally occurring in foods as with lactose in milk or fructose in fruit. Added sugar, like you would find in a cookie, is also a carb.
  • Fiber comes from plant foods. It is beneficial in many ways including aiding in digestion, helping to decrease/stabilize blood sugar and decreasing risk of heart disease.

“It is necessary to know how to identify these carbs so you can moderate your intake. They are your body’s main source of energy, so be sure to not eliminate them from your diet,” said Salvatori.

Resources

Recommendations on the amount of carbohydrates you should have in your daily diet varies from person to person. You should consult a registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator to help you determine the right amount when it comes to managing your diabetes.

Want to learn more? Visit https://www.insider.com/how-many-carbs-per-day-for-a-diabetic or go to https://www.eatright.org/health/diseases-and-conditions/diabetes/eating-right-with-diabetes which provides more information and tips on how to balance your diet.

*Disclaimer: Any health and wellness content presented is for general informational purposes only. Such content is not intended to replace or serve as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.