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Diabetic Living- Solving The Carb PuzzleBetter Homes & Gardens-Special Interest Publication: Spring 2010This quick guide to carbohydrates will help you piece together a healthy eating plan.Special Report By Hope S. Warshaw, R.D., CDE- (Original article reprinted in full, since so many people could not locate this article online and May issue is already on the stands)
Yet experts say that food with carbohydrates are essentially for good diabetes nutrition. Come along as we unscramble the crab puzzle. (Diabetic Living Magazine Image)
What's carb counting? Carb counting is a method of diabetes meal planning. It doesn't prescribe a certain amount of carbohydrates but is a way to include healthy foods, plan meals that contain sufficient carbohydrate to fuel the body, and fit a wide variety of foods, you enjoy while you control blood glucose levels. The carbohydrate in foods is the nutrition with the most impact on blood glucose, especially after you eat. A key ingredient in achieving blood glucose control is having adequate insulin. The balance between the carbohydrate and the achievable insulin-made by the body or that you take as medication-most impacts blood glucose levels and diabetes control. Carb counting gained support in the United States when it was used successfully in the Diabetes Control and Complications trial in the 1980's says Karen Bolderman, R.D., CDE, PWD type 1, coauthor of Practical Carbohydrate Counting: A How-To Teach Guide for Health Professionals, second edition (American Diabetes Association, 2008)
Basic carb counting Most people with type 2 diabetes who don't take insulin can use what dieticians call basic "carb counting". Bolderman says, "You learn the foods that contain carbohydrate and how much carb to each each day."
How much carb to eat
The
following starting points for daily carb grams or choices
and
Advanced counting "Advanced carb counting helps people who take insulin several times a day (with multiple daily injections or a pump) learn to adjust adjust their pre-meal rapid-acting insulin dose based on their blood glucose level and amount of carb they're going to eat," Bolderman says What foods have carbohydrates? Think of foods as packages of various nutrients. "No one food has all the nutrients your body needs, which is why eating a variety of foods helps you meet your nutrition needs." Burani says. The three main nutrients are: carbohydrates, fat and protein. Most of the calories in the foods shown below are from carbohydrate. Some of these foods contain good or healthy carbs, and other less-healthful carbs. What makes a healthful carb? Article under construction and will soon be completed in full |
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Along
with the diagnosis of diabetes comes a new vocabulary.
"Carbohydrate" is one of the most frequently used-and
misunderstood-terms. "Confusion about carbohydrates
still reigns", says Johanna Burani R.D. CDE, author of
Good Carbs, Bad Crabs- Lose Weight and Enjoy Optimum
Health by Eating the Right Carbs. (De Capo Press, 2004).
"People I counsel are surprised to learn milk, yogurt, and
fruits contain carbohydrate and are convinced that pasta,
bread, and ice cream "turn to sugar" and shouldn't ever
pass their lips again.