So What Does All This Mean
If you are living with a high degree of insulin resistance, then high levels of carbohydrate-rich foods will spike your blood glucose levels. This is vastly more prominent if you eat refined carbohydrate-rich foods.
However, in the long term, the best path to improving your diabetes health is to become insulin sensitive by reducing the amount of dietary fat in your diet.
Reducing your fat intake will make your liver and muscles more insulin sensitive, which will then increase the action of insulin in both tissues. When this happens, the amount of insulin your pancreas produces will drop.
So how do you balance these two considerations to control your blood glucose at all times?
The most effective strategy is to gradually shift towards natural, whole carbohydrate-rich food over time, slowly removing high-fat foods and refined carbohydrates from your diet, along with other strategies like daily movement and intermittent fasting.
How Many Carbs Can I Eat Per Day
As we said, it varies by person, but the average person with diabetes gets 40 to 45 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. Some very low-carbohydrate diet plans may contain half this amount per day.
Starting slowly and steadily lowering your carb intake will help you avoid feeling fatigued or overwhelmed by the lifestyle change.
Adding Fat And Protein
Making plates that contain carbs, protein, and healthy fats can help you keep your glucose levels in better balance than by eating simple or refined carbs alone.
Proteins to include as part of your healthy diet:
- Meat, such as poultry, fish, and lean red meats
- Eggs
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How Much Is Enough
The American Diabetes Association recommends getting about 45% of your total calories from carbs. You should spread out your carb consumption throughout the day. Typically, that works out to about 45 to 60 grams of carbs per meal and 10 to 25 grams per snack, eaten twice a day between meals. But ask your healthcare provider for guidance on more specific goals for you.
Achieving those goals doesnt happen by accident. Youll need to plan your meals more carefully than someone without diabetes. Fortunately, there are several methods of meal planning to make the process easier. Your healthcare provider can help you choose the best method for you, based on your preferences and needs.
Carbohydrate Guidelines For Type 2 Diabetes
Carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy diet. But carbs also raise your blood sugar. When you have , its important to aim for a balanced carb intake. It can seem confusing and a little overwhelming at first, but dont be discouraged. Your doctor, diabetes educator, or can help you find a meal plan that works for you.
Foods that contain carbohydrates include:
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Grains, such as breads, cereals, pasta, and rice
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Fruits and fruit juices
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Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and
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Dried beans and peas
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Dairy foods, such as milk and yogurt
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Sweets, such as cookies, pastries, cakes and candy
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Snack foods, such as potato chips
To find the carb content of a food, check the amount of total carbohydrate on the food label. Be sure to look at the serving amount as well. If youre eating twice as much as the listed serving, youll need to double the total carbs. If a food doesnt have a label, there are many apps and books available to help you track carbs. One great free tool is MyFoodAdvisor from the American Diabetes Association. At first, you may need to look up almost everything. But with time, youll start to learn how many carbs are in your favorite foods and dishes.
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How Do You Know How Many Carbs Are In What Youre Eating
Be mindfuland check your portion sizes. Knowing how many carbs youâre eating can be tricky because it depends on serving size and how many servings you eat, says Toby Smithson, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
âNowadays we can get into the habit of eating our meals really fast and eating more than we think without even realizing it. Weâre used to seeing larger portions in restaurants and packaging, and what we think is one serving may actually be two or three.â
Reading labels helps, but itâs best to experiment in your own kitchen, Smithson says. âPour a serving into a measuring cup, and then pour it onto your plate or into your bowl to see how it looks. This will help you prepare for going out to restaurants or to your friendsâ or relativesâ houses.â
Another strategy is to pour what you normally eat into your bowl first, then scoop it out with a measuring cup, Sherr says. âOne personâs bowl of cereal is different from anotherâs. One person might be used to eating one serving of cereal for breakfast while another is used to eating two.â
Keep in mind that foods like fresh fruit can vary greatly by size, Smithson says. âAn apple can be anywhere from 15 to 30 or even 45 grams of carbs depending on how big it is.â
Personalize Your Carb Intake For Diabetes
If youd like to learn more about how you can reverse diabetes, lower high blood sugar, and get the health benefits of simply eating a more healthy diet, you can reach out to our coaches through our coaching program.
Our diabetes educators are experts with years of experience and the latest research and can work with you, your healthcare professional, and your registered dietitian to develop a healthy diet that works for you.
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Why Diabetics Should Eat Fruit
+ References
Mastering Diabetes has strict guidelines for scientific references in our articles. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, governmental organizations, and reputable medical organizations. We do our best to avoid using non evidence-based references in all articles. The references in this article are listed below.
5. Lifestyle Management: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes2019 | Diabetes Care. .
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How Many Carbs Per Meal
Some people with diabetes will find they can tolerate a moderate amount of carbs every day, while others need to keep within a tighter range in order to maintain their optimal blood sugar levels.
In general, weve found that the sweet spot is usually around 50-80g of net carbs per day, with 100g per day as the maximum. In terms of total carbs, this would probably be around 70-130 grams per day.
Of course, some people eat a ketogenic diet, which is under 50 grams, but weve found it isnt necessary to take your carbs that low, and you can still achieve the same results with more variety in your eating plan.
If you want to figure out how many carbohydrates you can consume per meal, simply take your daily carb goal in grams and divide it by the number of meals you eat in a day.
For this example, we will aim for a goal of 70g of carbs per day and assume that 3 meals and 2 snacks will be eaten throughout the day.
A total of 70g of carbs per day divided over three meals and two small snacks could look like this:
- Breakfast: 20g carbs
- Afternoon Snack: 5g carbs
- Dinner: 20g carbs
This is just an example. Of course every day and every meal may vary but you can use the model to tailor your menu to meet your personal needs and goals, but generally your carbs should be divided up throughout the day.
If you save all of your carbs until nighttime, for example, and then binge on a huge bowl of pasta, its a guarantee that youll have high blood sugar levels afterwards.
How Many Carbs Are Right For You
To determine the right amount of carb grams to aim for in your eating plan, choose one of the categories below that best matches your stature, weight status, weight goals and activity level.
Consider the targets a starting point. Get a referral from your primary care provider or endocrinologist to meet with a dietitian and diabetes educator, and/or to attend a diabetes self-management education and support program to determine the best goals for your health.
Category 1: A Woman of Small Stature Who Wants to Lose Weight
You’re a woman who wants to lose weight, is small in stature and/or gets limited exercise. Consider the following:
Height: 4’10” to 5’2″
Daily calorie range: 2,300â2,800
Carb grams/day range*: 259â455 grams
Carb grams/meal range : 86â151 grams
*Based on 45â65% of calories from carbohydrate.
Note: Men who are under 65 years of age, moderate to large in stature, at a healthy weight and get a lot of exercise may need more calories and grams of carbohydrate.
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How Are Carbs Measured
Carbs are measured in grams. On packaged foods, you can find total carb grams on the Nutrition Facts label. You can also check this list or use a carb-counting app to find grams of carbs in foods and drinks.
For diabetes meal planning, 1 carb serving is about 15 grams of carbs. This isnt always the same as what you think of as a serving of food. For example, most people would count a small baked potato as 1 serving. However, at about 30 grams of carbs, it counts as 2 carb servings.
The Truth About Carbohydrates And Weight Loss
Weight loss is often recommended for people with diabetes, as it has been proven to significantly , blood glucose, and blood pressure.
The foundations for weight loss are simple. Increasing physical activity, and managing daily calories to keep a slight caloric deficit provide steady and consistent weight loss.
However, theres currently a lot of conflicting information about how the ratio of carbohydrates in your diet affects your weight loss, including frequently recommended diabetes diets based on fewer carbs .
However, theres currently a lot of conflicting information out there about reducing carbohydrates vs. low-carb diets Paleo or ketogenic diets.
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Can I Eat Sweets And Other Foods And Drinks With Added Sugars
Yes, you can eat sweets and other foods and drinks with added sugars. However, you should limit your intake of these high-carbohydrate foods and drinks because they are often high in calories and low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fiber-rich whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans are wiser choices.
Instead of eating sweets every day, try eating them in small amounts once in a while so you dont fill up on foods that are low in nutrition. Ask your dietitian or diabetes educator about including sweets in your eating plan.
How Hard Is It To Stay On A Low Carbohydrate Diet
Most people will start a no-carb or very low carb diet but will not be able to sustain it in the long term. It is better to set reasonable and sustainable goals for daily carbohydrate goals.
Sometimes, it is very hard to tell these patients not to eat any carbs. Theyre just not going to listen. Im sure there are some people right now reading this article and saying that oh this doctor is recommending eating a bunch of carbs. I am glad you may be a very savvy very dedicated very strong-willed person but a lot of people are not like that. The bottom line, they are just not going to listen to you unless you give them a reasonable goal. So, thats my job to get my patients motivated. I may start with the 45 grams. I may get them to the goal and that gives them some motivation. Later, we can try to cut their carbs even more. Again, that depends on the individual.
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How Many Carbs Should I Eat
Theres no one size fits all answereveryone is different because everyones body is different. The amount you can eat and stay in your target blood sugar range depends on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors.
On average, people with diabetes should aim to get about half of their calories from carbs. That means if you normally eat about 1,800 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, about 800 to 900 calories can come from carbs. At 4 calories per gram, thats 200225 carb grams a day. Try to eat about the same amount of carbs at each meal to keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day .
This sample menu has about 1,800 calories and 200 grams of carbs:
Breakfast
½ cup rolled oats 1 cup low-fat milk 2/3 medium banana ¼ cup chopped walnuts Total carbs: 65 grams
2 slices whole wheat bread 4 oz. low-sodium turkey meat 1 slice low-fat Swiss cheese ½ large tomato 1 TBS yellow mustard ¼ cup shredded lettuce 8 baby carrots 6 oz. plain fat-free Greek yogurt ¾ cup blueberries
Carbs And Blood Sugar
Keeping your blood sugar levels on track means watching what you eat, plus taking medicines like insulin if you need to. Your doctor may also have mentioned that you should keep track of how many carbohydrates you eat. But what exactly are carbohydrates and how do they affect your blood sugar?
The foods we eat contain nutrients that provide energy and other things the body needs, and one of these is carbohydrates. The two main forms of carbohydrates are:
The body breaks down or converts most carbohydrates into the sugar glucose. Glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream, and with the help of a hormone called insulin it travels into the cells of the body where it can be used for energy.
People with diabetes have problems with insulin that can cause blood sugar levels to rise. For people with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas loses the ability to make insulin. For people with type 2 diabetes, the body can’t respond normally to the insulin that is made.
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Are Carbohydrates Good Or Bad For Diabetics
Because the body turns carbohydrates into glucose, eating carbohydrates makes blood sugar levels rise. But that doesnt mean you should avoid carbohydrates if you have diabetes. Carbohydrates are a healthy and important part of a nutritious diet. Some carbohydrates have more health benefits than others, though.
A Sedentary Lifestyle And Carbs For Diabetics
Lets say youre a 60-year-old man, retired. Youre mostly at home especially with this virus going on, youre not doing anything. You dont want to go outside etc. Assume that you are already overweight or obese then you should really not eat more than 45 grams per meal at all. If you want to really control your diabetes with fewer medications then you should go down to 30 grams or below per meal for healthy carbs. For a sedentary woman in the same situation goal is 15 to 30 carbs maximum per meal. With medication help, these goals can definitely be relaxed. It all depends on how you want to manage your diabetes.
Diabetic patients can find a lot of carbohydrate alternatives for healthy eating. So, you can definitely avoid things with flour and highly processed carbs. Actually, if you avoid refined sugars and carbohydrates that are in the market today you will have very few reasons from natural sources to spike your blood sugar. Fruits for example will have much less effect on your blood sugars.
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What If You’re Making Healthy Choices And Still Have High Blood Sugar
According to American Diabetes Association guidelines, most people with type 2 diabetes should start taking a blood glucose-lowering medication, typically metformin , as soon as they are diagnosed.
Most people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have had blood sugar levels in the diabetes range for months if not years before diagnosis. Don’t think of taking blood glucose-lowering medication as failing. Type 2 diabetes, with prediabetes as its starting point, is a progressive disease during which people slowly lose their insulin-making capabilities over time. It’s of no health value to severely restrict the amount of carbs you eat to manage your blood sugar levels and/or to delay medication. The recommended course of action to stay healthy with type 2 diabetes is to get blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure numbers under control soon after the time of diagnosis-and maintain target goals-adjusting diet and medication as needed.
What Is A Very Low Carb Diabetic Diet
Avoid processed food and bakery for your diet for type 2 diabetes
A very low carbohydrate diet is not the same thing as keto diet. In a very low carbohydrate diet a diabetic individual can have 15-30 gr of carbs.
Now, when I say very little what I mean by that? I mean like 20 to 30 grams of carbs per meal. And thats very generous. And the reason I say its very generous is that youre really not burning any calories. Yes, I know. you may want to eat more. Thats the only thing you enjoy nowadays. And I understand that but if you want to eat more carbs youre going to need more medications. Sometimes more medications may mean more side effects. Yet, we have a lot of ways, especially at SugarMDs. We have a variety of ways to help our patients.
Even if you want to use medications in addition to what youre already on, then I would suggest you can go up to a maximum of 45 grams of carbs for a woman at that stage. You may end up needing insulin as well of course.
The good news this, we have a lot of non-insulin medications we can use depending on your activity level and diet. Basically, even for very inactive people or people with disabilities or joint problems we have ways to get them to exercise one way or another. If youre really not exercising, youre really looking for 20 to 30 grams of carbs and if you want to force it 45 grams.
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