Type 1 Diabetes Nutrition
If you have type 1 diabetes, it is important to know how many carbohydrates you eat at a meal. This information helps you determine how much insulin you should take with your meal to maintain blood sugar (glucose) control. Carbohydrates are the main type of food that raises blood sugar. The starch, fruit and milk groups of the Food Group Pyramid for Diabetes are high in carbs. Foods in the Other Carbohydrates and Combination Food groups are also high in carbs. The vegetable group has a small amount of carbohydrates. The meat and fat groups have few or no carbs. The amount of carbohydrates you eat at each meal will determine how high your blood sugar rises after the meal. The other two major nutrients, protein and fat ,also have an effect on blood glucose levels, though it is not as rapid or great as carbohydrates. Most people with diabetes can control their blood sugar by limiting carbohydrate servings to 2-4 per meal and 1-2 per snack. A delicate balance of carbohydrate intake, insulin, and physical activity is necessary for the best blood sugar (glucose) levels. Eating carbohydrates increases your blood sugar (glucose) level. Exercise tends to decrease it (although not always). If the three factors are not in balance, you can have wide swings in blood sugar (glucose) levels. If you have type 1 diabetes and take a fixed dose of insulin, the carbohydrate content of your meals and snacks should be consistent from day to day. CHILDREN AND DIABETES Weight and growth patterns can help determine if a child with type 1 diabetes is getting enough nutrition. Changes in eating habits and more physical activity help improve blood sugar (glucose) control. For children with diabetes, special occasions (like birthdays or Halloween) require additional planning because of the extra sw Continue reading >>
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 type 2 diabetes, it’s important to aim for a balanced carb intake. It can seem confusing and a little overwhelming at first, but don’t be discouraged. Your doctor, diabetes educator, or dietitian can help you find a meal plan that works for you. By setting limits on your carb intake—and tracking what you eat to make sure you stay within those limits—you can improve your blood sugar control. To get started, here are some basic facts you need to know. On top of tracking your diet and blood sugar, regular exercise is a key part of managing your diabetes. And while any exercise is better than none, certain activities have specific benefits for people with diabetes. 2017 Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or reprinted without permission from Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. Use of this information is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Crash Course in Carbs Foods that contain carbohydrates include: Grains, such as breads, cereals, pasta, and rice Fruits and fruit juices Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn (nonstarchy vegetables also contain carbs, but usually very little) Dried beans and peas Dairy foods, such as milk and yogurt Sweets, such as cookies, pastries, cakes and candy 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 you’re eating twice as much as the listed serving, you’ll need to double the total carbs. If a food doesn’t have a label, there are many apps and books available to help you track carbs. One great free tool is MyFoodAdvisor from the Americ Continue reading >>
- The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus
- The interpretation and effect of a low-carbohydrate diet in the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
- Guidelines on Safe Exercise for People With Type 1 Diabetes
How Many Carbohydrates Should A Person With Diabetes Eat Each Day?
Many diabetics know that carbs are something you shouldn’t eat too much of if you want to keep your blood sugar down. The types of carbohydrate foods you eat each day and how many carbs you eat are vital when managing your blood sugars. The idea is to strike a balance between the insulin levels in the body and the number of carbohydrates you take in. It is understood by nutritionists that your carbohydrate intake strongly affects your blood sugar levels—even more than the amount of protein and fat you consume in your diet. If you eat too many carbs in any given day, your blood sugar levels may be high. In the same way, taking medications to lower the glucose level may cause you to have low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia. The actual amount of carbohydrates you need to take in depends on what medications you are taking for the diabetes and is unique to each diabetic. Things like your activity level, how much insulin resistance you have, and the range of blood sugar levels you need play a role in how many carbohydrates you should eat per day. When counting carbs, it is important to learn how many carbs is in each snack or meal you take in so you can count those carbs toward your total. In general, it is recommended that a woman with diabetes, should take in about 45 grams of carbohydrates in each meal, while men can eat 60 grams of carbohydrates in each meal. This is because men tend to be bigger and can have normal blood sugar levels after eating more carbs when compared to women. Carbohydrate intake should be spread throughout the day so that there are no spikes in blood sugar when you eat a high carbohydrate meal or snack. In order to know if eating 45 grams of carbohydrate in your meal or snack is appropriate, you need to eat a meal that contains 45 grams Continue reading >>
What Is The Recommended Daily Intake Of Carbs For A Diabetic Male
Male diabetics can usually handle slightly more carbohydrates compared to female diabetics, but the optimal amount of carbs you should eat will also depend on your weight, physical activity level and blood-sugar control. Male diabetics will generally need fewer carbs compared to non-diabetics because an excess of carbs is associated with higher blood-sugar levels, which can eventually lead to diabetes complications. Working with a diabetes educator or registered dietitian can help you dial in your carb intake to help you optimize your diabetes control and prevent complications. Carbohydrate counting is an important skill to learn to help diabetic males better understand the link between the food they eat and their blood-sugar levels. Carbohydrates are mainly found in foods containing sugar or flour, as well as in grains, starchy vegetables and fruits. Look at the nutrition facts table on food labels to determine the amount of carbs found per serving. Adjust the carb content according to the serving you consume. For example, if the label of a package of rice says that 1 cup of cooked rice contains 45 grams of carbs and you usually eat 2 cups of rice, your carb intake will reach 90 grams. Keep a food diary to keep track of the food you eat and your carb intake. Standard Advice The daily carb intake for male diabetics recommended by the American Diabetes Association varies between 135 and 180 grams for your three basic meals along with up to 60 to 90 grams of extra carbohydrates at snack time. Your daily recommended carb intake could therefore vary between 135 grams a day if you don't snack up to 270 grams a day. Since these recommendations are quite broad, the American Diabetes Association suggests working with a diabetes educator or registered dietitian to get more speci Continue reading >>
How Low Is Low Carb?
Many agree: People with diabetes should eat a low-carb diet. Last week we looked at what “carbs” are. But what is meant by “low?” How much carbohydrate should you eat? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, (PDF) recommend that healthy people get 50–65% of their calories from carbohydrates. A study posted on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Web site agrees. For a woman eating a below-average 2,000 calories a day, 50–65% would be 250–325 grams of carb a day. The Dietary Guidelines call for “a balanced diet that includes six one-ounce (28.3 g) servings of grain foods each day.” This would mean 170 grams of carbohydrate from grains alone each day. And the average American diet includes many other carb sources. Most men eat closer to 3,000 calories a day, so their numbers would be higher. Sixty percent of 3,000 would be 1,800 calories, equivalent to 450 grams of carbohydrate each day. Anything less than the recommended range is sometimes considered “low-carb.” Most popular low-carb diets, like Atkins, South Beach, Zone, and Protein Power, are much lower, from 45% of calories down to 5%. Many diabetes experts recommend somewhat lower carb intakes than ADA does. On our site, dietitian Jacquie Craig wrote, “Most people need between 30–75 grams of carbohydrate per meal and 15–30 grams for snacks.” So that sounds like between 120 and 300 grams a day. Dr. Richard Bernstein, an MD with Type 1 diabetes and a long-time advocate of the low-carb approach to diabetes, suggests much lower intakes. He says eat 6 grams of carbs at breakfast, and snacks, 12 grams each at lunch and dinner. So that would be about 40 grams of carbs per day. If 12 grams per meal sounds like a small amount, it is. It’s about the amount in an average slice of bread. An Continue reading >>
How To Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Do you have type 2 diabetes, or are you at risk for diabetes? Do you worry about your blood sugar? Then you’ve come to the right place. The disease diabetes (any type) means that you have too much sugar in your blood. This page will show you how to best check this. You can normalize your blood sugar naturally as needed – without pills, calorie counting or hunger. Many people have already done so. As a bonus, a normalized blood sugar usually makes you healthier and leaner. Table of contents: A disastrous epidemic Two types of diabetes Normalize your blood sugar Become your own evidence A disastrous epidemic What’s wrong? Why do more and more people become diabetic? In the past, before our modern Western diet, diabetes was extremely rare. The disease is now becoming more and more common. Around the world, more and more people are becoming diabetic: The number of people with diabetes is increasing incredibly rapidly and is heading towards 500 million. This is a world epidemic. Will someone in your family be affected next? Your mother, father, cousin, your child? Or you? Is perhaps your blood already too sweet? Those affected by the most common form of diabetes (type 2) normally never regain their health. Instead, we take for granted that they’ll become a little sicker for every year that goes by. With time they need more and more drugs. Yet, sooner or later complications emerge. Blindness. Dialysis due to faulty kidneys. Dementia. Amputations. Death. Diabetes epidemic causes inconceivable suffering. Fortunately, there’s something that can be done. We just need to see through the mistake that has led to the explosion of disease – and correct it. This can normalize your blood sugar. Many have already succeeded in doing this. If you already know that you are diabe Continue reading >>
How Many Carbohydrates Should A Diabetic Eat?
This post is part of the T2 Diabetes Nutrition & Health Series. Here’s what we are going to cover from Nov 10th-28th: Information on type 2 diabetes Can a diabetic eat eggs? 5 tips to control type 2 diabetes How many carbs to eat A carb counting tutorial We’ll talk about numbers Testing for insulin resistance and pre-diabetes The best diet for pre-diabetes Food lists Easy tasty meals Inflammation and diabetes Sample diabetes meal plan And more So as you can see there’s lots in store for this T2 Diabetes health series, so be sure to subscribe for updates by clicking on the button below. So how many carbohydrates should a diabetic eat? Are you totally confused by that question? I don’t blame you because it does vary depending on what and where you read something. The American Diabetes Association suggests that: “A place to start is at about 45-75 grams of carbohydrate at a meal”. But most diabetics I know find 75 g per meal way too high to manage blood sugars well and herein lies the problem. Because what tends to happen is that most diabetics are eating far too many carbohydrates and are struggling to manage their blood sugars. And unfortuantely they are often left wondering why, are you like that? Have you been eating 75 g of carbs a day and wondering why you can’t get things under control? Well this info will be very helpfull to you Now before moving on let me just say that we are talking about managing type 2 diabetes here. So how many carbs should you eat? Most people I know and work with find around 120 g of carbohydrate is a comfortable amount to work from. I also know some people who follow a very low carb diet of 50-60 g a day. Yes, that’s maximum per day! This certainly doesn’t suit everyone so 120 g seems to be a comfortable place to start and Continue reading >>
Low-carb Diets For People With Diabetes (may 2017)
Save for later Diabetes UK has put together this position statement to explain how low-carb diets might be used to help manage diabetes. We used the best level of evidence to inform the recommendations and conclusions. Where available, we used evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses, but also included good-quality randomised controlled trials. The current evidence suggest that low-carb diets can be safe and effective for people with Type 2 diabetes. They can help with weight loss and glucose management, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. So, we can recommend a low-carb diet for some people with Type 2 diabetes. But there is no consistent evidence that a low-carb diet is any more effective than other approaches in the long term, so it shouldn't be seen as the diet for everyone. At the moment, there is no strong evidence to say that a low-carb diet is safe or effective for people with Type 1 diabetes. Because of this, Diabetes UK does not recommend low-carb diets to people with Type 1 diabetes. Evidence for low-carb diets in children reports adverse effects such as poor growth, a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, and psychological problems. So, we don't recommend low-carb diets for children with diabetes. People should be encouraged to eat more vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, pulses, seafood, nuts, and to eat less red meat and processed meat, sugar-sweetened drinks, sugar-sweetened foods, and refined grains such as white bread. Douglas Twenefour, dietitian and Deputy Head of Care at Diabetes UK said: "It is extremely important that dietary recommendations are based on good evidence rather than individual opinions. This position statement has been put together using the best evidence available, taking into consideration anecdotal reports and f Continue reading >>
A Beginner’s Guide To Carbohydrate Counting
Pia has a Bachelors Degree in Clinical Nutrition from Cornell University and a Masters of Science in Nutrition from New York University. She completed a dietetic internship at the Bronx Veterans Medical Center in order to become a registered dietitian. Prior to joining BD, Pia educated people with diabetes about medical nutrition therapy in a private physicians office, an outpatient clinic at a hospital and a nursing home where she counseled patients one-on-one and in group classes. This slide show explains: • What foods contain carbohydrates • How much of these foods you can eat • Where to look up the carb content of foods Next slide This is not true! Carbohydrates (carbs) have the greatest effect on your blood sugar. 90 to 100 percent of the carbs you eat appear in your bloodstream as blood glucose within minutes to hours after you have eaten. You may be asked to count the carbs that you eat. The carbs you will need to count are both: • starches that break down slowly into sugar • simple sugars that break down into blood glucose almost right away Many people believe that a diabetes meal plan means that you just have to cut back on sugar. Previous slide Next slide Products made from grains, such as pasta, bread, rolls, bagels, crackers, cereals and baked goods Starches include certain vegetables, all grains, and products made from grains All of these foods contain starches: Starchy Vegetables Regular and sweet potatoes, corn, fresh peas and lima beans Legumes Dried beans and peas Grains Grains like wheat, oats, barley, and rice Sugars include the natural sugars in fruit and milk, plus certain sweeteners added to prepared foods and drinks Fruit and fruit juices Foods that contain fruit or fruit juices such as jams, jellies, and fruit smooth Continue reading >>
Carbohydrate Counting & Diabetes
What is carbohydrate counting? Carbohydrate counting, also called carb counting, is a meal planning tool for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Carbohydrate counting involves keeping track of the amount of carbohydrate in the foods you eat each day. Carbohydrates are one of the main nutrients found in food and drinks. Protein and fat are the other main nutrients. Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, and fiber. Carbohydrate counting can help you control your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, levels because carbohydrates affect your blood glucose more than other nutrients. Healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, are an important part of a healthy eating plan because they can provide both energy and nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, and fiber. Fiber can help you prevent constipation, lower your cholesterol levels, and control your weight. Unhealthy carbohydrates are often food and drinks with added sugars. Although unhealthy carbohydrates can also provide energy, they have little to no nutrients. More information about which carbohydrates provide nutrients for good health and which carbohydrates do not is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Diabetes Diet and Eating. The amount of carbohydrate in foods is measured in grams. To count grams of carbohydrate in foods you eat, you’ll need to know which foods contain carbohydrates learn to estimate the number of grams of carbohydrate in the foods you eat add up the number of grams of carbohydrate from each food you eat to get your total for the day Your doctor can refer you to a dietitian or diabetes educator who can help you develop a healthy eating plan based on carbohydrate counting. Which foods contain carbohydrates? Foods that contain carbohydrates include grains, such as b Continue reading >>
How To Count Carbs For Better Blood Sugar Control
Your doctor may have told you to “count carbs” or use something called the glycemic index to plan your meals. A healthy diet consists of a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. However, people with type 2 diabetes need to watch carbohydrates carefully. Why? Because when any food that contains carbohydrates is digested, it turns into sugar, which increases your blood-glucose level. It’s pretty basic: Eating too many carbs can raise the amount of sugar in your bloodstream and lead to complications. The key for people like you with type 2 diabetes is to eat carbs in limited amounts at each meal and when you snack. Total carbs should make up about 45 to 60 percent of your daily diet (and be spaced out throughout the day) if you have type 2 diabetes. There’s no one diet that works for everyone with type 2 diabetes — there are just too many variables: Age, weight, level of physical activity, medications, as well as daily routine and personal preference need to be taken into account. So here’s where your diabetes care team comes in: Talk to your dietitian or diabetes educator to determine the right carb-counting number for you so you’ll be able to provide your body with a steady flow of energy throughout the day, maintain a healthy weight, and manage your blood sugar. The Basics of Counting Carbs Counting carbs is an effective way to monitor your carb intake and keep sugar from building up in the blood. You can use these basic tips to help manage your carb consumption: Foods that contain carbohydrates include starches, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beans, and sweets. Most people with type 2 diabetes should stick to eating around 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. For foods that have nutrition labels, add up the grams of carbohydrates per serv Continue reading >>
T2 Diabetic Carbs Per Day Recommendations
Did you know that one of the most commonly asked questions is how many carbs per day is best for a diabetic to eat? And like many other people you may also be totally confused by that question? It's not surprising because the amount of carbs recommended does vary depending on where you read it or who tells you. Why is this? Well, believe it or not, there is no specific recommendation for carbs – that's why there are so many different numbers. So what we are going to share today is: A range of information Some view points for you to think about And also the experience of other people with diabetes Here at Diabetes Meal Plans we use a natural whole foods, lower carb approach and aim for around 80 g carbs per day. This is quite low compared to some of the recommendations, but research shows that lower carb diets work better than low fat diets. Studies show that lowering carbs helps lower insulin, improve insulin sensitivity, reduces blood glucose levels, reduces total and LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff, raises HDL cholesterol (the good stuff), and lowers A1C levels. A lower carb diet always outperforms a low fat, calorie restricted diet. This is something that science has proved time and time again. Yet, for some reason, this is not the type of information that is being made available publicly – it's just one of the major annoying things about the diabetes industry. So what the information I'm going to share about carbohydrates below is somewhat controversial – but the science is there, and so is the positive experience of many other diabetics. The stuff is not so controversial that I'm the only one sharing it. Many leading doctors and health practitioners believe in a lower carbohydrate approach for diabetes – such as Dr Sarah Hallberg, Dr Mark Hyman, Dr Gary Fett Continue reading >>
Meal Planning Tips For People With Type 2 Diabetes
Putting It All Together If you have diabetes, SparkPeople highly recommends that you work directly with a Registered Dietitian or Certified Diabetes Educator to receive comprehensive training in diabetes self-management. Together you can develop a diabetes meal plan based on your health goals, tastes, and lifestyle—as well as the latest guidelines for healthy eating. Below are examples of two different meal planning systems; your registered dietitian can help you decide which is best for you. 1. Carbohydrate Counting is the most accurate meal planning system for controlling blood sugar levels. Essentially, carbohydrate counting is a way to “budget” the amount of carbohydrate eaten at any meal or snack. This method allows you to choose any type of carbohydrate foods, as long as the portion size you choose allows you stay within your goal “budget.” In general, about half of your daily calories should come from carbohydrate foods. However, if you have diabetes, it is important to eat roughly the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal. Commonly recommended “budgets” are 30 to 45 grams (2 to 3 servings) of carbohydrate per meal for women and 45 to 60 grams (3-4 servings) per meal for men. Both women and men should limit snacks to 15 to 30 grams (1 to 2 servings) of carbohydrates. (Click here for a printable reference chart of carbohydrate servings.) Your Registered Dietitian will determine the right amount of carbohydrates for you, along with guidelines for protein and fat intake. In addition to carbohydrate budgeting, it is important to space your meals and snacks evenly throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels stable. Experts recommend waiting at least two hours (but no more than five hours) between meals and snacks during the day. This will help preve Continue reading >>
How Many Carbs Per Day For A Diabetic?
Did you know that one of the most commonly asked questions we get is: how many carbs per day is best for a diabetic to eat? No doubt that's why you're here reading this as well, right? And like many other people you may be totally confused by that question. That's not surprising because the amount of carbs recommended does vary depending on where you read it. Why is this? Well, there is no specific recommendation for carbs, that's why there are so many different numbers. However, there is good scientific evidence to suggest what's best. But unfortunately, that information is not getting out to the public (to YOU) as fast as it should. Luckily though, here at Diabetes Meal Plans, we pride ourselves on sharing up-to-date evidence-based info because we want you to get the best results. And we're proud to say what we share works: Sheryl says: “My doctor’s report was best ever: A1c was normal for the first time since I was diagnosed diabetic in 2007; My LDL was 60; my total cholesterol was 130. My lab results were improved across the board. Best news: I am taking less diabetic meds, and my weight is within 5 lbs of normal BMI. I am a believer in what you have written, and I’m grateful to have a site I can trust.” Here at Diabetes Meal Plans we encourage a low carb diet because research shows that lower carb diets produce far more effective results than traditional low fat diets. As you read on, be prepared to have some of your longheld diet beliefs shattered. But also be prepared to be amazed by the possibilities. Because with a few dietary changes, you can reverse* your diabetes and live your life anew! Rethinking ‘Mainstream' Carb Recommendations Over the years it’s been pretty common practice to recommend a low fat, high carbohydrate diet to people with type 2 Continue reading >>
> Meal Plans And Diabetes
Kids with diabetes benefit from a healthy diet the same as everyone else. Although kids with diabetes don't have to follow a special diabetes diet, they may need to pay more attention to when they eat and how much is on their plates. Meal planning goals for kids with diabetes often are the same as those for other kids: They need foods that help them have overall good health, normal growth, and a healthy weight. But kids with diabetes also have to balance their intake of carbohydrates (carbs) with their insulin and activity levels to keep blood sugar levels under control, and they should eat foods that help keep the levels of lipids (fats like cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood in a healthy range. Doing so can help prevent some of the long-term health problems that diabetes can cause. Kids with diabetes face the same food challenges as everyone else — mainly, sticking with healthy eating habits. You need to know what's in the foods you're serving and eating. It's easy to guess what some foods contain, but others are more of a challenge. So look to food labels to find a food's ingredients, nutritional information, and calories. Be sure to look for information on carbs, which can affect blood sugar levels. Usually, they're clearly listed on food labels in grams. The two main forms of carbs are sugars and starches. Types of sugars include fructose (sugar found in fruit and some baked goods), glucose (the main sugar in our bodies that's also found in foods like cake, cookies, and soft drinks), and lactose (sugar found in milk and yogurt). Starches include vegetables like potatoes, corn, and peas; grains, rice, and cereals; and breads. The body breaks down or converts most carbs into glucose, which is absorbed into the bloodstream. As the glucose level rises in the Continue reading >>
