Carb counting for diabetes

I didn’t bother with carb counting until I was 27 years old. I am an idiot. Learn how to do this well and you’ll be able to eat anything you can imagine.

Remember when you were sat in a maths class wondering when you’d ever need to use those skills again? Well, the time is now. Carb counting is your window to a world of tasty possibilities. If you get it right, there’s very little you can’t eat. Let’s start with the basics.

Why should diabetics bother counting carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are a diabetic’s enemy and best friend. Why? Because they’re sugars. Yep, the carbs you get in potato, bread, pasta and other stuff might not taste like the sugar you’re used to, but it’s the very same thing. It will also do the very same thing to your blood sugar levels, so knowing how much you’re going to eat is important if you want to get your insulin dosage right.

How do diabetics count carbs?

If you buy any food in a packet, all your carb information will be on the back. There’ll be two sections: One will say carbs, one will safe ‘of which sugars’. You only need to know the carbs number. The number will often be for 100g of the food, which might be a different weight to what’s in the packet. You’ll see the packet’s weight on there somewhere. That’s when you’ll need to put your maths to use.

If your food isn’t in a packet, a set of scales will come in handy. Weigh the food, then do a quick Google of ‘How many carbs in xxg of this food’. Google will have your back.

If your food is being served to you on a meal out or a takeaway, Google can help you again. You won’t be able to weight it at a restaurant table, but you can search for something like, ‘How many carbs in a pie/ plate of rice/ cake’ and get a good estimate.

Over time you’ll get used to the amount of carbs in different food, and then the maths will just live for free in your beautiful brain.

What is an insulin ratio?

Your doctor should have set up with this when they first prescribed your insulin. Basically, it’s the amount of insulin you should take for the carbs you eat. Let’s say, for example, you’re on a ratio of 1:1. That means you’ll take 1 unit of insulin for every 10g of carbs. You can use this ratio to figure out what you need to take for every food you can think of.

If you’re on a different ratio, the same applies. You’ll just have to do a bit more maths.

The insulin ratio you’re given might change over time, depending on your lifestyle and how well you manage your diabetes. Your medical professional will keep you in the know.

Can a diabetic eat too many carbs?

Good carb counting knowledge means you can eat pretty much anything, but certain foods do pose more of a challenge. Something like a stuffed crust pizza, for example, is very carb heavy, and will almost certainly result in weird things happening to your blood sugar after you eat it.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have it. Let’s face it, pizza is one of life’s greatest joys. You just need to be careful. Pizza is full of slow releasing carbs, so you might notice higher sugar levels for a few hours afterwards. Keep an eye on them, check them regularly, correct them if needed, and always order a side of chicken strips.

You might want to read about: Spotting diabetes | Fixing lows | Correcting highs | Illnesses | Repeat prescriptions