About Diabetes and the Art of Carbohydrate Counting
Certain foods contain carbohydrates naturally. Carbohydrate content varies widely across food groups, from grains and sweets to starches and legumes and even dairy products. Get familiar with the three forms of carbohydrates and the foods that contain them.
Carbohydrates in food and drink are metabolized into glucose, which our cells need for energy, and this causes an increase in blood glucose, also known as blood sugar. While the blood sugar levels of persons without diabetes do increase after eating, the insulin response prevents them from reaching to dangerous levels.
The procedure is ineffective if the patient has diabetes. Whether or whether your body produces insulin will affect how effective carb counting will be in helping you maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
If you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas no longer produces insulin, therefore you need to take insulin around the clock and at meals to counteract the carbohydrates you eat. Carb counting is a useful tool for keeping track of the number of carbohydrates in your food. People with type 2 diabetes need to watch their carb consumption since they become insulin resistant and may not create enough insulin. Eating a steady quantity of carbohydrates at each meal rather than all at once is beneficial for preventing blood sugar rises. Carbohydrate counting may be simplified for people using oral drugs as compared to those using insulin.
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