May 10
22
How Much Carbohydrate In A Meal Is Too Much?
This is a question that is asked frequently by diabetics. The answer is: It depends.
If you’re a diabetic that is only 5’1” tall, then 30 grams carbohydrate a meal can help you gain a little better blood sugar control in many cases. But if you’re 6’1” tall, then 45-60 grams per meal may be better for your height and body weight.
For each gram of carbohydrate a food contains, there are 4 calories. So in a meal with 30 grams carbohydrate, 30 times 4 = 120 calories from carbohydrates. If you eat three meals a day, that’s 90 grams carbohydrate as a minimum for the day, not counting any extra snacks.
Many people ask the question – what’s the lowest amount of carbohydrate that my body needs? Researchers have found that 60 grams per day is a minimum level that prevents diabetic ketoacidosis. But always check to make sure. Experimenting with this is not recommended if you are on insulin.
Some physicians believe that we can live without carbohydrates in our diet at all. They say that people who were stranded in the ocean or stranded on a mountain because of a plane crash have subsisted on low or no carbohydrate meals for many days without dying. Carbohydrates are the ultimate free radical producer, due to the chemical composition, which is C6H12O6. It’s the oxygen in the carbohydrate that can easily become a free radical, producing hydrogen peroxide radical, superoxide radical and oxygen with only one electron, all highly reactive in the body. Wherever these free radicals go, they cause destruction. Antioxidants are needed to counteract the free radicals and prevent the damage.
If you’re a Type 2 Diabetic, you should be journaling about your diet each day, and including the symptoms and fasting blood sugars each day. It is also helpful to choose at least one meal of the day that you will test your blood sugar afterward. About one hour works best. The purpose of this is to see whether or not your level of carbohydrates, fat and protein were sufficient to prevent a large rise in the blood sugar level. Once you begin to adjust your diet to that level, you can gain the best control of your blood sugar level.
