Is 100g of carbs OK

Learn about carb counting

If youre living with type 1 diabetes,carbohydrate counting, or carb counting, is an effective way of managing your blood sugarlevels. It means that your insulin dose can be individually matched to the amount of carbohydrate you eat and drink.

Being aware of the amount of carbs in food and drinks is important for everyone with diabetes, but carb counting is really helpful if youusebasal and bolus insulin.

Although carb counting does take up a lotof time and effort, once you've got the hang of it, it can lead to better blood sugar control and more flexibility when you eat. It doesn't mean total freedom but does mean that special occasions and treats can be more easily looked after so you canadjust your insulin to match.

How to count carbs

Carbohydrates can be counted in two ways, in grams or as carbohydrate portions (CP). One CP is usually equal to 10g of carbohydrate. Sofind the method that you can understand and that works better for you.

Once youve got to grips with estimating the amount of carbohydrate you are going to eat and drink, you'll need to know your insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio.

Insulin-to-carbohydrate ratios are different from person to person, so you will have your own personal ratio depending on your age, weight, activity levels and how sensitive you are to insulin.

Your diabetes healthcare team will help you work this out and, eventually, you might even have a different insulin-to-carbratio for each meal. They will usually estimate your starting insulin-to-carb ratio and then fine-tune this based on your blood sugar control.

If you know how many grams of carbohydrate are in a meal and your insulin-to-carb ratio then you can work out the number of units of bolus insulin you need to take for the meal. Soif your meal had70g of carbohydrateand your insulin to carbohydrate ratio was 1 unit of bolus insulin for every 10g carbohydrate, then you'dneed to take 7 units of bolus insulin.

The amount you actually take will also depend on other factors such as your blood sugar level, illness or planned activity.

There are five ways you can count carbohydrate in food and drink.

1. Food labels: using the carbohydrate per portion value

If you look at the labelling on the back of a ready-meal, you'll usually see something that looks like this:

If you ate all of the ready meal, the amount of carbohydrate you would count is 44.7g. It is important to count the total amount of carbs and not the 'of which sugars' value. When using a per portion value, make sure that this is the actual portion you are planning to eat.

2. Food labels: using the carbohydrate per 100g value

On the back of foods like pasta or rice, you'll see food labelling information like this:

When using the per 100g value, calculate the carbs for the actual amount of the food or drink that you are going to have.

This means if you were planning to cook and eat 80g ofrice the amount of carbohydrate you would count is 61.9gnot 77.4g. It's important to invest in a good set of scales that are flat based, digital and can be zeroed. It is also important that your scales are accurate to within 5g.

The cooked weight of foods like pasta, rice and potatoes will vary from the raw or pre-cooked weight, so check which values you are using.

3. Reference lists and visual guides

If the food your eating doesn't carry nutritional informaton, or you're eating out and they don't have the values, carb counting can be more difficult.

Reference lists and visual guides, such as Carbs & Cals, will help you estimate carbohydrate. They list the amount of carbohydrate in handy measures, such as one bread roll, one medium bananaor one scoop of ice cream. Some reference lists alsocontain pictures too so you can compare.

4. Recipe nutrition information

Using the Diabetes UK recipe pagescan take the hard work out of calculating the carbohydrate content.

But there's no need to throw out your favourite recipes and cookbooks. Taking the time to work out the carbohydrate values of your day-to-day meals helps you build up a personal reference list that you can use again and again.

5. Restaurant and cafe nutrition information

Many restaurants and cafes will now list nutritional information for their products online. You may find information that looks like this:

Many restaurants and snack bars are now providing nutrition information for their menus in a response to us all becoming more health aware.

The nutrition information for this bacon breakfast roll was online and really easy to find. Bear in mind that the values are average values and the dish that you are served may vary in size and content. You still need to use your judgement and experience in resturants and cafes.

Three ways to start carbohydrate counting today

The first step to start carb counting is by finding out more information like

• Do you know which of your food and drink contain carbohydrates? Stop, think and make a mental note of which food and drink will need to be counted.
• Get label savvy scrutinise the nutrition labels. Pull the food and drink out of your kitchen cupboards and find out just how much information you have to hand.
• Practise estimating the carbohydrate content of your meals use reference lists to check your accuracy.

Interested and want to know more?

To carbocount successfully you will need alot more information. You will need to learn all about carbohydrates, learn how to adjust your insulin and be dedicated to monitoring your blood sugar levels frequently.

You will also need the support of professionals either in the form of your diabetes healthcare team or one of the structured diabetes education courses available. You can find out about courses available in your area from your diabetes healthcare team.

How Many Carbs Should You Eat per Day to Lose Weight?

If youre looking to lose weight, eating fewer carbs may help. How many carbs you should eat daily depends on your age, sex, body type, and activity level.

Reducing carbs tends to make you less hungry and can lead to weight loss without the need to count calories.

For some people, a low carb diet allows them to eat until fullness, feel satisfied, and still lose weight. This article reviews how many carbs you should eat daily to lose weight.

If youre not looking to lose weight by cutting carbs, then you can follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that carbs provide 45% to 65% of your daily calorie intake for all age groups and sexes.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value for carbs is 275 grams (g) per day when eating a 2,000-calorie diet.

How many carbs should I eat in a day to lose weight?

Deciding exactly how many carbs you should eat depends on individual factors such as age, weight, physical activity, and medical history.

In general, if youre looking to lose weight by reducing carbs, you can start removing the unhealthiest carb sources from your diet, such as refined wheat and added sugars. But to unlock the potential metabolic benefits of low carb diets, you also need to restrict other carb sources.

That said, while its a good idea to watch your carb portions, its also important to eat quality foods instead, such as high fiber carbs like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.

If you only cut carbs without paying attention to the rest of your diet, you may not see the best results. You also may not get all the nutrients you need.

Summary

Its a good idea to watch your carb portions, but how many carbs you should eat depends on many factors. Its also important to make sure to replace the carbs with other quality foods.

Some of the benefits of eating fewer carbs include:

Weight loss

Studies show that low carb diets can reduce a persons appetite, lead to them eating fewer calories, and help them to lose weight more easily than other diets, provided they maintain the diet.

In a study comparing low carb and low fat diets, researchers found that participants who ate a low carb diet saw better weight loss results for up to a year compared with those who ate a low fat diet.

The researchers also found that the same people who ate a low carb diet had lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), but they also ended up with an increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, as well as total cholesterol.

Another study focusing specifically on people living with obesity didnt find a substantial difference in weight loss for 24 months after either a low-carbohydrate or a low fat diet. These studies suggest that a low carb diet may help some people lose weight but may not be right for others.

Other benefits

Low carb diets also have benefits that go beyond just weight loss. They can help to lower blood sugar, which is important for people living with diabetes. Research also shows a low carb diet can also help lower your blood pressure.

Low carb diets such as the ketogenic diet help reduce your blood levels of insulin, a hormone that brings the glucose from carbs into the bodys cells.

One of the functions of insulin is to store fat. Many experts believe that the reason low carb diets work so well is that they reduce your levels of this hormone.

Another thing that insulin does is to tell the kidneys to retain sodium. This is the reason high carb diets can cause excess water retention.

Summary

Many studies show that low carb diets can be more effective than low fat diets for weight loss, but the research is inconsistent, showing a potential for an increase in cholesterol. That said, low carb diets can help reduce blood pressure, sodium, and glucose.

Researchers define low-carbohydrate diets as ones that contain less than 20 to 120 g of carbohydrates per day. That said, different diets may restrict carbs to a different degree. Some may allow you to eat a bit more.

Examples of diets that can be considered low-carbohydrate include:

That said, an individuals ideal carb intake depends on age, sex, body composition, activity levels, personal preference, food culture, and current metabolic health.

Summary

Low carb diets usually contain fewer than 20 to 120 g of carbohydrates per day. But optimal carb intake varies between individuals, depending on activity levels, current metabolic health, and many other factors.

A low carb diet isnt just about weight loss. It may also improve your health. For this reason, the diet should be based on whole, unprocessed foods and healthy carb sources. Low carb junk foods are often unhealthy.

If you want to improve your health, aim for unprocessed foods such as:

• lean meats
• fish
• eggs
• vegetables
• nuts
• avocados
• healthy fats

Look for carbohydrate sources that include fiber. If you prefer a moderate carb intake, try to choose unrefined starch sources, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, oats, and brown rice.

For more details on specific foods to eat, check out this list of low carb foods and this detailed low carb meal plan and sample menu.

Summary

Its very important to choose healthy, fiber-rich carb sources. A healthy diet includes plenty of vegetables, even at the lowest level of carb intake.

Research has found that the average weight loss within 12 months tends to be about 13 pounds (lb) or 6 kilograms (kg). That said, the study showed that a low fat diet can also lead to similar weight loss within a year.

Another study also found that participants on a low-carbohydrate diet for 8 weeks lost 22.8% of the fat in their abdominal cavity, also known as visceral fat or belly fat, compared with people who were on a low fat diet, who lost only 1%. Visceral fat is the most dangerous fat and is strongly associated with many diseases.

Keep in mind, these results were average for this specific research study. You may lose more or less depending on your body and the specific factors that may be influencing your metabolism.

Summary

There are a few studies estimating an average weight loss amount, but they cant be applied to everyone, as each persons body and weight loss journey can be unique.

Is 100 g of carbs a day low carb?

As long as youre eating less than 150 g of carbs a day, youre eating a low carb diet.

Can you lose weight on 50 g of carbs a day?

You may lose weight faster on 50 g of carbs a day or less, but it depends on what else youre eating, how many calories youre consuming, how active you are, and many other factors. In addition, eating slightly more carbs may lead to lower but more sustainable weight loss.

Is 30 g of carbs a day ok?

Eating less than 50 g of carbs a day is the most limiting low-carbohydrate diet. That said, consider seeing a healthcare professional or dietician first to see what diet is best for you given your specific needs and health parameters.

Before starting the low carb diet, try tracking how many carbs you eat on a typical day and whether theyre healthy or unhealthy. There are free apps that can help.

Because fiber doesnt really count as carbohydrates, you can exclude fiber grams from the total number. Instead, count net carbs using this calculation: net carbs = total carbs fiber.

If youre not losing weight or your weight loss slows down during the low carb diet, check out these possible reasons why.