carb facts
There are two types of sugar
found in foods – naturally
occurring sugars and added
sugars. Naturally occurring
sugars are present in healthy
foods such as milk and
fruit and are perfectly fine
to include as part of a
healthy, balanced diet.
Added sugars have been
added in the manufacturing
of foods. It is recommended
to limit foods high in added
sugars that offer little to no
nutritional value, such as
lollies, chocolate, cakes,
biscuits, ice-creams, etc.
Some healthy foods may
have a small amount of
added sugar to improve the
palatability of the food and
make it more appealing to
eat, such as yoghurt. Healthy
foods do not need to be
avoided, but it is still important
to consider your overall
carbohydrate requirement
in choosing your portion.What foods contain carbs?
Can I eat sugar?
HEALTHY SOURCES OF
CARBOHYDRATEUNHEALTHY SOURCES OF
CARBOHYDRATE■ Grain-based foods such as
breads, breakfast cereals,
pasta, rice and quinoa■ Starchy vegetables,
including potato, sweet
potato, corn and legumes
(e.g. chickpeas and lentils)■ Most fruits■ Fruit juice■ Some dairy foods, for
example milk and yoghurt■ Processed foods such as
chocolate, lollies, cakes,
biscuits, pies, pastries and
ice-cream
■ Some alcoholic drinks
■ Soft drinks and cordialsCarbohydrates are found in a wide variety of foods and
drinks – some are healthy options and some not so.
HOW MUCH
CARBOHYDRATE
SHOULD I EAT
EACH DAY?
When it comes to carbohydrate
requirements, it is a very
individualised aspect of diabetes
management and there is no
‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.
Generally speaking,
the minimum amount of
carbohydrate recommended
is 130g per day based on
the energy and glucose
requirements of the central
nervous system. Depending
on your size, activity level
and diabetes medication,
your individual carbohydrate
requirement may be far
higher than this.
The Australian Dietary
Guidelines recommend
carbohydrate foods make up
45-65 per cent of your total
daily energy intake, with protein
comprising 15-25 per cent
and fat 20-35 per cent.
We have used this as our
guide when putting together
the menu planner each month
and your daily allowance guide;
see page 86 for ‘Our Food
Explained’.
We recommend that you
see an Accredited Practising
Dietitian to get tailored advice
on how to best manage your
diabetes, blood glucose levels
and carb quantities.diabetic living JULY/AUGUST 2019 89