How Much Carbohydrates Should You Be Eating?

A certified dietitian, nutritionist and health care provider would be able to calculate an optimum carbohydrate intake base on your gender, weight, exercise routine and A1C results. Work with either of these professionals to customize a meal plan based on your eating patterns, carbohydrate and calorie targets and food preference.

If you do not have any of the abovementioned professionals to help you with your meal plans, the following tips can help you get started:

1. In general, the American Diabetes Association recommends an initial consumption of 45 grams to 60 grams of carbohydrates for each meal. You may need to lower this amount depending on your blood sugar responds. To see if this amount of carbohydrates is right for you, measure your blood sugar before and after meals. If your blood sugar level do not fall below 180mg/dL or fall within your target range two hours after your meal, you probably need to reduce your carbs intake.

2. You may also consume two portions of snacks containing 15 grams to 30 grams of carbohydrates per day.

3. When it comes to choosing carbohydrates, always opt for high quality carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables.

4. Consuming the same amount of carbohydrate for every meal may be beneficial to those who are taking consistent doses of insulin.

See example of a 45 to 60 grams meal plan on the next page!

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