Читать книгу Practical Carbohydrate Counting - Hope S. Warshaw - Страница 10

It is important that a person understands the rationale for counting carbohydrate. Give a brief explanation that calories are provided from three macronutrients—carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Next explain that foods are made up of combinations, or “packages” of varying amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat.

Concrete examples work best, so provide examples in terms of real foods. The following examples often work well:

• A slice of bread (white or whole wheat) contains mainly carbohydrate and a small amount of protein.

• A piece of grilled chicken contains mainly protein and a small amount of fat.

• A piece of fruit contains mainly carbohydrate.

• A glass of milk (8 ounces) contains mainly carbohydrate, but is also a source of protein and may contain some fat, depending on the type of milk.

After you’ve established carbohydrate as a constituent of food and given some general examples of carbohydrate-containing foods, move on to the role carbohydrate plays in diabetes self-management. Some concepts to explain:

• It is the carbohydrate in foods that is the main contributor to the rise of blood glucose after eating. Carbohydrate counting as a meal planning approach focuses on counting the amount of the nutrient (carbohydrate) that causes the greatest rise in blood glucose levels.

• Equivalent amounts of carbohydrate from a variety of carbohydrate-containing foods raise blood glucose to about the same degree in about the same amount of time (ADA 2008b).

• There are some foods and some factors about the qualities of food that may cause them to raise blood glucose faster or slower than others.

• To help keep blood glucose in control while following a healthy meal plan, it’s important to consume healthy sources of carbohydrate in consistent amounts through the day.

• When foods that provide mainly protein (meat, fish, etc.) and fat are eaten in amounts consistent with a healthy eating plan, they raise blood glucose levels minimally.