• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Carb Counting For Protein

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
T

Tony R

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
I just wonder whether anyone adds any carbs for Proteins and if so how much?

I've definitely noticed if my son who is type 1, has a large steak or piece of chicken and I don't count for it, his levels go up a bit.

I've also noticed that some people have to allow something for eggs?
 
Tony R said:
I just wonder whether anyone adds any carbs for Proteins and if so how much?

I've definitely noticed if my son who is type 1, has a large steak or piece of chicken and I don't count for it, his levels go up a bit.

I've also noticed that some people have to allow something for eggs?
Click to expand...

Hi Tony, do you mean add insulin for protein? If so then yes I need to do this if it's just a protein snack with no carbs or mainly protein. Chicken and eggs are the worst of all for me.
 
Hi Tony,

this is something I've been battling with for a while: I have a very low carb diet and will often have an entire meal with little or no carbs for dinner (eg a salad, sliced eggs, cottage cheese and some sliced meats). Unfortunately i've yet to figure out how much, but yes I definitely find that if I eat just protein (ie no carbs) at dinner and don't give a bit of insulin, then my readings will be high the next morning. I know there are several others on here that find the same thing.

I think it will have to be trial and error as to how much 'extra' you give as I think it's person-dependent: remember always start off with too little and increase, rather than other way around, to avoid hypos 🙂
 
I have the same problem. I also can't really offer a solution as I haven't found one yet. For me, there doesn't seem to be a firm rule or trend that Xg of protein needs Y units of insulin. What I have found in particular is that the rise from protein happens about 2 hours after eating, rather than shortly after. So if I am eating a low/no-carb meal with protein, I tend to check my BG before eating, check at 2 hours and then start to correct as necessary - I usually do a correction dose +10%. It's not perfect and doesn't always work as well as I'd hope but it does just about keep a lid on things usually.

This is one of the reasons why a low/no-carb diet isn't always the instinctive right choice for a T1 - it's not always a bad choice but it doesn't necessarily make things a lot easier.
 
Interestingly, for me I find that I need the same insulin for two boiled eggs and two slices of toast as I do for a banana sandwich i.e. two slices of bread plus the carbs from the banana! :confused: This may be because my pancreas is still producing some insulin and possibly compensates for the extra carbs.
 
I find that some high protein meals seem to need far more insulin than they
'should' do. I don't use any method to bolus, just trial and experience.

There are some people who use a method called TAG total available glucose.
which takes into account carb, protein and fat. Personally, I think it's overcomplicated and I really don't want to count carbs and fat for each meal but then I mostly tend to eat meals that I know how to bolus for.

Heres' a link to a blogger who uses the method
http://kellywpa.com/2010/11/10/total-available-glucose-tag-2/
As she says, there is a 'tagers' group on Tu diabetes
 
HelenM said:
I find that some high protein meals seem to need far more insulin than they
'should' do. I don't use any method to bolus, just trial and experience.

There are some people who use a method called TAG total available glucose.
which takes into account carb, protein and fat. Personally, I think it's overcomplicated and I really don't want to count carbs and fat for each meal but then I mostly tend to eat meals that I know how to bolus for.

Heres' a link to a blogger who uses the method
http://kellywpa.com/2010/11/10/total-available-glucose-tag-2/
As she says, there is a 'tagers' group on Tu diabetes
Click to expand...

Fantasic link, I am using this method without really realisign what the hell im doing or without any maths behind it.

Through trial and error, I know what foods have this effect on me.

If for example I eat a meal high protein, and fats and in the past its made me wake to a 12, I kind of second guess the units i need at bedtime with my ratio next time i have the meal. Ie, If i decide to have a meal of chips, onion rings some batter chicken - as per the other night (You know the type, stuff out the freezer) I can guarentee Ill go to bed (After bolusing as normal for it) at 6mmol 3 hours after I ate, and wake at 12mmol (Dangerous possibly, and I wouldnt recomend if you dont have full hypo awareness) so Ill try and leave a min of 3 hours before I give me a booster rapid shot which will bring me down to a nice number. Ive been amazed how many times ive got this right as to getting it wrong.

Its allowed me to be a little naughtier a bit more often... Which Im craving for at the moment... Grrr pregnancy cravings!! (Sympathy 😉)

However the simpler solution is to eat healthier balanced meals I guess...
 
Last edited:
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top