how much carbs per meal?

[Carina1962]

I'm Type 2. I find that if i measure 30g approx of carbs per meal then my BS level 2 hour post-meals seem to be OK but is this different for everyone? that is only approx a daily amount of 90g a day of carbs which doesn't sound a lot does it? what is it they recommend? about 150g per day? thankfully i'll be going to a DESMOND course soon so i hope to be more 'educated' on carb intake.

 

[Tezzz]

Hi Carina,

I read somewhere that (for a T2) we should try and keep our BG to below 7.8 mmol/L. (Healthy Blood Sugar Targets off that BloodSugar101 site again)

So what I did was to keep a diary.

I write down my post meal BG and what I eat. If it's below 8 then OK, if higher I make a mental note to cut down on the carbs till BG is below 8. Once I can repeat a meal and the numbers are below 8 I don't test as I assume I'll be below 8, saving strips.

 

[Caroline]

We are all different and the targets are different for all of us. When it is cold we also need to eat more to keep warm.

The best thing to do is probably test and keep a track of what affects you most. The diary idea is a good one as it can also be taken to docs/clinic if you want to ask for more help.

 

[vince13]

I'm Type 2. I find that if i measure 30g approx of carbs per meal then my BS level 2 hour post-meals seem to be OK but is this different for everyone? that is only approx a daily amount of 90g a day of carbs which doesn't sound a lot does it? what is it they recommend? about 150g per day? thankfully i'll be going to a DESMOND course soon so i hope to be more 'educated' on carb intake.

I'm LADA but until I go onto insulin I'm being treated as a Type 2 so I recently went on a DESMOND course and I think you will find that they tell you - as a Type 2 - don't bother with carb counting.........at least that was the message I got from the group meeting I went to. They do bang on about "healthy eating" (the same as the NHS usual diabetic guidelines do) but there was no mention of restricting carbs affecting your blood sugars for the better - but we know that's not quite correct don't we ?

Good luck with whatever you are doing though as it seems to be working for you.

 

[Vanessa]

Carina, have a look at this

http://www.joslin.org/docs/Nutrition_Guideline_Graded.pdf

I use it as ammunition with those that tell me that the carb advice from the NHS is ok! It is a clinical guideline from a respected medical authority and so overcomes the "off the web" criticism. Others on here clearly have great success with less carbs than the minimum of 130g recommended by Joslin Centre so personally I say go with what works for you as an individual

Since coming off the gliclazide just before Xmas I've been reviewing my diet to see what I can manage - typical diabetes as just when you think you've got it figured then something changes! Like you I find about 30-35g chd per meal keeps me within the NICE limits of fasting 4-7 and 2 hours post meal <8.5 which are the figures my health care team recognise. I find that I can have a mid morning and mid afternoon snack of about 20g chd too - that is as long as the carbs come predominantly from fruit, vegetables, borlotti beans or pumpkin seed and oat ryvita. Even 30g chd if it is multi-seeded bread is likely to send me above 8.5