CDE This is the second in a series of monographs brought to you by the McKinley Diabetes Team.
Carbohydrate counting is a meal-planning approach used for patients with diabetes.
Scientific evidence and clinical observations have shown that carbohydrate found in foods is the primary nutrient affecting postprandial blood glucose levels and thus, insulin and other medication requirements. Keeping carbohydrate intake stable throughout the day and consistent over time can be an important first step in good blood glucose control. Learning to adjust insulin use in response to carbohydrate intake and exercise is a more advanced form of carbohydrate counting, appropriate for patients using an insulin pump or multiple daily injections. Label reading skills can enhance carbohydrate knowledge. What carb counting does at this initial level is allow the patient to keep his carbohydrate intake stable while granting the flexibility to decide what kind of carb he wants to eat at each meal.