Author:
John Stephens
Date Of Creation:
27 January 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
There are many reasons why we want to reduce our carbohydrate (or carbs) consumption. People with type 2 diabetes have to balance the need to add carbohydrates to the body, and also limit carbohydrate consumption to regulate blood sugar. Some people control their carbohydrates to create a balanced diet that includes only healthy foods. Whatever the reason, there are steps you can take to effectively reduce your carbohydrate intake while keeping the essential nutrients in check.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Reduce Carbohydrate Consumption
Learn about foods that provide carbohydrates (carbs). Carbs come from many different sources. However, when it comes to food, carbs are divided into two categories: processed carbs (simple carbs) and natural carbs (complex carbs). Natural carbs are found in grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts and beans. Complex carbs break down longer than refined and simple carbs - the ones found in flour and sugar.
- Simple sources of carbohydrates include bread and pasta, muffins, cakes, candies, cookies, and sugary drinks.
- In general, complex carbs are better because food sources that provide complex carbs often contain vitamins, minerals, protein and many other nutritional values, while simple carbs do not. The fiber content in complex carbohydrates also helps to regulate blood sugar.
Avoid or reduce your consumption of processed grains. White bread, white rice and flour are not only less nutritious but also increase the amount of simple carbs in your daily diet. Fiber from whole grains (in small amounts) should be consumed to prevent spikes in blood sugar.
Avoid sugar and sweets. Desserts, cakes, sugary drinks and other sweets, while they taste great, contain very few nutrients and significantly increase the amount of carbs in your diet. If you have a sweet craving, eat fresh or frozen fruit.- If possible, use an alternative sweetener instead of the regular sweetener.
Limit starch consumption. Eat plenty of vegetables, but limit your intake of potatoes, corn and other starchy foods. For example, about 140 grams of baked potatoes contain 30 grams of carbs.- Eat low-carb vegetables and dark green vegetables every day. Not only are these foods low in carbs but they also provide a lot of nutritional value.
- Some starchy and carbs include beets, peas, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and some pumpkins.
Eat meat, fish and poultry. A low-carb diet will replenish the calories from carbs lost with calories from high-protein foods. Many red meats are low in carbs, but loaded with protein. Fish and poultry are also ideal options, not only containing many nutrients but also creating a feeling of fullness, thereby helping to satisfy your carb cravings.
Bake instead of frying. Avoid battering and frying meat and vegetables. Frying flour contains excess carbohydrates. To add flavor to your dish, you can use herbs and spices to bake. Alternatively, you can use a mixture of eggs and ground bran powder to create a crisp, delicious coating for grilled fish or roast chicken.
Limit portion sizes. You should understand the difference between a piece of cake and a piece of cake, so that you can know the exact amount in a portion. Diet restriction helps you enjoy more foods without fear of consuming more carbs. Also, measuring foods before they are processed is also very helpful. For example, you can weigh 110-170 g of raw chicken before you cook it to ensure the correct amount in your diet. advertisement
Method 2 of 2: Use Strategy to Maintain Low Carbohydrate Consumption
Calculate the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you want to eat. According to the American Dietary Guidelines, carbohydrates make up 45-65% of the calories in the standard daily diet. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, 900-1,300 calories come from carbs.
- A low-carb diet means reducing your carb consumption by about 240-520 calories, or 60-130 carbs per day.
Consult your doctor or dietitian. To be safe, before changing your diet, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian. The results of blood tests, kidney disease and other factors will determine how you cut down on carbs.
Check product labels. If you cut back on carbohydrates on purpose, be sure to check food labels when you buy them. Try to make a balanced food selection to cut down on your desired carb content appropriately.
- When buying food, in addition to the number of grams of carbs and calories from carbs, you should look at the carb "servings" listed on the label. One carb serving is equivalent to 15 g of carbs. However, each serving is often inaccurate because numbers are not listed as fractions or decimals. Typically, foods containing 8-22 g of carbs will be listed as one serving.
Use a food's glycemic index (GI). The GI helps you determine the carbohydrate content of a variety of foods, including raw and processed foods. The GI gives information about the calculated carbohydrate content, thus making the carb calculation easier. This metric helps you to plan each meal with healthy carbs, and avoid consuming too many carbs in a single serving.
- You can find other articles on how to use the glycemic index of foods.
Consider any dietary changes you can maintain. It is advisable to skip the rapid weight loss diets that you can only use for 1-2 months and become impatient. Many high-protein and low-carb diets are difficult to adopt over the long term. Instead, adopt a diet that you can easily maintain.
Be aware of potential complications. Fat supplements from high-protein foods can lead to many problems with carbs, such as high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease. Limiting carbohydrate intake for a long time can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, bone damage, and digestive disorders.
- Strict carbohydrate restriction (less than 2 g per day) can also lead to ketosis in the body. This process occurs when the body doesn't have enough sugar (glucose) to produce energy. So in order to function, the body will begin to break down stored fat. Side effects include nausea, headache, and physical and mental fatigue.
Advice
- See a professional dietitian for more help setting up your diet. A registered dietitian can help you create a diet that helps control carbohydrate intake, balance the need for other nutrients and prevent excessive fat and cholesterol intake.
- Diabetics do not have to cut carbs too much as required. Hyperglycemia, followed by hypoglycemia, is the main cause of the disease. Stabilizing your carbohydrate intake and combining carbohydrates with protein and fat will help maintain blood sugar levels. Always check your blood sugar about 1 or 2 hours after eating to see the effect of food on blood sugar. From there, you can set up the right diet.
Warning
- This article only provides certain nutritional information and is not medical advice, especially in the case of changing your diet to control type 2 diabetes. Consult your doctor first. when making decisions that affect my illness.
- Reducing your carbohydrate intake can decrease muscle flexibility and panic disorder if you have back problems.
