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- Sugars <\/b>are the simple sugars that are naturally found in or added to foods. They can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels because they are digested and absorbed quickly. Since they are included in the carb count, you don\u2019t need to add them to the total carb count.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
- Fibre <\/b>is a type of carbs that is undigested by the body. It does not pass from the digestive tract to the bloodstream, and so, it doesn\u2019t increase blood sugar levels. This means you have to subtract the fibre content from the total carb count<\/b>.\u00a0Fiber requirements are estimated at 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men. Although these recommendations are rarely met by the Canadian population, a high fiber intake can help reduce blood sugar levels after meals, lower blood cholesterol and constipation, and prolong the feeling of satiety between meals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So, to calculate the number of carbohydrates to consider for a food, we subtract fiber from the carbohydrates shown on the label, and ignore simple sugars.<\/b><\/p>\n
For instance, if you eat 2 slices of bread containing 31 g of carbohydrates, which include 3 g of fiber (as shown on the label below), you’ll need to factor in 28 g (31 g minus 3 g) of carbohydrates to determine your insulin dose.<\/p>\n
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Sugar substitutes<\/b><\/h2>\n
The use of certain sugar substitutes is authorized by Health Canada. These are products that impart a sweet taste to foods without causing a significant rise in blood sugar levels. Sugar substitutes on the market include aspartame, stevia and sucralose. These do not appear on the nutrition label and should therefore not be considered when calculating carbohydrates.<\/p>\n
However, polyalcohols or sugar alcohols<\/b> (e.g., maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol) are indicated on the nutrition label and counted as part of the total carbohydrate count. Some recommendations suggest subtracting the entire amount from the carbohydrate count on the label, while others recommend subtracting half.\u00a0 In fact, this type of sugar substitute is partially absorbed by the body and can contribute to a rise in blood sugar levels. It’s up to you to see what effect polyalcohols have on your blood sugar levels, and to adjust your calculation accordingly. Remember that an excessive consumption of polyalcohols can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort and laxative effects<\/b>.<\/p>\n
In the label below, a 42 g cookie contains 15 g of carbohydrates. You need to subtract the 2 g of fiber, as well as some or all of the polyalcohols. If you decide to subtract half the polyalcohols (8 g \/ 2 = 4 g), your total carbohydrate amount for the cookie will be 9 g (15 g – 2 g fiber – 4 g polyalcohols). If the polyalcohols have no effect on your blood sugar, you can also subtract them altogether. The total carbohydrate count for this cookie would then be 5 g (15 g – 2 g fiber – 8 g polyalcohols).<\/p>\n\n
<\/h2>\nOther packaging information<\/b><\/h2>\n
Watch out for certain marketing tricks. Some companies use \u201cno sugar added\u201d on their packaging, but this does not mean that the food is carb-free.<\/b> It simply means that no sugar was added to those naturally found in the food.<\/p>\n
Other claims can also be found on food packaging. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n
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- Gluten-free:<\/b> This information can be very useful for people who have celiac disease<\/a>. However, there is no indication or recommendation that says you should limit your gluten intake if you have not been diagnosed with that disease.\u00a0Moreover, gluten-free products generally contain less fiber, so their carbohydrates are absorbed more quickly than their gluten-free equivalents<\/b>.<\/li>\n
- Organic:<\/b> The word \u201corganic\u201d means that the food item was produced without using pesticides, antibiotics or hormones. However, this does not change its nutritional value. An organic cookie could very well have the same amount of carbs than a non-organic cookie.<\/li>\n
- Natural:<\/b> The term \u201cnatural\u201d is very vague and not formally regulated by Health\u00a0Canada. It means that, at some point in the food\u2019s manufacturing process, one or several natural ingredients were used. Almost any food could be considered natural, and this is definitely not a guarantee of good nutritional value.<\/li>\n
- Low in sodium and\/or fat:<\/b> This information is very useful if your healthcare team has recommended that you reduce your salt or fat intake. However, this does not affect the amount of carbohydrates contained in either product. So be sure to check the nutrition label.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you feel overwhelmed by all this information and are having a hard time adapting your diet to T1D, please don\u2019t hesitate to talk to a nutritionist or dietician.<\/p>\n
Some apps can also be useful for finding the nutritional value of certain foods. We’ve put together a list of these apps, with their positive and negative points, to help you make your choice. Find the list here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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References:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
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- Diab\u00e8te Qu\u00e9bec. (n.d.). Food labels. https:\/\/www.diabete.qc.ca\/en\/diabetes\/diabetes-management\/diet\/food-labels\/<\/a><\/li>\n
- Brazeau, A. S., et al.<\/em> (2013). Carbohydrate counting accuracy and blood glucose variability in adults with type\u00a01 diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice<\/i>, 99(1), 19\u201323. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.diabres.2012.10.024 <\/a><\/li>\n
- G\u00f6k\u015fen, D., et al<\/i>. (2014). Effects of Carbohydrate Counting Method on Metabolic Control in Children with Type\u00a01 Diabetes Mellitus. Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology<\/i>, 74\u201378. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4274\/jcrpe.1191 <\/a><\/li>\n
- Govermetnt of Canada. Sugar substitutes. Page consulted on October 12th, 2023. https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/food-nutrition\/food-safety\/food-additives\/sugar-substitutes.html<\/a><\/li>\n
- Diab\u00e8te Qu\u00e9bec. (2007). Le calcul des glucides. Page consulted on October 16th, 2023. [in French only].\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/www.diabete.qc.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Calcul-glucides-1un-ng-4.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n
- Diab\u00e8te Qu\u00e9bec. Sugar substitutes. Page consulted on October 19th, 2023. https:\/\/www.diabete.qc.ca\/en\/diabetes\/diabetes-management\/diet\/sugar-substitutes\/<\/a><\/li>\n
- American Diabetes Association. Page consulted on October 19th, 2023. https:\/\/diabetes.org\/food-nutrition\/understanding-carbs\/get-to-know-carbs<\/a><\/li>\n
- Fallabel, C., & *, N. (2021). Don’t Be Deceived: How Food Labels Mislead. Diabetes Daily<\/em>. https:\/\/www.diabetesdaily.com\/blog\/dont-be-deceived-how-food-labels-mislead-686979\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
- Brazeau, A. S., et al.<\/em> (2013). Carbohydrate counting accuracy and blood glucose variability in adults with type\u00a01 diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice<\/i>, 99(1), 19\u201323. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.diabres.2012.10.024 <\/a><\/li>\n
- Organic:<\/b> The word \u201corganic\u201d means that the food item was produced without using pesticides, antibiotics or hormones. However, this does not change its nutritional value. An organic cookie could very well have the same amount of carbs than a non-organic cookie.<\/li>\n
- Fibre <\/b>is a type of carbs that is undigested by the body. It does not pass from the digestive tract to the bloodstream, and so, it doesn\u2019t increase blood sugar levels. This means you have to subtract the fibre content from the total carb count<\/b>.\u00a0Fiber requirements are estimated at 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men. Although these recommendations are rarely met by the Canadian population, a high fiber intake can help reduce blood sugar levels after meals, lower blood cholesterol and constipation, and prolong the feeling of satiety between meals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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