Newly diagnosed diabetics may find this task daunting, but it is simply about a healthy diet and portion control. GERALDINE LING reports
Count von Count, that lovable mad-about-maths character from the popular children's programme Sesame Street, will surely appreciate carbohydrate counting, a useful tool for diabetics to keep tabs on their carbohydrate intake.
However, not all diabetics, especially those who have just been diagnosed, may be so gung-ho.
"Having to learn about the diabetic diet soon after the diagnosis is hardly pleasant, but the good news is that it's just a healthy diet that includes some guidelines on portion control," said dietitian Anna Jacob.
Carbohydrate counting is easier than it appears, she added.
The amount of carbohydrates that a diabetic can have at each meal and snack can be likened to one's monetary allowance.
Ms Lock Poh Leng, a senior dietitian at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, said that people with diabetes can choose how to spend this carbohydrate allowance.
For example, for a 60g of carbohydrate lunch allowance, one can have a choice of a bowl of noodle soup or a bowl of rice or four slices of wholemeal bread. This can be consumed with adequate protein and fat-containing foods and non-starchy vegetables, she said.
Initially, one may have to constantly refer to tables that show the carbohydrate content of each food.
However, Ms Jacob said that over time, most people will remember the carbohydrate counts of frequently eaten foods.
For those who still find it a chore to keep tabs, she has some tips:
Try and memorise the contents of a few frequently eaten carbohydrates. For example, a bowl of rice has 45g of carbohydrates and a teaspoon of sugar has 4g. This helps to reduce the time taken to refer to carbohydrate tables.
Visually remembering the exact portion that one has been recommended to eat for a meal helps too. This will help you to "eyeball" the correct portion when eating out.
It is useful to carry a carbohydrate table with you in case you order an item that you do not eat regularly.
If you do not have one, log on to a reliable website to check a food's carbohydrate content. Some websites that Ms Jacob recommended are http://hpb.gov.sg/healthtools/default.aspx for local food and http://fnic.nal.usda.gov for others.
Keeping tabs on carbohydrates does not mean that one can eat protein or fat to one's heart's content.
While protein is an important part of the diet, overloading on it is detrimental. As the body cannot store protein, any excess is converted to fat. Obesity makes diabetes even harder to control, said Ms Jacob.
Having diabetes predisposes a person to conditions like hypertension and hyperlipidemia – both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Therefore, individuals with diabetes need to make healthier food choices when they plan their meals and snacks, she said.
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For expert advice on adult nutrition, please contact Abbott Nutrition Careline at 6278–6220.
