Counting Carbohydrates: A Must for Type 1 Diabetes?

Counting carbohydrates.
For many people with type 1 diabetes, it sounds complicated, time-consuming, and sometimes just plain annoying. But what if I told you that counting carbs, once you get the hang of it, can actually make life with diabetes a little easier ?

Not by doing everything perfectly, but by better understanding what's happening in your body. Less stress, less doubt, and above all: more peace of mind .

In this blog, I'll show you how to approach carbohydrate counting in a practical way that remains feasible and suits you.

My relationship with carbs (spoiler: I love them)

Let me be honest right away: I love carbs.
A low-carb or keto diet? That wouldn't work for me.

When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2015, I was worried I'd suddenly be completely restricted from eating many things. Fortunately, I was quickly reassured: I could still eat everything, BUT I would have to be mindful of carbohydrates. I was also told I'd "master carb counting within six months."

Spoiler alert: for me, it took a lot longer .
And that was not due to a lack of effort or motivation.

Counting carbohydrates isn't a simple calculation. It's a skill, with nuances, exceptions, and above all: many learning opportunities.

One of my biggest frustrations about living with type 1 diabetes is that it's not exact math. One plus one doesn't always equal two, and that certainly applies to counting carbs.

Why counting carbohydrates is so important

Over the years, with the help of my diabetes team and a lot of research, I've learned how my body reacts in different situations. That gave me peace and confidence. But I know that not everyone receives that guidance.

I remember a time when I went out for drinks with someone who also has type 1 diabetes. We were given a small bag of chips with our drinks. I took one, and she looked at me with surprise: "Huh, are you still allowed to eat those? I'm never eating those again."

It had never been clearly explained to her that type 1 diabetes isn't about what you're "allowed" to eat, but about knowing what you're eating and adjusting your insulin accordingly. Her blood sugar was difficult to control, which is almost inevitable if you don't understand carbohydrates.

Not everyone gets that explanation from the start. And that's precisely why I'm sharing my experience.

Counting Carbohydrates in 5 Achievable Steps

Step 1: Look at your plate

Start by determining which parts of your meal contain carbohydrates .

Think about:

• bread, wraps, crackers

• pasta, rice, potatoes

• fruit

• milk and yogurt

• sweet topping

You don't have to do everything perfectly at once. Consciously observing is a first step.

Step 2: Estimate or measure your portion

In the beginning I recommend weighing as much as possible.
A kitchen scale helps you learn portion sizes.

I once even weighed my fries at the deep fryer, 315 grams for a small package. That's not always necessary, of course, but it did give me a reference for later.

For liquid products, a measuring cup is useful.
And if you don't have anything at hand, you can estimate by sight, that comes with experience.

It's not always necessary to measure perfectly. A realistic estimate is usually sufficient.

Step 3: Look up the number of carbohydrates

This can be done in several ways:

• via the nutrition label (look at total carbohydrates , not just “of which sugars”)

• via an app

• via carbohydrate tables in books

• or through experience with solid products

For example, I now know how many carbohydrates one slice of bread from my regular bakery contains. I no longer have to weigh it every time.

Step 4: Add it all together

Add up the carbohydrates of your different components.

Example:

• 2 slices of bread: 30 g

• topping: 5 g

• fruit: 15 g

👉 Total: 50 grams of carbohydrates

You use this total as the basis for your insulin dosage.

Fats and proteins also play a role (they slow down absorption), but I will discuss this in more detail in a next blog post.

Step 5: Adjust your personal insulin-to-carb ratio

Everyone has a personal insulin-to-carb ratio .
If you use a pump, it calculates a lot for you. If you use pens, you calculate it yourself.

Important:
➡️ The number of grams of carbohydrates is not equal to the number of units of insulin.

Also take into account:

• Your current blood sugar: if it's high, administer a correction bolus and wait a bit longer before eating until your insulin is working properly. If it's low and trending downward, wait a bit longer before administering your mealtime insulin.

• planned exercise: if you are going to exercise after eating, adjust your insulin dosage accordingly by giving slightly less insulin

• timing of your insulin: see also point 1

Post-processing is part of the process. This isn't an exact science.

Blood sugar is information, not judgment

Type 1 diabetes is not one size fits all.
Every body reacts differently. For example, some people's blood sugar rises after drinking coffee, even though coffee doesn't contain any carbohydrates.

Every meal is practice. It doesn't have to be perfect.

Additional resource: free cheat sheet

I've compiled these 5 steps into a handy cheat sheet you can download. This way, you'll always have something to work with.

👉 You can download it via this link: https://tinsulin.be/pages/gratis-cheat-sheet-koolhydraten-tellen-in-5-stappen

The more you use this step-by-step plan, the less you'll consciously need it. Over time, it'll become second nature.

Also watch the video

This blog is based on my first YouTube video about counting carbs.
In this video I will take you through this process with additional explanations and examples.

👉 Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/Xq0TcLmkSbw