Your brain, blood cells, muscles, and other tissues all require an adequate supply of glucose. Carbohydrate is an important part of your diet because the most common sugar unit, glucose, is your body’s preferred source of energy or fuel. Carbohydrates include starches and sugars.ĭuring digestion, both forms of carbohydrate break down in your body to single units of sugar, called glucose. Why? Because among all the foods, carbohydrates have the largest effect on your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, it is essential to learn about carbohydrates. This is the “minimum” suggested intake for most people. * The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for carbohydrates is 130 grams per day. Protein – 10 to 35% of your daily calories.Carbohydrates – 45 to 65% of your daily calories *.The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest: A registered dietitian can help design a meal plan that is right for you. Targets depend on your calorie goals, body weight, lipid profile, blood glucose control, activity levels, and personal preferences. There is not and ideal mix of carbohydrate, protein and fat that is right for everyone. How much carbohydrate, protein and fat do I need each day? Fat, for example, has more than twice the calories, gram for gram, as equal amounts of carbohydrates or protein. However, all food is not equal in calories. To keep your body running, you need three types of food: Foods also supply us with energy, or calories. Foods supply critical vitamins and minerals essential for health. We obtain nutrition through the various foods we eat. To begin with, let’s talk about food in general. The subsequent sections provide more detailed information: The three main sources of calories in food:.This page is an overview, and you will learn general information about:

Diabetes meal planner chart