What is one bread unit equal to? Bread units for diabetes: how many are possible and how to calculate them correctly
With type 1 diabetes, it is important to know what dose of insulin to take after meals. The patient has to constantly monitor the diet, check whether a certain product is suitable for nutrition when severe defeat pancreas. You need to be especially careful when calculating the norm of “ultra-short” and “short” insulin for injections before meals.
Bread units for diabetics - a system that makes it easy to calculate how many carbohydrates come with food. Special tables contain the name of the product and the volume or quantity corresponding to 1 XE.
general information
One unit of bread corresponds to 10 to 12 g of carbohydrates, which are absorbed by the body. In the USA, 1 XE is 15 g of carbohydrates. The name “bread” unit is not accidental: the standard - carbohydrate content in 25 g of bread - is a piece about 1 cm thick, divided into two parts.
Tables of bread units are used all over the world. Diabetics from different countries can easily calculate the amount of carbohydrates for a single meal.
The use of the international XE system eliminates the tedious procedure of weighing products before eating: each item has an amount of XE for a certain weight. For example, 1 XE is a glass of milk, 90 g walnuts, 10 g sugar, 1 medium persimmon.
How large quantity carbohydrates (in terms of bread units) a diabetic is going to receive during the next meal, the higher the insulin rate to “suppress” the postprandial level. The more carefully a patient takes into account XE for a particular product, the lower the risk of glucose surges.
To stabilize indicators and prevent a hyperglycemic crisis, you also need to know the GI or. The indicator is needed to understand how quickly blood sugar can rise when eating the selected type of food. Items with “fast” carbohydrates that are of little health benefit have a high GI, while those with “slow” carbohydrates have low and average glycemic index values.
IN different countries 1 XE has some differences in the designation: “carbohydrate” or “starch” unit, but this fact does not affect the amount of carbohydrates for the standard value.
Why is the XE table needed?
With insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes, the patient faces many difficulties in creating the optimal menu. For many, eating turns into torture: you need to know what foods affect the level, how much of this or that item you can eat. You need to be especially careful with the amount of carbohydrates.
Determining bread units for each type of food allows you to eat correctly in order to prevent sharp increase blood sugar values. Just look at the table to quickly calculate how many carbohydrates your body will receive at lunch or breakfast. The special XE system allows you to choose the optimal nutrition option without exceeding the daily carbohydrate limit.
On a note! When determining bread units, you need to take into account the type of heat treatment and method of cooking. Steamed fish does not contain carbohydrates; conversion to XE is not necessary, but a piece of pollock, rolled in flour and lightly fried in vegetable oil, must be taken into account when calculating the amount of carbohydrates. The same situation is with cutlets: the combination of beef with pork, flour, and a small amount of bread requires taking into account carbohydrates according to the XE table, even with the steam cooking method.
How many units of bread should you receive per day?
There is no standard XE norm. When selecting the optimal amount of carbohydrates and total food volume, it is important to consider:
- age (older people have a slower metabolism);
- lifestyle (sedentary work or physical activity);
- sugar level (severity);
- presence or absence extra pounds(with obesity, the XE rate decreases).
Limit norm for normal weight:
- for sedentary work - up to 15 XE;
- at high physical activity- up to 30 HE.
Limit values for obesity:
- with a lack of movement, sedentary work - from 10 to 13 XE;
- engaging in heavy physical labor - up to 25 HE;
- moderate physical activity- up to 17 HE.
Many doctors recommend following a balanced but low-carbohydrate diet. The main nuance is that the number of bread units with this approach to nutrition is reduced to 2.5-3 XE. With this system, the patient receives from 0.7 to 1 bread unit at one time. With a small amount of carbohydrates, the patient consumes more vegetables, lean meat, lean fish, fruits, leafy greens. Combination of proteins with vitamins and vegetable fats meets the body's energy needs and nutrients. Many diabetics who use a low-carbohydrate diet notice a decrease in sugar concentration after a week when tested using a glucometer and in the laboratory of a medical institution. It is important to have a glucometer at home to constantly monitor your glucose levels.
Go to the address and see the table of foods rich in iodine for the thyroid gland.
XE table for products of different categories
For each patient, the endocrinologist indicates the optimal carbohydrate intake, taking into account the factors listed in the previous section. The more calories a diabetic spends during the day, the higher daily norm XE, but not more than the limit values for a certain category.
Tables of bread units should always be on hand. It is necessary to observe the ratio of the weight of the product and XE: if “medium apple” is indicated, then a large fruit has a larger number of bread units. The same situation is with any product: an increase in the quantity or volume of a particular type of food also increases XE.
| Name | Amount of food type per 1 bread unit |
| Milk and dairy products | |
| Yogurt, curdled milk, kefir, milk, cream | 250 ml or 1 glass |
| Sweet curd mass without raisins | 100 g |
| Curd mass with raisins and sugar | 40 g |
| Syrniki | One medium |
| Condensed milk | 110 ml |
| Lazy dumplings | From 2 to 4 pieces |
| Porridge, pasta, potatoes, bread | |
| Boiled pasta (all types) | 60 g |
| Muesli | 4 tbsp. l. |
| baked potato | 1 medium sized tuber |
| Mashed potatoes with milk and butter or water | 2 tablespoons |
| Potatoes boiled in their jackets | |
| Boiled porridge (all types) | 2 tbsp. l. |
| French fries | 12 pieces |
| Potato chips | 25 g |
| Bakery products | |
| Breadcrumbs | 1 tbsp. l. |
| Rye and white bread | 1 piece |
| Diabetic bread | 2 pieces |
| Vanilla crackers | 2 pieces |
| Dry cookies and crackers | 15 g |
| Gingerbread | 40 g |
| Sweets | |
| Regular and diabetic honey | 1 tbsp. l. |
| Sorbitol, fructose | 12 g |
| Sunflower halva | 30 g |
| Rafinated sugar | Three pieces |
| Diabetic confiture with sweeteners | 25 g |
| Diabetic chocolate | Third part of the tile |
| Berries | |
| Black currant | 180 g |
| Gooseberry | 150 g |
| Blueberry | 90 g |
| Strawberries, raspberries and red currants | 200 g |
| Grapes (different varieties) | 70 g |
| Fruits, melons, citrus | |
| Orange without peel | 130 g |
| Pears | 90 g |
| Watermelon with rind | 250 g |
| Peaches 140 g | Medium fruit |
| Pitted red plums | 110 g |
| Melon with rind | 130 g |
| Banana peeled | 60 g |
| Sweet cherries and pitted cherries | 100 and 110 g |
| Persimmon | Medium sized fruit |
| Tangerines | Two or three pieces |
| Apples (all varieties) | Medium fruit |
| Meat products, sausages | |
| Dumplings Medium size | Medium size, 4 pieces |
| Baked meat pies | ½ pie |
| ½ pie | 1 piece (medium size) |
| Boiled sausage, wieners and frankfurters | |
| Vegetables | |
| Pumpkin, zucchini and carrots | 200 g |
| Beetroot, cauliflower | 150 g |
| White cabbage | 250 g |
| Nuts and dried fruits | |
| Almonds, pistachios and pine | 60 g |
| Forest and walnut | 90 g |
| Cashew | 40 g |
| Unshelled peanuts | 85 g |
| Prunes, figs, raisins, dates, dried apricots - all types of dried fruits | 20 g |
The table shows foods containing carbohydrates. Many diabetics wonder why there is no fish or meat here. These types of food practically do not contain carbohydrates, but they must be included in the diet for insulin-dependent diabetes as a source of proteins, vitamins, useful acids, minerals and trace elements.
With type 1 diabetes, many patients are afraid to eat carbohydrates to prevent a sharp increase in sugar levels. This approach to nutrition deprives the body of many valuable substances. The XE table for diabetics will help you get optimal quantity carbohydrates without harm to health. There is no need to weigh foods: just find the desired name in the table and add up the amount of carbohydrates from all types of food for the daily menu. Be sure to take into account the maximum XE rate for people who are sedentary and active image life.
I hope this article helps someone!
What are Bread Units and what are they “eaten with”?
When compiling a daily menu, you should consider only those foods that increase blood sugar levels. U healthy person The pancreas produces the required amount of insulin in response to food intake. As a result, blood sugar levels do not rise. With diabetes, in order to maintain optimal blood sugar levels, we are forced to administer insulin (or glucose-lowering drugs) from the outside, independently changing the dose depending on what and how much the person has eaten. That’s why it’s important to learn how to correctly count those foods that increase blood sugar.
How to do it?
You don't have to weigh your food every time! Scientists studied the products and compiled a table of their carbohydrate content or Bread Units - XE for people with diabetes.
1 XE is the amount of product that contains 10 g of carbohydrates. In other words, according to the XE system, those foods that belong to the group that increase blood sugar levels are calculated - these are
Cereals (bread, buckwheat, oats, millet, pearl barley, rice, pasta, vermicelli),
fruits and fruit juices,
milk, kefir and other liquid dairy products (except low-fat cottage cheese),
as well as some varieties of vegetables - potatoes, corn (beans and peas - in large quantities).
but of course, chocolate, cookies, candies are certainly limited in the daily diet, lemonade and sugar in pure form- should be strictly limited in the diet and used only in case of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
The degree of cooking will also affect your blood sugar level. For example, mashed potatoes will raise your blood sugar levels faster than boiled or fried potatoes. Apple juice gives a faster rise in blood sugar compared to eating an apple, just like polished rice than unpolished rice. Fats and cold foods slow down the absorption of glucose, and salt speeds it up.
For the convenience of preparing a diet, there are special tables of Bread Units, which provide data on the amount of various carbohydrate-containing products containing 1 XE (I will give it below).
It is very important to learn how to determine the amount of XE in the foods you eat!
There are a number of foods that do not affect blood sugar levels:
these are vegetables - any type of cabbage, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers (except potatoes and corn),
greens (sorrel, dill, parsley, lettuce, etc.), mushrooms,
creamy and vegetable oil, mayonnaise and lard,
as well as fish, meat, poultry, eggs and products made from them, cheese and cottage cheese,
nuts in small quantities (up to 50 g).
A slight rise in sugar is given by beans, peas and beans in small quantities as a side dish (up to 7 tbsp. l)
How many meals should you have during the day?
There must be 3 main meals, and intermediate meals, so-called snacks from 1 to 3, are also possible, i.e. There can be a total of 6 meals. When using ultra-short insulins (Novorapid, Humalog), it is possible to avoid snacking. This is acceptable if there is no hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when skipping a snack.
In order to correlate the amount of digestible carbohydrates consumed with the dose of short-acting insulin administered,
a system of grain units was developed.
- 1XE = 10-12 g of digestible carbohydrates
- For 1 XE, 1 to 4 units of short (food) insulin are required
- On average, 1 XE requires 2 units of short-acting insulin
- Everyone has their own need for insulin per 1 XE.
Determine it using a self-monitoring diary- Bread units should be counted by eye, without weighing the products
To do this, we need to return to the topic “Rational nutrition”, calculate daily calorie content of your diet, taking 55 or 60% of it, determine the number of kilocalories that should come from carbohydrates.
Then, dividing this value by 4 (since 1g of carbohydrates gives 4 kcal), we get the daily amount of carbohydrates in grams. Knowing that 1 XE is equal to 10 grams of carbohydrates, we divide the resulting daily amount of carbohydrates by 10 and get the daily amount of XE.
For example, if you are a man and work physically at a construction site, then your daily caloric intake is 1800 kcal,
60% of it is 1080 kcal. Dividing 1080 kcal by 4 kcal gives you 270 grams of carbohydrates.
Dividing 270 grams by 12 grams, we get 22.5 XE.
For a woman working physically - 1200 - 60% = 720: 4 = 180: 12 = 15 XE
Standard for adult woman and in order not to gain weight - 12 HE. Breakfast - 3XE, lunch - 3XE, dinner - 3XE and snacks 1 XE
How to distribute these units throughout the day?
Considering the presence of 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), the bulk of carbohydrates should be distributed between them,
taking into account the principles rational nutrition(more in the first half of the day, less in the evening)
and, of course, taking into account your appetite.
It should be borne in mind that it is not recommended to eat more than 7 XE at one meal, since the more carbohydrates you eat at one meal, the higher the rise in glycemia will be and the dose will increase short insulin.
And the dose of short-term, “food” insulin, administered once, should not be more than 14 units.
Thus, the approximate distribution of carbohydrates between main meals could be as follows:
- 3 XE for breakfast (for example, oatmeal - 4 tablespoons (2 XE); sandwich with cheese or meat (1 XE); unsweetened cottage cheese with green tea or coffee with sweeteners).
- Lunch - 3 XE: fresh cabbage soup with sour cream (not counted according to XE) with 1 slice of bread (1 XE), pork chop or fish with vegetable salad in vegetable oil, without potatoes, corn and legumes (not counted according to XE), mashed potatoes - 4 tablespoons (2 XE), a glass of unsweetened compote
- Dinner - 3 XE: vegetable omelette of 3 eggs and 2 tomatoes (do not count according to XE) with 1 slice of bread (1 XE), 1 glass of sweet yoghurt (2 XE).
Thus, the total is 9 XE. “Where are the other 3 HE?” - you ask.
The remaining XE can be used for so-called snacks between main meals and at night. For example, 2 XE in the form of 1 banana can be eaten 2.5 hours after breakfast, 1 XE in the form of an apple - 2.5 hours after lunch and 1 XE at night, at 22.00, when you introduce your “night” extended-release insulin .
The break between breakfast and lunch should be 5 hours, and the same between lunch and dinner.
After the main meal, 2.5 hours later there should be a snack = 1 XE
Are intermediate meals and nighttime meals required for all people taking insulin?
Not required for everyone. Everything is individual and depends on your insulin therapy regimen. Very often we have to deal with a situation where people have had a heavy breakfast or lunch and don’t want to eat at all 3 hours after eating, but, remembering the recommendations to have a snack at 11.00 and 16.00, they forcefully “stuff” XE into themselves and increase their glucose levels.
Intermediate meals are required for those who are at increased risk of hypoglycemia 3 hours after eating. This usually happens when, in addition to short-acting insulin, long-acting insulin is administered in the morning, and the higher the dose, the more likely hypoglycemia is at this time (the time when the maximum effect of short-acting insulin accumulates and the onset of action of long-acting insulin).
After lunch, when long-acting insulin is at its peak of action and overlaps with the peak of action of short-acting insulin administered before lunch, the likelihood of hypoglycemia also increases and to prevent it, taking 1-2 XE is necessary. At night, at 22-23.00, when you administer long-acting insulin, have a snack in the amount of 1-2 XE ( slow-digesting) for the prevention of hypoglycemia is needed if glycemia at this time is less than 6.3 mmol/l.
When glycemia is above 6.5-7.0 mmol/l, a snack at night can lead to morning hyperglycemia, since there is not enough “night” insulin.
Intermediate meals intended to prevent hypoglycemia during the day and at night should be no more than 1-2 XE, otherwise instead of hypoglycemia you will get hyperglycemia.
For intermediate meals taken with for preventive purposes in an amount of no more than 1-2 XE, no additional insulin is administered.
Much is said about grain units in detail.
But why do you need to be able to count them? Let's look at an example.
Let's say you have a glucometer and measure your blood glucose before meals. For example, you, as always, injected 12 units of insulin prescribed by your doctor, ate a bowl of porridge and drank a glass of milk. Yesterday you also administered the same dose and ate the same porridge and drank the same milk, and tomorrow you must do the same.
Why? Because as soon as you deviate from your usual diet, your glycemic indicators immediately change, and they are not ideal anyway. If you are a literate person and know how to count XE, then changes in your diet are not scary for you. Knowing that for 1 XE on average there are 2 units of short-acting insulin and knowing how to count XE, you can vary the composition of the diet, and therefore the dose of insulin at your discretion, without compromising diabetes compensation. This means that today you can eat porridge for breakfast for 4 XE (8 tbsp), 2 slices of bread (2 XE) with cheese or meat and inject 12 units of short insulin into these 6 XE and get good result glycemia.
Tomorrow morning, if you don’t have an appetite, you can limit yourself to a cup of tea with 2 sandwiches (2 XE) and inject only 4 units of short-acting insulin, and still get a good glycemic result. That is, the bread unit system helps to administer exactly as much short-term insulin as is necessary for the absorption of carbohydrates, no more (which is fraught with hypoglycemia) and no less (which is fraught with hyperglycemia), and maintain good compensation for diabetes.
Foods that can be consumed without restrictions
all vegetables except potatoes and corn
- cabbage (all types)
- cucumbers
- leaf lettuce
- greenery
- tomatoes
- pepper
- zucchini
- eggplants
- beet
- carrot
- green beans
- radish, radish, turnip - green peas (young)
- spinach, sorrel
- mushrooms
- tea, coffee without sugar and cream
- mineral water
- drinks with sweeteners
Vegetables can be consumed raw, boiled, baked, or pickled.
The use of fats (butter, mayonnaise, sour cream) in preparing vegetable dishes should be minimal.
Foods to eat in moderation
- lean meat
- Not fatty fish
- milk and dairy products(low-fat)
- cheeses less than 30% fat
- cottage cheese less than 5% fat
- potato
- corn
- mature legume grains (peas, beans, lentils)
- cereals
- pasta
- bread and bakery products(not rich)
- fruits
- eggs
"Moderate amount" means half of your usual serving.
Products that need to be excluded or limited as much as possible
- butter
- vegetable oil*
- salo
- sour cream, cream
- cheeses with more than 30% fat content
- cottage cheese with more than 5% fat content
- mayonnaise
- fatty meat, smoked meats
- sausages
- fatty fish
- poultry skin
- canned meat, fish and vegetable in oil
- nuts, seeds
- sugar, honey
- preserves, jams
- candies, chocolate
- pastries, cakes, etc. confectionery
- cookies, pastry products
- ice cream
- sweet drinks (Coca-Cola, Fanta)
- alcoholic drinks
If possible, avoid cooking food such as frying.
Try to use cookware that allows you to cook food without adding fat.
* - vegetable oil is a necessary part of the daily diet, but it is enough to consume it in very small quantities.
Calculation of the amount of XE in the finished product:
Calculation of bread units of a product in factory packaging is very simple.
All factory products indicate the amount of carbohydrates in 100 g of products,
which must be divided by 12 and multiplied by the weight of the package.
Let's get the amount of XE in a given product package. Then simply divide by XE
To calculate bread units in a restaurant or in the home kitchen you need: a recipe for a prepared dish, a table of bread units, a calculator.
For example, we took 9 tablespoons of flour (1 tablespoon = 1 bread unit, 9 in total), 1 glass of milk (1 bread unit), 1 tablespoon sunflower oil(no XE), 1 egg (no XE). We baked 10 pancakes. This means 1 pancake = 1 unit of bread.
Or, for example, one cutlet (70 g) consists of meat and bread, rolled in flour and sprinkled with breadcrumbs. It turns out that one cutlet = 1 bread unit.
Thus, to summarize, we can draw the following conclusion that nutrition at diabetes mellitus- this is not the maximum restriction of everything edible, as it seems at first glance.
Such food can be not only healthy and dietary, but also tasty and varied!
Table of bread units
| Dairy | ||
|---|---|---|
| The product's name | Quantity per 1 XE | Volume, weight per 1 XE |
| Milk | 1 glass | 200 ml |
| Baked milk | 1 glass | 200 ml |
| Kefir | 1 glass | 250 ml |
| Kefir bifidok | 1 glass | 250 ml |
| Acidophilus sweet | 1/2 cup | 100 ml |
| Natural unsweetened yogurt (bio) | 1 glass | 250 ml |
| Fruit yoghurt | 75-100 g | |
| Cream | 1 glass | 200 ml |
| Buttermilk | 1 glass | 300 ml |
| Curdled milk | 1 glass | 200 ml |
| Ryazhenka | 1 glass | 200 ml |
| Milk ice cream (without glaze and waffles) | 65 g | |
| Creamy ice cream (in glaze and waffles) | 50 g | |
| Condensed milk without sugar (can volume 400g) | 1/3 can | 130 g |
| Powdered milk in powder | 1 tbsp. spoon | 30 g |
| Cheesecake medium (with sugar) | 1 piece | 75 g |
| Sweet curd mass (without glaze and raisins) | 100 g | |
| Children's glazed cheese curds | 2/3 pieces | 35 g |
| Curd mass with raisins (sweet) | 35-40 g | |
| Cereals, cereals, flour products | ||
| The product's name | Quantity per 1 XE | Volume, weight per 1 XE |
| Rye bread from wholemeal flour | 1 piece 1.5 cm thick | 35 g |
| White, gray bread (except butter bread) | 1 piece 1 cm thick | 20 g |
| Black bread | 1 piece 1 cm thick | 25 g |
| Bran bread | 1 piece 1.3 cm thick | 30 g |
| Borodinsky, Riga, aromatic bread | 1 piece 0.6 cm thick | 15 g |
| Rye bread | 1 piece 1 cm thick | 25 g |
| Crispbread | 2 pieces | 20 g |
| Breadsticks | quantity depends on size | 20 g |
| Unsweetened crackers | 2 pieces | 20 g |
| Unsweetened dryers | 1.5-2 pieces | 20 g |
| Crackers - large -average -small |
2 pieces 5 pieces 15 pieces |
20 g 20 g 20 g |
| Pita | 20 g | |
| Butter bun | 20 g | |
| Frozen puff pastry | 35 g | |
| Frozen yeast dough | 25 g | |
| Damn thin | 1 large | 30 g |
| Frozen pancakes with cottage cheese | 1 piece | 50 g |
| Frozen empanadas | 1 piece | 50 g |
| Frozen dumplings with cottage cheese | 4 pieces | 50 g |
| Frozen dumplings with cottage cheese | 4 pieces | 50 g |
| Cheesecake | 0.5 pieces | 50 g |
| Wafers are small | 1.5 pieces | 17 g |
| Flour | 1 tbsp. heaped spoon | 15 g |
| Gingerbread | 1/2 pieces | 40 g |
| Pancakes | 30 g | |
| Breadcrumbs | 1 tbsp. heaped spoon | 15 g |
| Butter cookies | 1-2 pieces depending on size | 15 g |
| Any raw cereal | 1 tbsp. heaped spoon | 15 g |
| Any porridge | 2 tbsp. heaped spoon | 50 g |
| Cereals | 2 tbsp. heaped spoon | 15 g |
| Wheat bran | 12 tbsp. spoons | 15 g |
| Pasta | depending on the form from 1 to 4 tbsp. spoons | 50 g |
| Boiled pasta | depending on the shape from 2 to 4 tbsp. spoons | 15 g |
| Potatoes and mature legumes, some types of vegetables | ||
| The product's name | Quantity per 1 XE | Volume, weight per 1 XE |
| Dried beans | 1 tbsp. spoon | 20 g |
| Boiled beans | 3 tbsp. spoon | 50 g |
| Jacket potatoes | 1 piece | 75 g |
| Frozen potato pancakes | 60 g | |
| Potatoes, raw, boiled | 1 piece (the size of a large egg) | 65 g |
| Mashed potatoes | 2 tbsp. spoons | 75 g |
| Fried potato | 1.5-2 tbsp. spoons depending on the cut | 35 g |
| Potato chips | 1 sachet small | 25 g |
| Corn(cob) | 0.5 pieces | 100 g |
| Canned corn | 3 tbsp. spoons | 70 g |
| Boiled corn | 3 tbsp. spoons | 50 g |
| Cornflakes | 4 tbsp. spoons | 15 g |
| Boiled beans | 3 tbsp. spoons | 50 g |
| Boiled lentils | 2 tbsp. heaped spoons | 50 g |
| Fruits and berries | ||
| The product's name | Quantity per 1 XE | Volume, weight per 1 XE |
| Apricot | 4 pieces | 120 g |
| Avocado | 1 piece | 200 g |
| Quince | 1 piece | 140 g |
| Cherry plum | 4 pieces | 140 g |
| A pineapple | 1 slice with peel | 140 g |
| Orange | 1 piece with peel | 130 g |
| Watermelon | 1 slice with peel | 270 g |
| Banana | 1/2 piece with peel | 70 g |
| Cowberry | 7 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 140 g |
| Grape | 10 pieces | 70 g |
| Cherry | 15 pieces(1 glass) | 90 g |
| Pomegranate | 1 piece | 170 g |
| Grapefruit | 1/2 piece with peel | 170 g |
| Pear | 1 piece | 100 g |
| Melon - "collective farmer" | 1 slice with peel | 100 g |
| Blackberry | 8 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 140 g |
| Strawberries | 8 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 150 g |
| Figs | 1 piece | 80 g |
| Kiwi | 1 piece | 110 g |
| Strawberry | 10 pieces(1 glass) | 160 g |
| Cranberry | 1 glass | 160 g |
| Gooseberry | 6 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 120 g |
| Raspberries | 8 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 150 g |
| Mango | 1 piece | 11 g |
| Tangerines | 3 pieces | 150 g |
| Nectarine | 1 piece | 120 g |
| Peach | 1 piece | 120 g |
| Papaya | 1/2 pieces | 140 g |
| Blue plums | 4 pieces | 90 g |
| Currant | 7 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 140 g |
| Feijoa | 10 pieces | 160 g |
| Persimmon | 1 piece | 70 g |
| Cherries | 10 pieces(1 glass) | 100 g |
| Blueberry | 7 tbsp. spoon (1 glass) | 140 g |
| Rose hip | 3 tbsp. heaped spoons | 60 g |
| Apple | 1 piece | 100 g |
| Juices | 1/2 cup | 100 ml |
| Sweets and other products | ||
| The product's name | Quantity per 1 XE | Volume, weight per 1 XE |
| Sugar jam | 1 tbsp. spoon | 120 g |
| Kvass | 1 glass | 120 g |
| Kissel | 1 glass | 120 g |
| Compote | 1 glass | 120 g |
| Chocolate candy. | 1 piece | 120 g |
| Dried fruits | 15 g | |
| Honey | 1 tbsp. spoon | 120 g |
| Pudding | 120 g | |
| Marmalade | 120 g | |
| Lump sugar | 2 pieces | 12 g |
| Granulated sugar | 1 tbsp. spoon | 12 g |
| Chocolate | 1/5 tile | 20 g |
| Pizza | 1/6 pieces | 50 g |
| Cake pie | 1 piece | 3-8 XE |
These are just the basics! Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Diabetes mellitus (a persistent increase in blood glucose due to insufficiency of the hormone insulin) is a disease that is aggravated by food intake. In this regard, information about products that increase blood glucose levels and the ability to calculate their degree are of particular relevance. negative impact on the human body. Correct calculation of carbohydrate intake allows you to avoid harmful concentrations of glucose in the blood after meals. If an increase in glucose levels is inevitable, then there is an objective quantitative basis for independently stopping the process by introducing optimal blocking doses of a sugar-lowering drug - insulin.
To calculate the amount of carbohydrates in food there is special measure– bread unit (XE). This measure received this name because the starting material for it was a piece of black bread - a slice of “brick” cut in half, about 1 cm thick. This slice (its weight is 25 g) contains 12 g of digestible carbohydrates. Accordingly, 1XE is 12 g of carbohydrates including dietary fiber (fiber). If you do not count fiber, then 1XE will contain 10 g of carbohydrates. There are countries, for example the USA, where 1XE is 15 g of carbohydrates.
You can also find another name for a bread unit - carbohydrate unit, starch unit.
The need to standardize the amount of carbohydrates in foods arose due to the need to calculate the dose of insulin administered to patients, which is directly dependent on the mass of carbohydrates consumed. First of all, this applies to insulin-dependent diabetics, i.e. type 1 diabetics who take insulin daily before meals 4-5 times a day.
It has been established that consuming one unit of bread leads to an increase in blood glucose levels by 1.7–2.2 mmol/l. To knock down this jump you need 1-4 units. insulin depending on body weight. Having information about the amount of XE in a dish, a diabetic can independently calculate how much insulin he needs to inject so that the food does not cause complications. The amount of hormone needed also depends on the time of day. In the morning you may need twice as much as in the evening.
For patients with diabetes, not only the concentration of carbohydrates in the foods they eat matters, but also the period of time during which these substances are broken down into glucose and enter the bloodstream. The unit of rate of glucose formation after consuming a certain product is called glycemic index(GI).
Foods with a high glycemic index (sweets) provoke high speed converting carbohydrates into glucose blood vessels it forms in large quantities and creates peak levels. If foods with a low glycemic index (vegetables) enter the body, blood saturation with glucose occurs slowly, and the spikes in its level after meals are weak.
Distribution of XE during the day
In diabetic patients, the breaks between meals should not be long, so the required 17-28XE per day (204-336 g of carbohydrates) should be distributed over 5-6 times. In addition to main meals, snacks are recommended. However, if the intervals between meals are long and hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) does not occur, you can avoid snacking. There is no need to resort to additional foods even when a person injects ultra-short insulin.
For diabetes mellitus, bread units are counted for each meal, and if the dishes are combined - for each ingredient. For products with a small amount of digestible carbohydrates (less than 5 g per 100 g of edible portion), XE can not be counted.
To prevent the rate of insulin production from crossing safe limits, you should eat no more than 7XE at one time. The more carbohydrates you enter into your body, the more difficult it is to control your sugar. It is recommended 3–5 XE for breakfast, 2 XE for second breakfast, 6–7 XE for lunch, 2 XE for afternoon snack, 3–4 XE for dinner, 1–2 XE at night. As you can see, most carbohydrate-containing foods should be consumed in the first half of the day.
If the amount of carbohydrates consumed turns out to be greater than planned, in order to avoid a jump in glucose levels some time after eating, you should introduce additional a large number of hormone. However, it should be remembered that a single dose of short-acting insulin should not exceed 14 units. If the concentration of glucose in the blood does not go beyond the norm, between meals you can eat some product on 1XE without using insulin.
A number of experts suggest consuming only 2–2.5XE per day (the method is called a low-carbohydrate diet). In this case, in their opinion, insulin therapy can be abandoned altogether.
Information about bread units of products
To create the optimal menu for a diabetic (both in composition and volume), you need to know how many bread units are contained in various products.
For products in factory packaging, this knowledge is obtained very simply. The manufacturer is required to indicate the amount of carbohydrates in 100 g of the product, and this number should be divided by 12 (the amount of carbohydrates in grams in one XE) and recalculated based on the entire mass of the product.
In all other cases, tables of bread units become assistants. Such tables describe how much of a particular product contains 12 g of carbohydrates, i.e. 1XE. For convenience, products are divided into groups depending on their origin or type (vegetables, fruits, dairy, drinks, etc.).
These reference books allow you to quickly calculate the amount of carbohydrates in foods chosen for consumption, create an optimal nutrition plan, correctly replace some foods with others, and ultimately, calculate the required dose of insulin. With information about carbohydrate content, diabetics can allow themselves to eat a little of what is usually prohibited.
The quantity of products is usually indicated not only in grams, but also, for example, in pieces, spoons, glasses, as a result of which there is no need to weigh them. But with this approach, you can make a mistake with the insulin dosage.
The table of bread units does not include all products, but only those in which carbohydrates are present in quantities that affect the level of glucose in the blood. The content of the tables of bread units for diabetes mellitus of the first type is the same as for patients with diabetes of the second type, because both diseases have the same driving force and external root cause - carbohydrates.
How do different foods increase glucose levels?
- those that practically do not increase glucose;
- increasing glucose levels moderately;
- increasing glucose significantly.
The basis first group The products consist of vegetables (cabbage, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers, zucchini, eggplants, green beans, radishes) and greens (sorrel, spinach, dill, parsley, lettuce, etc.). Due to extreme low level XE carbohydrates are not calculated for them. Diabetics can consume these gifts of nature without restrictions, raw, boiled, or baked, both during main meals and during snacks. Cabbage is especially useful because it absorbs sugar itself, removing it from the body.
Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, beans) in their raw form are characterized by a fairly low carbohydrate content. 1XE per 100 g of product. But if you cook them, the carbohydrate saturation increases by 2 times and 1XE will already be present in 50 g of the product.
To avoid increasing the concentration of carbohydrates in prepared vegetable dishes, fats (butter, mayonnaise, sour cream) should be added to them in minimal quantities.
Equivalent to raw legumes are walnuts and hazelnuts. 1XE per 90 g. Peanuts per 1XE require 85 g. If you mix vegetables, nuts and beans, you get healthy and nutritious salads.
The listed products, moreover, have a low glycemic index, i.e. The process of transforming carbohydrates into glucose occurs slowly.
Mushrooms and dietary fish and meat, such as beef. But sausages already contain carbohydrates in dangerous quantities, since starch and other additives are usually added there at the factory. In addition, soybeans are often used to produce sausages. However, in sausages and boiled sausages, 1XE is formed at a weight of 160 g. Smoked sausages It should be completely excluded from the diabetic menu.
The saturation of cutlets with carbohydrates is increased by adding softened bread to the minced meat, especially if it was filled with milk. Breadcrumbs are used for frying. As a result, 70 g of this product is enough to make 1XE.
There are no XE in 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil and 1 egg.
Foods that moderately increase glucose levels
In second group of products includes products from cereals - wheat, oat, barley, millet. For 1XE you need 50 g of porridge of any kind. Great importance has the consistency of the product. With the same number of carbohydrate units, porridge in a liquid state (for example, semolina) is absorbed into the body faster than crumbly porridge. As a consequence, the blood glucose level in the first case increases at a faster rate than in the second.
It should be noted that cooked cereals contain three times less carbohydrates than dry cereals, when 1XE forms only 15 g of product. Oatmeal for 1XE you need a little more - 20 g.
An increased carbohydrate content is also characteristic of starch (potato, corn, wheat), fine flour and rye flour: 1XE - 15 g (heaped tablespoon). Wholemeal flour is 1XE more - 20 g. This makes it clear why it is contraindicated for diabetics flour products a lot. Flour and products made from it, in addition, are characterized by a high glycemic index, i.e. carbohydrates are quickly converted into glucose.
Rusks, breadcrumbs, and dry biscuits (crackers) have identical characteristics. But there is more bread in 1XE in weight terms: 20 g of white, gray and lavash, 25 g of black and 30 g of bran. A bread unit will weigh 30 g if you bake muffins, fry pancakes or pancakes. But we must keep in mind that calculations of bread units must be made for the dough, and not for the finished product.
Boiled pasta contains even more carbohydrates (1XE - 50 g). In line pasta It is advisable to choose those made from lower-carbohydrate wholemeal flour.
The second group of products also includes milk and its derivatives. At 1XE you can drink one 250-gram glass of milk, kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, cream or yogurt of any fat content. As for cottage cheese, if its fat content is less than 5%, it does not need to be taken into account at all. The fat content of hard cheeses should be less than 30%.
Diabetics should consume products of the second group with certain restrictions - half of the usual portion. In addition to those mentioned above, this also includes corn and eggs.
Foods high in carbohydrates
Among the foods that significantly increase glucose levels (third group ) , the leading place is occupied by sweets. Just 2 teaspoons (10 g) of sugar - and already 1XE. The same situation is with jam and honey. There is more chocolate and marmalade per 1XE - 20 g. You should not get carried away with diabetic chocolate, since for 1XE you only need 30 g. Fruit sugar(fructose), which is considered diabetic, is also not a panacea, because 1XE forms 12 g. Due to the combination of carbohydrate flour and sugar, a piece of cake or pie immediately gains 3XE. Most sugary foods have a high glycemic index.
But this does not mean that sweets should be completely excluded from the diet. Safe, for example, is sweet curd mass (without glaze and raisins, however). To get 1XE, you need as much as 100 g.
It is also acceptable to eat ice cream, 100 g of which contains 2XE. Preference should be given to creamy varieties, since the fats present there prevent carbohydrates from being absorbed too quickly, which means that blood glucose levels rise at the same slow pace. Fruit ice cream, consisting of juices, on the contrary, is quickly absorbed into the stomach, as a result of which the saturation of the blood with sugar intensifies. This dessert is only useful for hypoglycemia.
For diabetics, sweets are usually made with sweeteners. But you need to remember that some sugar substitutes increase weight.
Having purchased ready-made sweet products for the first time, you should test them - eat a small portion and measure your blood glucose level.
In order to avoid all kinds of troubles, it is best to prepare sweets at home, selecting the optimal amount of starting products.
You should also exclude butter and vegetable oil, lard, sour cream, fatty meat and fish, canned meat and fish, and alcohol from consumption or limit it as much as possible. When preparing food, the frying method should be avoided and it is advisable to use utensils in which you can cook without fat.
Products with multidirectional effects
Fruits and berries affect blood glucose levels in different ways. Harmless for diabetics are lingonberries, blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries, raspberries, currants (1 XE - 7-8 tbsp.). Lemons belong to the same category - 1XE - 270 g. But pomegranate, figs, kiwi, mango, nectarine, peach, apples require only 1 small fruit per 12 g of carbohydrates. Bananas, melon, watermelon, and pineapple also raise blood glucose levels. Strawberries and grapes occupy a middle position in this row. To reach 1XE you can eat 10–15 pieces of them.
You need to know that sour fruits and berries are more slowly digestible than sweet ones, and therefore do not lead to sharp jumps blood glucose.
Fruit salads, supplemented with crushed nuts and seasoned with yogurt, are beneficial for diabetics.
Diabetics should eat little dried fruit. 12 g of carbohydrates give 10 pieces. raisins, 3 pcs. dried apricots and prunes, 1 pc. figs The exception is apples (1XE - 2 tbsp.).
Among root vegetables, carrots and beets stand out with a meager carbohydrate content (1XE - 200 g). The same indicators are characteristic of pumpkin. There is 3 times more XE in potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke. Moreover, the saturation with carbohydrates depends on the method of preparation. In puree, 1XE is obtained at 90 g of weight, in whole boiled potatoes - at 75 g, in fried potatoes - at 35 g, in chips - at only 25 g. The final dish also affects the rate of increase in blood glucose. If potato food is liquid, then this process occurs faster, although in general any potato belongs to the group of foods with a high glycemic index.
Diabetics should be selective when it comes to drinks, choosing only those that do not contain carbohydrates or contain them in small quantities. Sweet drinks are excluded.
You can only drink in large quantities plain water both with and without gas. You can afford sweetened soda extremely rarely, because 1XE is obtained from just half a glass. Fruit juices are acceptable, but only those that have a low glycemic index (grapefruit), as well as tea (especially green) and coffee without sugar and cream.
For diabetes mellitus, drinking freshly squeezed juices, especially vegetable juices, is encouraged. For 1 XE you can drink 2.5 tbsp. cabbage, 1.5 tbsp. tomato, 1 tbsp. beet and carrot juice. Among fruit juices, the least carbohydrate-containing is grapefruit (1.4 tbsp per 1XE). For orange, cherry, and apple juices, 1XE is taken from half a glass, for grape juice – from an even smaller volume. Kvass is also relatively safe for diabetics (1XE – 1 tbsp.).
Industrial drinks (lemonade, ready-made cocktails, soda, etc.) contain a large amount of carbohydrates and harmful substances Therefore, people with diabetes should not drink them. But you can drink drinks with sweeteners, keeping in mind that these substances increase weight.
You can read more about what you should absolutely not eat or drink if you have diabetes.
In custody - useful table content of bread units in flour and cereal products, berries, fruits and vegetables.
Counting bread units is very difficult a short time. Most diabetics automatically estimate the amount of XE in products, without even resorting to reference books and data on the packaging. This helps them calculate insulin doses correctly and adhere to the diet prescribed by the doctor.
Bread unit (BU) is an integral concept in the lives of people with diabetes. XE is a measure used to estimate the amount of carbohydrates in foods. For example, “a hundred gram chocolate bar has 5 XE”, where 1 XE: 20 g of chocolate. Another example: 65 g of ice cream in bread units is 1 XE.
One bread unit is 25 g of bread or 12 g of sugar. In some countries, it is customary to count only 15 g of carbohydrates per unit of bread. That is why you need to carefully study the XE tables in products; the information in them may vary. Currently, when creating tables, only carbohydrates digestible by humans are taken into account, while dietary fiber, i.e. fiber – excluded.
Counting bread units
A large amount of carbohydrates in terms of bread units will cause the need for more insulin, which must be injected in order to suppress postprandial blood sugar and all this must be counted. A person with type 1 diabetes must carefully examine their diet to determine the number of grain units in foods. The total dose of insulin per day and the dosage of “ultra-short” and “short” insulin before lunch directly depend on this.
The bread unit should be counted in those products that a person will consume, checking the tables for diabetics. When the figure is known, you should calculate the dose of “ultra-short” or “short” insulin, which is injected before eating.
To count bread units as accurately as possible, it is best to constantly weigh your food before eating. But over time, diabetic patients evaluate products “by eye.” This estimate is quite sufficient to calculate insulin dose. However, purchasing a small kitchen scale can be very helpful.
Glycemic Index of Foods
In diabetes mellitus, not only the amount of carbohydrates in food matters, but also the speed of their digestion and absorption into the blood. The slower the body digests carbohydrates, the less they increase sugar levels. Thus, the maximum value of blood sugar after eating will be lower, which means that the impact on cells and blood vessels will not be as strong.
(GI) – is an indicator of the effect of food on the level of glucose in a person’s blood. In diabetes mellitus, this indicator is as important as the volume of bread units. Nutritionists advise consuming more products foods with a low glycemic index.
There are known foods that have a high glycemic index. The main ones:
- Sugar;
- Carbonated and non-carbonated drinks;
- Jam;
- Glucose tablets.
All of the sweets listed above contain virtually no fat. In diabetes, they can be consumed only if there is a risk of hypoglycemia. IN Everyday life The listed products are not recommended for diabetics to consume.
Consumption of bread units
Many representatives modern medicine It is recommended to consume carbohydrates that are equivalent to 2 or 2.5 bread units per day. Many “balanced” diets consider it normal to take 10-20 XE of carbohydrates per day, but this is harmful for diabetes.
If a person wants to lower their glucose levels, they reduce their carbohydrate intake. It turns out that this method is effective not only for type 2 diabetes, but also for type 1 diabetes. It is absolutely not necessary to believe all the advice that is written in articles about diets. It is enough to purchase an accurate glucometer that will show whether certain foods are suitable for consumption.
Nowadays, an increasing number of diabetics are trying to limit the amount of bread units in their diet. Products high in proteins and natural ingredients are used as a substitute. healthy fats. In addition, vitamin-rich vegetables are becoming popular.
If you stick to a low-carb diet, within a few days it will become clear how much you have improved. general health, and blood glucose levels decreased. This diet frees you from the need to constantly look at the tables of bread units. If you consume only 6-12 g of carbohydrates for each meal, then the number of bread units will be no more than 1 XE.
With a traditional “balanced” diet, a diabetic suffers from instability of blood sugar, and is often also used. A person needs to calculate how much insulin is required for 1 unit of bread to be absorbed. Instead, it is better to check how much insulin is required to absorb 1 g of carbohydrates, rather than a whole unit of bread.
Thus, the fewer carbohydrates consumed, the less insulin required. After starting a low-carb diet, the need for insulin decreases by 2-5 times. A patient who has reduced their pill or insulin intake is less at risk of hypoglycemia.
Table of bread units
Flour products, cereals and grains
All cereals, including whole grain products (barley, oats, wheat) contain a fairly large amount of carbohydrates. But at the same time, their presence in the diet of people with diabetes is simply necessary!
To prevent cereals from affecting the patient’s condition, it is necessary to control the level of glucose in the blood in a timely manner, both before and after meals. It is unacceptable to exceed the norm of consumption of such products while eating. A table will help you calculate bread units.
| Product | Quantity of product per 1 XE | |
|---|---|---|
| white, gray bread (except butter bread) | 1 piece 1 cm thick | 20 g |
| black bread | 1 piece 1 cm thick | 25 g |
| bran bread | 1 piece 1.3 cm thick | 30 g |
| Borodino bread | 1 piece 0.6 cm thick | 15 g |
| crackers | a handful of | 15 g |
| crackers (dry cookies) | - | 15 g |
| breadcrumbs | - | 15 g |
| bun | - | 20 g |
| damn (big) | 1 PC. | 30 g |
| frozen dumplings with cottage cheese | 4 things. | 50 g |
| frozen dumplings | 4 things. | 50 g |
| cheesecake | - | 50 g |
| waffles (small) | 1.5 pcs. | 17 g |
| flour | 1 tbsp. heaped spoon | 15 g |
| gingerbread | 0.5 pcs. | 40 g |
| pancakes (medium) | 1 PC. | 30 g |
| pasta (raw) | 1–2 tbsp. spoons (depending on shape) | 15 g |
| pasta (boiled) | 2–4 tbsp. spoons (depending on shape) | 50 g |
| cereal (any, raw) | 1 tbsp. spoon | 15 g |
| porridge (any) | 2 tbsp. heaped spoons | 50 g |
| corn (medium) | 0.5 ears | 100 g |
| corn (canned) | 3 tbsp. spoons | 60 g |
| cornflakes | 4 tbsp. spoons | 15 g |
| popcorn | 10 tbsp. spoons | 15 g |
| cereals | 2 tbsp. spoons | 20 g |
| wheat bran | 12 tbsp. spoons | 50 g |
Milk and dairy products
Dairy products and milk are a source of animal protein and calcium, which is difficult to overestimate and should be considered a necessity. These products contain almost all vitamins in small volumes. However, dairy products contain the most vitamins A and B2.
IN dietary nutrition Low-fat dairy products should be preferred. It is better to avoid whole milk completely. 200 ml of whole milk contains almost a third of the daily value of saturated fat, so it is better not to consume this product. It is best to drink skim milk, or prepare a cocktail based on it, to which you can add pieces of fruit or berries; this is exactly what the nutrition program should be.
Nuts, vegetables, legumes
Nuts, legumes and vegetables should always be included in the diet of diabetics. Foods help control blood sugar, reducing the risk of complications. In the vast majority of cases, the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders. Vegetables, grains and grains provide the body with such important microelements, like protein, fiber and potassium.
As a snack, it is optimal to consume raw vegetables and it will help to practically not count them. It is harmful for diabetics to overuse starchy vegetables, since they are high in calories and have a large amount of carbohydrates. The number of such vegetables in the diet must be limited; the calculation of bread units is shown in the table.
Fruits and berries (with pit and peel)
For diabetes mellitus, it is allowed to consume most of the existing fruits. But there are exceptions, these are grapes, watermelon, bananas, melon, mango and pineapple. Such fruits increase the level of glucose in a person’s blood, which means their consumption should be limited and not eaten every day.
But berries are traditionally an excellent substitute for sweet desserts. For diabetics, strawberries, gooseberries, cherries and black currants are best - the undisputed leader among berries in the amount of vitamin C for every day.
| Product | Quantity of product per 1 XE | |
|---|---|---|
| apricots | 2–3 pcs. | 110 g |
| quince (large) | 1 PC. | 140 g |
| pineapple (cross section) | 1 piece | 140 g |
| watermelon | 1 piece | 270 g |
| orange (medium) | 1 PC. | 150 g |
| Banana (medium) | 0.5 pcs. | 70 g |
| cowberry | 7 tbsp. spoons | 140 g |
| grapes (small berries) | 12 pcs. | 70 g |
| cherry | 15 pcs. | 90 g |
| pomegranate (medium) | 1 PC. | 170 g |
| grapefruit (large) | 0.5 pcs. | 170 g |
| pear (small) | 1 PC. | 90 g |
| melon | 1 piece | 100 g |
| blackberry | 8 tbsp. spoons | 140 g |
| figs | 1 PC. | 80 g |
| kiwi (large) | 1 PC. | 110 g |
| Strawberry wild-strawberry) (medium sized berries) |
10 pieces. | 160 g |
| gooseberry | 6 tbsp. spoons | 120 g |
| lemon | 3 pcs. | 270 g |
| raspberries | 8 tbsp. spoons | 160 g |
| mango (small) | 1 PC. | 110 g |
| tangerines (medium) | 2–3 pcs. | 150 g |
| nectarine (medium) | 1 PC. | |
| peach (medium) | 1 PC. | 120 g |
| plums (small) | 3–4 pcs. | 90 g |
| currant | 7 tbsp. spoons | 120 g |
| persimmon (medium) | 0.5 pcs. | 70 g |
| cherries | 10 pieces. | 100 g |
| blueberry | 7 tbsp. spoons | 90 g |
| apple (small) | 1 PC. | 90 g |
| Dried fruits | ||
| bananas | 1 PC. | 15 g |
| raisin | 10 pieces. | 15 g |
| figs | 1 PC. | 15 g |
| dried apricots | 3 pcs. | 15 g |
| dates | 2 pcs. | 15 g |
| prunes | 3 pcs. | 20 g |
| apples | 2 tbsp. spoons | 20 g |
Beverages
When choosing drinks, like any other product, you need to examine the amount of carbohydrates in the composition. Sugary drinks are contraindicated for people with diabetes, and diabetics do not need to count them; no calculator is needed here.
A person with diabetes should maintain their satisfactory condition by drinking enough clean drinking water.
All drinks should be consumed by a person with diabetes, taking into account their glycemic index. Drinks that a patient can drink:
- Clean drinking water;
- Fruit juices;
- Vegetable juices;
- Milk;
- Green tea.
The benefits of green tea are truly enormous. This drink has a beneficial effect on arterial pressure, having a gentle effect on the body. Moreover, green tea significantly reduces cholesterol and fat levels in the body.
| Product | Quantity of product per 1 XE | |
|---|---|---|
| cabbage | 2.5 cups | 500 g |
| carrot | 2/3 cup | 125 g |
| cucumber | 2.5 cups | 500 g |
| beetroot | 2/3 cup | 125 g |
| tomato | 1.5 cups | 300 g |
| orange | 0.5 cups | 110 g |
| grape | 0.3 cups | 70 g |
| cherry | 0.4 cups | 90 g |
| pear | 0.5 cups | 100 g |
| grapefruit | 1.4 cups | 140 g |
| redcurrant | 0.4 cups | 80 g |
| gooseberry | 0.5 cups | 100 g |
| strawberry | 0.7 cups | 160 g |
| crimson | 0.75 cups | 170 g |
| plum | 0.35 cups | 80 g |
| apple | 0.5 cups | 100 g |
| kvass | 1 glass | 250 ml |
| sparkling water (sweet) | 0.5 cups | 100 ml |
Sweets
Typically, sweet foods contain sucrose. This means that diabetics should not consume sweet foods. Nowadays, product manufacturers offer a wide selection of various sweets based on sugar substitutes.
A bread unit is a measure used to determine the amount of carbohydrates in a food. The presented concept was introduced specifically for such patients with diabetes mellitus who receive insulin to preserve their vital functions. When talking about what grain units are, pay attention to the fact that:
- this is a symbol that can be used as a basis when drawing up a menu even by people in excellent health;
- there is a special table that shows these indicators for various food products and entire categories;
- Calculation of bread units can and should be done manually before eating.
When considering one grain unit, pay attention to the fact that it is equal to 10 (excluding dietary fiber) or 12 gr. (including ballast components) carbohydrates. Moreover, it requires 1.4 units of insulin for rapid and trouble-free absorption by the body. Despite the fact that bread units (table) are publicly available, every diabetic should know how the calculations are made, as well as how many carbohydrates are in one bread unit.
Calculation and use of bread units
When introducing the presented concept, nutritionists took as a basis a product well known to everyone - bread.
If you cut a loaf or brick of black bread crosswise into regular pieces (about one cm thick), then half the resulting piece weighs 25 grams. will be equal to one bread unit in products.
The same is true, for example, for two articles. l. (50 gr.) buckwheat or oatmeal. One small fruit of an apple or pear is the same amount of XE. The calculation of bread units can be carried out independently by a diabetic; you can also constantly check the tables. In addition, for many it is much easier to count using online calculators or pre-developing a menu with a nutritionist. This diet describes exactly what a diabetic should eat, how many units are contained in a particular product, and what ratio of meals is best to adhere to. It is strongly recommended to pay attention to the following:
- patients with have to depend on XE and count them especially carefully, because this affects the count daily dosage insulin;
- This is especially true for the introduction of a hormonal component of a short or ultra-short type of effect. What is done immediately before eating;
- 1 XE increases the amount of sugar from 1.5 mmol to 1.9 mmol. That is why a table of bread units should always be at hand to simplify the calculations.
Therefore, a diabetic needs to know how to count bread units to maintain optimal blood sugar levels. This is important for type 1 and type 2 disease. The advantage is that, by explaining how to calculate correctly, the online calculator can be used on a par with manual calculations.
How much XE is needed for diabetes?
During the day, a person needs to use from 18 to 25 bread units, which will need to be distributed over five to six meals. This rule is relevant not only for type 1 diabetes, but also for type 2 diabetes. They must be calculated sequentially: for breakfast, lunch, dinner. The indicated meals should contain from three to five bread units, while afternoon snacks should contain one or two units each, in order to exclude bad influence on the level of glucose in human blood.
You should not eat more than seven bread units in one meal.
For patients with diabetes, it is important that most foods containing carbohydrates are taken during the first half of the day.
When talking about bread units for diabetes, they draw attention to the fact that if you manage to consume more than planned, then you should wait a little after eating. Then inject a small amount of insulin, which will eliminate the possibility of changes in sugar levels.
Table of possible use of XE for different types of people
| Contingent | Bread units (XE) |
|---|---|
| Persons with heavy physical labor or underweight | 25-30 HE |
| Persons with normal weight bodies performing moderately heavy physical work | 20-22 HE |
| Individuals of normal body weight who perform sedentary work | 15-18 HE |
| Typical diabetic patient: over 50 years of age, | 12-14 HE |
| Persons with obesity degree 2A (BMI = 30-34.9 kg/m2) 50 years old, physically inactive, BMI = 25-29.9 kg/m2 | 10 XE |
| Persons with obesity degree 2B (BMI 35 kg/m2 or more) | 6-8 XE |
The problem is that you cannot do this too often and use more than 14 units of insulin (short) before meals at one time. That is why it is very important to think through and calculate in advance what a patient with type 2 diabetes will consume per day. At the optimal sugar level, between meals you can eat something in the amount of 1 XE without the need for insulin. We should not forget that a table of bread units for diabetics should always be at hand. 
Foods that can be consumed and should be avoided
All those food products that can or, conversely, should not be consumed by a diabetic deserve special attention. First of all, you need to pay attention to flour products. Any of their varieties that are not butter can be consumed by a diabetic. However, it is necessary to remember that:
- the lowest levels are found in Borodino bread (about 15 grams) and in flour and pasta;
- The highest ratio of bread units is characterized by dumplings and pancakes with cottage cheese, therefore they are not recommended to be included in diets;
- It is not recommended to combine products from the flour category within one meal.
When talking about cereals and porridges, experts pay special attention to the benefits of buckwheat and oatmeal. It should be taken into account that liquid porridge is characterized by faster absorption. In this regard, when high sugar It is recommended to cook thick porridges, and when low, semolina, for example. The least desirable foods on this list are canned peas and baby corn.
Distribution of XE during the day
Noting all the features of the products consumed, one cannot help but pay attention to potatoes and, in particular, boiled potatoes. One medium-sized potato is one XE. Mashed potatoes with water rapidly increases sugar levels, while whole boiled potatoes increases performance more slowly. The fried name will act even slower. Other root vegetables (carrots, beets, pumpkin) may well be included in the diet, but it is best to use fresh varieties.
In the list of dairy products, the most desirable are those that have a low fat content. In this regard, for example, you will need to stop drinking whole milk. However, every day you can use a glass of kefir, a small amount of fresh cottage cheese, to which nuts and other products (for example, herbs) can be added. 
Almost all berries and fruits are recommended and acceptable for consumption for diabetes. However, since they, like legumes, include many carbohydrates, it is advisable to adjust their ratio to prevent a spike in blood sugar. If the menu is compiled correctly, then a diabetic can safely eat fruit and berry desserts, enjoying strawberries instead of store-bought sweets.
Doctors recommend eating strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, red and black currants. However, let's consider the fruits of cherries and cherries. How many bread units do they contain? It is very important to determine this in advance by reading the special table. It will also be important:
- stop drinking store-bought juices and compotes due to the presence of preservatives and other harmful ingredients in them;
- exclude sweets and confectionery from the diet. Occasionally, you can prepare apple pies and muffins at home, consuming them sparingly afterwards;
- fish and meat products XE are not subject to accounting because they do not contain carbohydrates. However, combinations of meat or fish and vegetables are already a reason to calculate the presented indicators.
Thus, every diabetic needs to know everything about bread units and their counting. This indicator will help maintain optimal blood sugar levels and minimize the likelihood of complications. That is why in no case should you neglect the timely calculation of grain units.
Table of bread units of products
| DAIRY | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in ml | |
| 1 glass | Milk | 250 |
| 1 glass | Kefir | 250 |
| 1 glass | Cream | 250 |
| Cottage cheese | without sugar and sour cream does not need to be recorded | |
| Sweet curd mass | 100 | |
| 1 medium | Syrniki | 40-70 |
| 1 glass | Natural yogurt | 250 |
| BAKERY PRODUCTS | ||
| Name | ||
| 1 piece | White bread | 20 |
| 1 piece | Rye bread | 25 |
| 5 pieces. | Crackers (dry cookies) | 15 |
| 15 pcs. | Salty sticks | 15 |
| 2 pcs. | Crackers | 15 |
| 1 tablespoon | Breadcrumbs | 15 |
| PASTA | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in grams | |
| 1-2 tablespoons | Vermicelli, noodles, horns, pasta* | 15 |
| * Raw. Boiled 1 XE = 2-4 tbsp. spoons of product (50 g) depending on the shape of the product. | ||
| GREATS, CORN, FLOUR | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in grams | |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Buckwheat* | 15 |
| 1/2 cob | Corn | 100 |
| 3 tbsp. l. | Corn (canned) | 60 |
| 2 tbsp. l. | Cornflakes | 15 |
| 10 tbsp. l. | Popcorn | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Manna* | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Flour (any) | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Oat* | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Cereals* | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Pearl barley* | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Millet* | 15 |
| 1 tbsp. l. | Rice* | 15 |
| * 1 tbsp. spoon of raw cereal. Boiled 1 XE = 2 tbsp. spoons of product (50 g). | ||
| POTATO | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in grams | |
| 1 piece the size of a large chicken egg | Boiled potatoes | 65 |
| 2 tablespoons | Mashed potatoes | 75 |
| 2 tablespoons | Fried potatoes | 35 |
| 2 tablespoons | Dry potatoes (chips) | 25 |
| FRUITS AND BERRIES (WITH SEEDS AND SKINS) | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in grams | |
| 2-3 pcs. | Apricots | 110 |
| 1 piece, large | Quince | 140 |
| 1 piece (cross section) | A pineapple | 140 |
| 1 piece | Watermelon | 270 |
| 1 piece, medium | Orange | 150 |
| 1/2 piece, medium | Banana | 70 |
| 7 tablespoons | Cowberry | 140 |
| 12 pieces, small | Grape | 70 |
| 15 pieces | Cherry | 90 |
| 1 piece, medium | Pomegranate | 170 |
| 1/2 piece, large | grapefruit | 170 |
| 1 piece, small | Pear | 90 |
| 1 piece | Melon | 100 |
| 8 tablespoons | Blackberry | 140 |
| 1 piece | Figs | 80 |
| 1 piece, large | Kiwi | 110 |
| 10 pieces, medium | Strawberry | 160 |
| 6 tbsp. spoons | Gooseberry | 120 |
| 8 tbsp. spoons | Raspberries | 160 |
| 1 piece, small | Mango | 110 |
| 2-3 pieces, medium | Tangerines | 150 |
| 1 piece, medium | Peach | 120 |
| 3-4 pieces, small | Plums | 90 |
| 7 tbsp. spoons | Currant | 140 |
| 1/2 piece, medium | Persimmon | 70 |
| 7 tbsp. spoons | Blueberries, black currants | 90 |
| 1 piece, small | Apple | 90 |
| * 6-8 tbsp. spoons of berries, such as raspberries, currants, etc., correspond to approximately 1 glass (1 tea cup) of these berries. About 100 ml juice (no added sugar, 100% natural juice) contains approximately 10 g of carbohydrates. | ||
| VEGETABLES, PEGUMES, NUTS | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in grams | |
| 1 tbsp. spoon, dry | Beans | 20 |
| 7 tbsp. spoons, fresh | Peas | 100 |
| 3 pieces, medium | Carrot | 200 |
| Nuts | 60-90 | |
| 1 piece, medium | Beet | 150 |
| 3 tbsp. spoons, boiled | Beans | 50 |
| MCDONALD'S PRODUCTS | ||
| Name | Amount of XE in one product | |
| Hamburger, cheeseburger | 2,5 | |
| Big Mac | 3 | |
| McChicken | 3 | |
| Royal cheeseburger | 2 | |
| Royal de Luxe | 2,2 | |
| McNuggets, 6 pcs. | 1 | |
| Children's portion of French fries | 3 | |
| Standard French fries | 5 | |
| Vegetable salad | 0,6 | |
| Chef salad | 0,4 | |
| Ice cream with chocolate and strawberries | 3 | |
| Ice cream with caramel | 3,2 | |
| Pie with apples and cherries | 1,5 | |
| Cocktail (standard) | 5 | |
| Sprite (standard) | 3 | |
| Fanta (standard) | 4 | |
| Orange juice (standard) | 3 | |
| Hot chocolate (standard) | 2 | |
| SWEETS | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in grams | |
| 1 tbsp. spoon | Granulated sugar | 12 |
| 2.5-4 pieces | Lump sugar (refined sugar) | 12 |
| Chocolate | 20 | |
| 1 tbsp. spoon | Honey, jam | 1 XE |
| JUICES | ||
| Name | 1 XE = amount of product in milliliters | |
| 1/3 cup | Apple | 80 |
| 1/3 cup | Grape | 80 |
| 1/2 cup | Orange | 100 |
| 1.5 cups | Tomato | 300 |
| 1/2 cup | Carrot | 100 |
| 1 glass | Kvass, beer | 200 |
| 3/4 cup | Lemonade | 150 |
