Carbohydrate countingCarb countingEstimating the grams of carbohydrate in a meal so that insulin doses — or portion sizes — can be matched to it.
Glycaemic index
Also known as GI, Glycemic index
A score from 0 to 100 showing how quickly a food raises blood sugar. Lower-GI foods release sugar more slowly.
Two foods with identical carbohydrate can affect blood sugar very differently depending on how fast it is released.
Roughly where common foods sit
- Lower GI: daal and other pulses, whole chana, most vegetables, milk and yoghurt
- Medium: chapati made with whole wheat atta, basmati rice
- Higher: white bread, naan, sugary drinks, most sweets