Here is a question I recently received from FOODPICKER.org

I have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes and a friend told me I should eat low carb and no sugar. What is considered to be low carb and low sugar in specific numbers?

With the diabetic diet, it is important to focus on a consistent amount of carbohydrate. These food groups are your starches, dairy, and fruit. By watching portion sizes and carbohydrate intake per meal, blood sugar control can be better acheived.

15 grams of carbohydrate is equal to one carbohydrate serving. Because we are talking about consistency, it is important that you don't skip meals or save carbohydrates for later. Generally, a diabetic should eat 3 meals per day and 2-3 snacks per day. If you are female, a good goal is 3-4 carb servings per meal and 1-2 carb servings for snacks. If you are male, a good goal is 4-5 carb servings per meal and 1-2 carb servings per snack.

From a numbers stand point, a good goal for carbohydrate intake for a female would between 11-18 carb servings (165-270 grams of carbs) daily; 14-21 carb servings (210-315 grams of carbs) daily.

However, please note that these numbers and ranges vary from person to person, due to gender, age, height, and weight. For a more individualized plan to fit your needs, contact a registered dietitian (RD).