If you decide to go on a diet or just want to lose weight by limiting yourself in food, but not adhering to a certain system, you need to know how to calculate carbohydrates correctly, since an excess of them contributes to rapid weight gain and the development of serious diseases.
Instructions
Step 1
Use the special tables for the chemical composition of some products. They can be found easily in any dietary reference and other healthy lifestyle literature. To determine the amount of carbohydrates in the diet, different units are used - for example, starch or bread. Carbohydrates can also be calculated using food calorie tables or the so-called "sugar value". The tables will help you create an individual diet so as not to be limited to several healthy dishes and replace some foods with others.
Step 2
The most convenient unit of account is bread. A certain amount of products containing 10-12 g of "net" carbohydrates is usually taken as one bread unit. If you calculate how many units of bread are in different foods, it will be easier for you to formulate a diet without harm to your health.
Step 3
One bread unit is about one slice of black bread or one small bran bun or 2 crispbreads. Vegetables, which are part of almost any diet, contain, of course, fewer units of bread. So 3 large carrots, 6 tablespoons of canned peas or 1 large jacket potato will equal one bread unit.
Step 4
When calculating carbohydrates, consider the calorie content of foods, and how quickly they will be absorbed. The more dietary fiber in the product (as in berries, carrots, dried fruits, mushrooms, legumes and grains), the slower they will be absorbed by the body. However, with diabetes and high cholesterol levels, on the contrary, it is desirable that the food is as fibrous as possible, since plant foods prevent an increase in blood glucose levels and lower cholesterol.
Step 5
If you decide to follow some kind of diet all your life (at will or as necessary), be sure to consult your doctor, since the number of bread units for each specific person is strictly individual. It is believed that from 15 to 25 units per day is enough for an adult, but this range is too large to be able to correctly calculate your diet once and for all.
