Complete table for counting XE bread units in food products

Table 7. Daily requirement for XE in children of different ages.

This amount of XE is not absolute. The doctor will help determine the daily amount of XE required for a particular child. The fact is that the choice of the optimal amount of XE will be influenced by the patient’s gender and age, the degree of physical activity, and the family’s eating habits.

When creating a meal plan, consider the following.

• Do not consume more than 25 XE per day.
• Do not eat more than 6-7 XE in one meal.
• When using simple short-acting insulin, the daily amount of XE should be distributed over 3 main and 3 intermediate meals (no more than 1-2 XE per snack).
• When using ultra-short insulin analogues (humalog or novorapid), it is possible to refuse intermediate meals. This is acceptable if there is no hypoglycemia when skipping a snack.

For overweight

It is generally accepted that the average amount of necessary products per day can be 20-24XE.
You need to distribute this volume over 5-6 meals. The main meals should include 4-5 XE, the afternoon snack and second breakfast – 1-2 XE. It is not recommended to eat more than 6-7XE products at one time. If you are underweight, it is recommended to increase the amount of XE to 30 per day. Children 4-6 years old need 12-14 XE per day, 7-10 years old are recommended 15-16, from 11 to 14 years old - 18-20 bread units (for boys) and 16-17 XE (for girls). Boys from 15 to 18 years old need 19-21 bread units per day, girls two less.

The diet should be balanced, adequate to the body's needs for proteins and vitamins. Its peculiarity is the exclusion of easily digestible carbohydrates.

Requirements for the prepared diet:

• Eating foods containing dietary fiber: rye bread, millet, oatmeal, vegetables, buckwheat.
• The daily distribution of carbohydrates, fixed in time and quantity, is adequate to the dose of insulin.
• Replacement of easily digestible carbohydrates with equivalent products selected according to tables of bread units for diabetics.
• Reducing the proportion of animal fats by increasing the amount of vegetable fats.

Patients with type 2 diabetes also need to use bread unit tables to prevent overeating. If you notice that foods containing harmful carbohydrates are in excess of the acceptable limits, you need to reduce their consumption gradually. You can do this for 7-10 days, 2XE per day, bringing it to the required norm.

Table of bread units

Let us present the XE value for the most commonly consumed types of products and ready-made dishes.

*Animal protein (meat, fish) does not contain carbohydrates. Therefore, the amount of XE in it is zero. The exception is those meat dishes in the preparation of which carbohydrates were additionally used. For example, soaked bread or semolina is often added to minced cutlets.

The carbohydrate content of an egg is 0.4 g per 100 g of egg. Therefore, the XE index in eggs is not zero, but has a small value.

Table - XE in ready-made products and dishes

Nuts

Consumption rate

For type 2 diabetics (and in some cases, type 1), a low-carbohydrate diet is recommended, which will reduce the release of glucose into the blood. Reducing the consumption of these components will lead to weight loss (if necessary), insulin levels will also drop, and diabetes will be compensated.

With this diet, the calculation is most often carried out in grams and amounts to 25 - 30 g of carbohydrates per day for type 1 and type 1 diabetes. This corresponds to approximately 2 - 2.5 hex per day for diabetes mellitus. At the same time, this amount of carbohydrates should be consumed in combination with an increased dosage of proteins and, to a lesser extent, fats.

It is important to remember that the intake of carbohydrates should be uniform. For each meal about 0.5 - 0.8 XE or 6 - 8 g

There is nothing complicated about how to correctly calculate this indicator in products. Look at the packaging; there is always a table of carbohydrates in the products, which also indicates the content of proteins and fats. Adjust this number based on the weight of the product. Divide the number by 12. The resulting result is the number of XE.

The second important question is how to calculate the amount of insulin based on these data. The use of one XE without the introduction of any glucose-lowering drug increases the level of glucose in the body by an average of 1.7 - 2 mm/l. Based on this, determine the dose of insulin.

What should not be included in the diet?

In no case should we forget that there are foods whose consumption in diabetes is strictly prohibited (or maximally limited).
Prohibited products include:

• both butter and vegetable oils;
• milk cream, sour cream;
• fatty fish or meat, lard and smoked meats;
• cheeses with fat content more than 30%;
• cottage cheese with a fat content of more than 5%;
• bird skin;
• various sausages;
• canned food;
• nuts or seeds;
• all sorts of sweets, be it jam, chocolate, cakes, various cookies, ice cream and so on. These include sweet drinks;
• and alcohol.

What are bread units for?

By calculating the number of bread units in your breakfast, we can calculate how much insulin to inject. On average, the absorption of 1 XE requires 1-2 units of insulin, but in our country, for example, this figure is less. Basically, 1 XE increases sugar levels by 1.7 mmol/l, but this figure is average. In our country, 1 XE can increase it by 5-6 mmol/l. All this may depend on many factors, for example, insulin sensitivity or absorption rate, etc. For example, insulin resistance may require a large dose of insulin, read about it in the article “Insulin Resistance: Causes and Symptoms.”

Therefore, it turns out that everyone has their own dose of insulin, but an approximate coefficient can be calculated. What kind of coefficient this is and how to calculate it, I will tell you in another article, which will be devoted to selecting the dose of insulin. Bread units also allow us to estimate how many carbohydrates we consume per meal and throughout the day.

If you have diabetes, this does not mean that you need to completely deprive yourself of carbohydrates, because we need them so that the body receives energy to survive. If, on the contrary, we overeat carbohydrates, then knowledge about XE will not harm us at all. Each age has its own norm for carbohydrate consumption.

Below I provide a table that shows at what age how much carbohydrates should be consumed in bread units.

In addition, it is not recommended to consume more than 6 XE at one meal. For adults with underweight, the amount of XE increases to 25-30, and with overweight it decreases to 15-18 XE.

We recommend: Are there any serious side effects when using the diabetes drug Onglyza

So, for adults with type 2 diabetes who are not taking insulin, counting bread units is also needed to know if you are overeating carbohydrates. And if this is the case, then consumption should be reduced to the age norm, taking into account body weight.

Let's say everything is clear with type 1 diabetes. What about type 2 diabetics? Suppose you have already calculated how much you eat at each meal during the day, and this number is more than the norm, and then the sugars are not very good. How to apply this knowledge in practice? This is where you can “play” with the amount of carbohydrates by starting to reduce them or replace them with foods with a low glycemic index. By the way, I already wrote about the glycemic index and even gave you a table to download in the article “Reducing sugar levels through proper nutrition for type 2 diabetes.” You can, of course, count with spoons, cut bread by eye, etc., but the result will be inaccurate, today they cut so much, and tomorrow it will be different.

Everything is clear here. You had 25 XE per day, remove 5 XE and see what happens, not right away, but over several days. At the same time, do not change your physical activity regimen or medication intake.

It seems that this is all I wanted to say about bread units. I tried to explain to you about them, but if you don’t understand something, then ask in the comments. I would like to know your opinion about the article, was this knowledge useful to you? Will you use them in the future?

Text of the book “Counter of bread units, carbohydrates and calories. Diabetes Handbook"

Natalya Andreevna Danilova Counter of bread units, carbohydrates and calories. Diabetes Handbook

© N. A. Danilova, 2010
© “Vector”, 2010

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet or corporate networks, for private or public use without the written permission of the copyright owner.

©The electronic version of the book was prepared by liters

Ideal Diet

If diabetes has come into your life, do not despair and become despondent. Believe me, diabetes is not a death sentence, it’s just a need to reconsider your attitude towards life.

Ultimately, diabetes is a cry for help from the body to the mind. The body no longer fully copes with metabolic processes. There is only one conclusion here: it is necessary to control internal processes and manage them thoughtfully, sensitively and - most importantly - constantly.

In principle, every person knows that they need to take care of their health. But how exactly? The right diet won't hurt anyone, but what does "right" mean?

All human food consists of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And don’t forget about the necessary microelements, vitamins, essential fiber, etc. All this is involved in the body’s metabolic processes. By dosing these elements, you can achieve stable, long-term compensation for any type of diabetes. A correctly selected balance of nutrients plus a correctly marked diet, multiplied by a adjusted dosage of physical activity and rest, is the formula for the correct lifestyle of a diabetic.

But how can one calculate the optimal amount of these same elements - they are not even visible to the eye?.. The energy value of a cutlet cannot be weighed on a scale, the carbohydrate content in a piece of biscuit cannot be determined by its appearance, an apple will not reveal its nutritional properties even when using a magnifying glass.

Don't rush to get upset. Scientists have already calculated everything and brought this information to us in the form of accessible tables and formulas.

In this book you will find formulas for calculating body weight for the optimal selection of a diet, tables of the content of nutritional elements in food products, designed specifically for calculating the calorie content and nutritional value of all kinds of food products, recipes for dishes with already calculated energy value and nutritional value. “Carbohydrate, bread unit and calorie counter” can become a reference kitchen book for any diabetic.

By the way, according to doctors, the diet of a person with diabetes is the ideal diet for any healthy person, so anyone who is interested in their own health and the health of their loved ones can take advantage of all the information contained in the book.

His Majesty Carbohydrate

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which a person’s blood sugar levels increase for some reason. Can the life of such a “lucky” person be called sweet?

The main misconception of a novice diabetic: “Now you can forget about sweets.” But is this really true? To answer this question, we must first understand the term “sweet”. Usually this word means all the sweets available to a person: candies, cakes and pastries, chocolate, etc. Most often, what makes food sweet is the presence of a large amount of carbohydrates in it. The metabolism of this particular food element is disrupted first of all when it comes to traditional diabetes mellitus. So will you really have to give up all foods containing carbohydrates?..

Under no circumstances should this be done. Almost all cells use glucose, which is formed from carbohydrates as a result of metabolism, as an energy source. And for brain cells and erythrocytes (red blood cells), glucose is generally the only source of energy. Stopping eating foods rich in carbohydrates is simply a crime against your own health. But they can dangerously increase blood sugar levels! It's a vicious circle.

Before delving into this issue, it is important to understand the following: not all carbohydrates taste sweet. For example, bread - even ordinary rye bread, with a pronounced salty taste - contains a lot of carbohydrates. Contains carbohydrates and apple. These are all different carbohydrates, and they all have different effects on the human body.

The biggest difference is the speed at which they are absorbed by the body. For a long time, this quality of carbohydrates was considered the main one when planning a diabetic menu: “fast” carbohydrates (which include regular sugar, honey and fruits) were recommended to be limited, while “slow” ones (fiber, dietary fiber and starchy foods) were highly encouraged.

But everything flows, everything changes - science does not stand still, research is carried out tirelessly. And at the moment, the main indicator of the usefulness of a particular carbohydrate is not so much the speed of its absorption by the body, but rather the consequences that occur as a result of its consumption. Of course, this refers to the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.

The ability of carbohydrates to raise blood sugar levels is determined by the glycemic index.

It demonstrates the body's glycemic response to a food compared to its response to pure sugar (glucose).

Accordingly, a glycemic index of 70 indicates that after consuming 50 g of this (optional) product, the blood glucose level will be 70% of that formed after consuming 50 g of pure glucose. Using the glycemic index, or comparison with a control product (glucose), will help solve the problem of reaction to taking this product.

Basically, the glycemic index reflects the rate of digestion and absorption of carbohydrate-containing foods. In other words, you can eat the same amount of carbohydrates, but change their quality depending on whether you want your blood glucose levels to rise quickly or whether you want a steady, long-term increase in glucose levels. For diabetes, of course, the second is preferable. Therefore, it is necessary to give preference to foods with a low glycemic index.

“Bad” carbohydrates (with a high glycemic index) include all carbohydrates that cause a sharp increase in blood glucose, which leads to hyperglycemia. Mostly these carbohydrates have a glycemic index of more than 50.

This is, firstly, white sugar in pure form or in combination with other products, such as cakes or candies. This also includes all industrially processed foods, especially white flour bread and white rice. Alcoholic drinks (which will be discussed later) also belong to such products. Potatoes and corn, oddly enough, also fell into the category of “bad” foods in terms of their glycemic index.

“Good” carbohydrates, unlike “bad” ones, are only partially absorbed by the body and therefore do not cause a significant increase in blood sugar. “Good” carbohydrates have a glycemic index below 50.

These are primarily coarse grains and some starchy foods - beans and lentils, as well as most fruits and vegetables (lettuce, turnips, green beans, leeks, etc.), which also contain a lot of fiber and little glucose.

Accordingly, it is important to select foods for diabetics taking into account their glycemic index.

Table 1

Glycemic index of food (per 50 g)

The rate of digestion and absorption of carbohydrates (and, accordingly, the glycemic index of carbohydrate-rich foods) is affected by:

• form of food, including particle size after grinding or processing: the larger the product is crushed, the healthier it is. The presence of whole grains, as well as texture and viscosity, including the presence of soluble fiber, strongly influences the change in the glycemic index;

• degree of food processing – food cannot be overcooked or overcooked;

• the presence of fructose or lactose (unlike sugar, both have a low glycemic index);

• cellulose. It slows down the breakdown of carbohydrates, slowing down the flow of glucose into the bloodstream;

• fat and protein content; fats and proteins delay the emptying of the gastrointestinal tract, and, accordingly, slow down the flow of carbohydrates into the bloodstream.

Carbohydrate counter, or the tale of a bread unit

Carbohydrates, as we know, are a component of food. In addition to the very fact of their influence on a person’s blood sugar level, it is also important to take into account the amount of this food element consumed.

But a carbohydrate is a chemical substance. It won’t take you long to figure out how to count it at home. It is unlikely that every diabetic has a mini-laboratory in their kitchen. Don’t measure carbohydrates with spoons and don’t pour them into glasses. Weighing food won't solve the problem either.

Although... Why not?

Scientists have long found a convenient way for us to measure the amount of carbohydrates in food. A wide variety of food products have been studied in laboratory conditions for their carbohydrate content. The research results were then placed in a summary table. The question remained open: how to convey this undoubtedly necessary information to people far from science.

It was for this purpose that a special unit of measurement was invented, which equated food products not by calorie content, but specifically by carbohydrate content. Conventionally, this unit contains 12–15 g of carbohydrates. If you take a standard loaf of rye bread, cut a slice about one centimeter wide and divide it into two parts, then such a slice of bread (about 12 g) will contain approximately this amount of carbohydrates. Apparently, this circumstance made it possible to call this specific unit of measurement a bread unit (XE).

You can measure a variety of products in XE - from cheesecakes to watermelons. One unit of bread increases sugar levels by an average of 2.77 mmol/l. The body of a diabetic with type I diabetes itself is not able to compensate for this increase. This requires insulin - one unit of bread eaten is compensated for by short-acting insulin in a dose of 1.4 units. As you can see, using bread units greatly simplifies the calculation of insulin for a scheduled injection.

For a person with diabetes receiving insulin, all products are divided into three groups:

• first

- what you can eat, but with conversion into grain units and with careful control of what you eat;

• second

– what you can eat with virtually no restrictions and not count at all;

• third

- something that is undesirable to eat in a normal situation (these products are intended only for “first aid” in case of a sharp drop in blood sugar levels).

To the first group

include foods containing carbohydrates.
These are all grains (bread, buckwheat, oats, millet, pearl barley, rice, pasta, noodles), fruits and fruit juices, milk, kefir and other liquid dairy products. This also includes some varieties of vegetables - potatoes, corn (beans and peas become significant only in large quantities). And, of course, the group of products subject to strict control includes chocolate, cookies and candies. They will have to be limited, although it is not necessary to completely abandon them. But lemonade and sugar in their pure form belong to the third group
of products - that same “first aid” that should be used only in case of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Every diabetic should always have some of these products with them. The contents of such a “food first aid kit” may be as follows: ten pieces of sugar; a 0.5 liter bottle of lemonade (Pepsi, Fanta, etc.) or sweet tea; one or two apples; sweet cookies, 150-200 g, or sandwiches on black bread - at least two.

All of the above products can be controlled using the bread unit system. A special table for replacing products by bread units will help you with this.

table 2

Content of carbohydrates in food products (in XE)

Second group

Products include almost all vegetables - any variety of cabbage, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers. The exceptions here are potatoes and corn. Greens, such as sorrel, dill, parsley, lettuce, etc., as well as mushrooms, can be consumed without taking into account what you eat. But, of course, you shouldn’t get carried away. Mushrooms, as you know, are a difficult food to digest.

This may seem strange, but butter and vegetable oil, mayonnaise and lard also do not affect blood sugar. So if there are no other contraindications, these products are quite possible. Just don’t forget about their high calorie content. Fish, meat, poultry, eggs and products made from them, cheese and cottage cheese - all this is available to a diabetic almost unlimitedly. The only limitation can be a sense of proportion and common sense.

A slight rise in sugar is given by beans, peas and beans in small quantities as a side dish.

Doctors do not recommend eating more than 7 XE at a time and more than 25 XE per day. Of course, these figures are very approximate. The fact is that sugar levels depend not only on the carbohydrates entering the body, but also on a person’s lifestyle. With good physical activity in the fresh air, the amount of recommended carbohydrates can be increased, but if a person has problems with excess weight, then these 7 XE should become the norm for him not for one meal, but for the whole day (see Table 2). However, one should not think that in this case the feeling of hunger will become an eternal companion for a person suffering from diabetes. Do not forget that not all products are included in the table.

Before studying the table, it is necessary to talk about how the number of bread units depends on a person’s body weight. Body mass index (BMI), or Keele index, most accurately characterizes normal weight and its deviations in one direction or another. It is calculated using a special formula: body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

BMI = body weight in kg/(height in meters)2

With this formula in mind, each person can calculate this index for themselves. An index corresponding to values ​​from 20 to 25 is taken as the norm. For example, if a man’s weight is 70 kg and his height is 1 m 70 cm, then his body mass index will be 70/1.72 = 24.2.

It is important to know that a body mass index less than 19 occurs in thin and emaciated people. From 20 to 25, as we have already said, is the norm. A BMI of 26 to 30 occurs when you are overweight. From 31 to 40 is already a moderate degree of obesity. If the body mass index exceeds 41, this indicates a severe form of obesity, which is often accompanied by serious health problems. If a person also has diabetes mellitus, the prognosis is disappointing...

Therefore, it is so important to notice dangerous signs in time and begin to take charge of yourself before the situation gets out of control. For now, let's start by calculating the required number of bread units.

Table 3

Number of bread units per day

The degree of cooking will also affect your blood sugar level. For example, mashed potatoes will raise your blood sugar faster than simply boiled or even fried potatoes. Apple juice gives a faster rise in blood sugar compared to eating an apple, just like polished rice compared to unpolished rice. Fats and cold foods slow down the absorption of glucose, and salt speeds it up.

Calculation of the number of bread units in the finished product

Knowing the system of bread units, you can avoid the annoying weighing of food. This useful discovery of scientists allows us from now on to measure carbohydrates with those same spoons, cups and glasses. Bread units allow you to count the amount of carbohydrates “by eye” just before you eat something. This removes many practical and psychological problems.

The least hassle is with purchased products in factory packaging. Typically, food packaging contains information about the amount of nutrients it contains in grams per 100 g of the finished product. Knowing the amount of carbohydrates in 100 g, you can calculate the amount of carbohydrates in the entire product.

To do this, the number written on the factory packaging simply needs to be divided by 12 - you get the number of bread units for the same 100 grams. School courses for diabetics give the classic example of chocolate in this case. Let's say on the chocolate wrapper it is written that 100 g of chocolate (just one bar) contains 60 g of carbohydrates. Divide this number by 12 - it turns out that 100 g of this chocolate contains 5-6 XE. Usually chocolate bars are divided into strips into ten to twelve pieces. This means that two slices will contain one XE.

The situation is somewhat more complicated with food prepared at home. But you shouldn’t be scared, there’s nothing truly complicated or incomprehensible here. Simply, in the recipe of a dish, those products are identified that are subject to calculation according to the system of bread units. In borscht, for example, it will be potatoes, carrots and beets. If you cook three liters of borscht, using 4 medium potatoes, 2 carrots and 1 beetroot (remember that we simply do not count the remaining ingredients of borscht), then we can assume that you have 6 XE “floating” in the pan (we calculate this from attached table). Of course, you will treat all family members, and maybe even guests, and in this case you will get 200 grams of the mentioned borscht. If you remember the math and perform a simple calculation, it turns out that you ate only 0.4 XE. If you supplement this tasty and healthy lunch with a piece of bread (1 XE) and even drink tea with a spoon of honey (1 XE) and diet bread (less than 1 XE), it turns out that the entire meal, calculated in bread units, fits into 3 XE. If you use insulin, it is easy to calculate that at the moment you will need 4.2 units of short-acting insulin to compensate for the carbohydrates consumed.

Of course, there is no talk of any apothecary accuracy of calculations. But this is not so important. Still, each body reacts differently to certain products, and no doctor will give the same recommendations for everyone. The main thing is that in this way you can easily determine the approximate amount of carbohydrates received and quickly help your body use them effectively. Over time, you will simply learn the XE table by heart and, when you come to visit, you will not meticulously question the hostess about the number of potatoes cooked for the festive dinner or how much flour she used to fry the fish in batter. You can evaluate all this “by eye” and choose food without offending your hospitable hosts and without compromising your health.

The sweet life with diabetes

“Counters, tables... All this may be good and correct. But sugar is prohibited, but I still want something sweet!” – this or something like this is what an ordinary diabetic might think.

Yes, sugar in its pure form is undesirable. But instead of regular sugar, you can use sweeteners and sweeteners. It’s probably impossible to call this a full-fledged replacement, but you can and should know these substances and use them. And for this you need to find out more about them.

Sweeteners and sweeteners

As the name suggests, these substances are designed to replace sugar. They, in contrast to glucose (grape sugar), are absorbed more slowly and for the most part do not cause an increase in blood sugar. At the same time, they have almost the same taste as regular sugar and can be used instead for cooking.

The undoubted advantage of sweeteners is that they are made on a plant basis. In fact, there are a lot of sweetener substitutes at the moment; we will look at the most used ones.

Fruit sugar (fructose)

Found naturally in fruits, vegetables and juices. It is 1.2 times sweeter than table sugar, yet it is resistant to boiling and baking and can even be used for canning. It is important to remember that if taken in excess, it can act as a laxative. The maximum single dose of fructose is 25 g, the maximum daily dose is 60 g.

Sorbitol

also found in many fruits and vegetables. On an industrial scale it is produced from corn starch. It is half as sweet as table sugar and easily dissolves in water. Also resistant to boiling and frying (baking). Has the same laxative effect as fructose. The maximum daily dose is 40–50 g.

Xylitol

In addition to the already familiar fruits and vegetables, you can also find them in mushrooms. It is industrially produced from tree sugar (xylose). It is half as sweet as our usual food (beet) sugar. It dissolves easily in water, but is also resistant to boiling and baking (which means it can be used in cooking, like previous sweeteners). However, it is more often used in the food industry than in home kitchens.

Isomalt

is a new generation low-calorie carbohydrate. Isomalt occurs naturally in sugar cane, sugar beets and honey. It is then obtained from them. In terms of its taste, isomalt is close to the usual sugar (0.5 sweetness of sucrose), but is poorly absorbed by the walls of the intestinal tract. It is well suited for preparing diabetic products.

Please note: sweeteners contain carbohydrates, just like regular sugar. It’s just that these carbohydrates in the case of diabetes are preferable to the carbohydrates sucrose and glucose. When calculating the amount of carbohydrates (and calorie content too) in products prepared with their help, it is necessary to take into account sweeteners.

Table 4

Amount of carbohydrates and calorie content of sweeteners

Now it's time to talk about sweeteners

. Saccharin and other similar substances are chemical compounds that are 10–500 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose). Their low calorie content plays an important role. They, as a rule, do not affect metabolic processes in the body in any way and are excreted unchanged in the urine. The exception is aspartame.

Sweeteners do not contain carbohydrates, so their use does not affect the calculated nutrition plan in any way. This is their absolute advantage for a diabetic yearning for “sweets.” According to these indicators, they are perfect for those who are overweight.

You just need to remember the ancient golden rule: “Everything is good in moderation.” Sugar substitutes and sweeteners are still artificially synthesized substances. We have to admit that not all of their properties have been fully studied. After all, the presence (or absence) of carbohydrates and calories is still not the most important indicator of a food product (although it is the main one for a diabetic). For example, it has been noticed that sugar substitutes, although not as high in calories as simple sugar, significantly increase appetite. Thus, a person can still begin to gain weight. They should not be consumed in large quantities at all, as this can result in stomach upset. The media are fueling vague alarm: either they will attribute carcinogenic properties to sweeteners (the ability to cause tumors), or they will blame them for the development of kidney failure. True, none of these accusations have yet been proven, but concern remains.

Therefore, the main advice for diabetics is to get used to “sweetening” your life with natural sugars contained in plant foods.

What is a bread unit?

Historically, before the era of iPhones, a different method for calculating carbohydrates in food developed - through bread units (XE), also called carbohydrate units . Bread units for type 1 diabetics were introduced for the convenience of estimating the amount of insulin required for carbohydrate absorption. 1 XE requires 2 units of insulin for absorption in the morning, 1.5 at lunch, and only 1 in the evening. The absorption of carbohydrates in the amount of 1 XE increases glycemia by 1.5-1.9 mmol/l.

There is no exact definition of XE; we will give a number of historically established definitions. A bread unit was introduced by German doctors, and until 2010 was defined as the amount of product containing 12 g of digestible (and thereby increasing glycemia) carbohydrates in the form of sugars and starches. But in Switzerland, XE was considered to contain 10 g of carbohydrates, and in English-speaking countries - 15 g. The discrepancy in definitions led to the fact that since 2010 it was recommended not to use the concept of XE in Germany.

In Russia it is generally accepted that 1 XE corresponds to 12 g of digestible carbohydrates, or 13 g of carbohydrates taking into account the dietary fiber contained in the product. Knowing this ratio allows you to easily convert (roughly in your head, exactly on the calculator built into any mobile phone) XE into grams of carbohydrates and vice versa.

As an example, if you ate a persimmon weighing 190 g, with a known carbohydrate content of 15.9%, you consumed 15.9 x 190/100 = 30 g of carbohydrates, or 30/12 = 2.5 XE. How to count XE, accurate to tenths or rounded to whole numbers, is up to you. In both cases, “on average” the balance will be reduced per day.

The amount of XE planned for the day should be correctly distributed among meals and carbohydrate “snacks” between them should not be allowed. As an example, with a daily “norm” of 17-18 XE (doctors recommend up to 15-20 XE per day for diabetic patients), they should be distributed as follows:

• breakfast 4 XE;
• lunch 2 XE;
• lunch 4-5 XE;
• afternoon snack 2 XE;
• dinner 3-4 XE;
• “before bed” 1-2 XE.

In any case, you should not eat more than 6-7 XE at one meal. Even a sponge cake weighing 100 g fits into this limit. Of course, you should also calculate whether the daily norm of XE will not be exceeded. With a different amount of XE, the ratios for XE between meals given in the example should be observed.

It should be borne in mind that carbohydrates are found not only in plant foods, but also in dairy products (in the form of milk sugar - lactose). There are few carbohydrates in cheese and cottage cheese (they turn into whey during the production process of the product) and the XE of these products is usually not taken into account, as is the XE of meat products (provided that sausages do not contain starch), which makes it possible not to calculate their cost in XE .

Sweets and sweeteners

Berries and fruits in nutrition

Most fruits and berries contain a small amount of carbohydrates, but this does not mean that they do not need to be counted or consumed in large quantities. One bread unit corresponds to 3-4 apricots or plums, a slice of watermelon or melon, half a banana or grapefruit.

Apple, pear, orange, peach, persimmon - 1 piece of each such fruit contains 1 carbohydrate unit. Most XE is found in grapes.

One bread unit is equivalent to 5 large berries.

It is best to measure berries not in pieces, but in glasses. So for 200 g of product there is 1 bread unit

It is important to remember that not only fresh foods, but also dried fruits contain carbohydrate units. Therefore, before using dried fruits and berries for cooking, weigh them and calculate the amount of XE they contain

Fruits come in different varieties and, depending on this, can be either sweet or sour. But no matter how the taste of the product changes, its carbohydrate value does not change.

Acidic fruits and berries contain more carbohydrates, which are digested slowly.

Any fruit in a person’s blood begins to raise the sugar level, but this happens at different speeds.

saharvnorme.ru

Many people know that in diabetes mellitus the patient’s nutrition plays a decisive role. Indeed, regulating the intake of carbohydrates from food greatly facilitates the selection of the correct dose of insulin. The principles of insulin action - science saves lives, but it is very difficult to calculate the required amount of certain foods every day, for many years, and everything that is difficult is usually ignored by people. That is why the concept of “bread unit” was introduced, which made it easier to calculate nutrition for millions of people suffering from one form or another of diabetes.

Bread unit (XU) is a measure of carbohydrates in foods. One bread unit is equal to twelve grams of sugar, or twenty-five grams of black bread. A certain amount of insulin is spent on the breakdown of one unit of bread, on average equal to two action units in the morning, one and a half units in the afternoon, and one action unit in the evening.

Meaning of carbohydrates

Of course, all foods consumed in the diet differ in composition, the benefits or harm they bring, as well as the calorie content of the food. In diabetes mellitus, special attention is paid to the amount of digestible carbohydrates that one bread unit contains. Therefore, people suffering from the symptoms of the disease have to count the amount of carbohydrates they consume and know exactly which of them are absorbed slowly and which quickly increase sugar levels in the body. We must not forget that the product contains indigestible insoluble carbohydrates, which are simply excreted, and they do not affect glucose values ​​in any way. There are also soluble carbohydrates that are involved in other body processes.

XE norm per day

Normally, a person should consume no more than 30 bread units.

The number of units decreases if he has any metabolic abnormalities, which include:

• obesity,
• diabetes,
• metabolic syndrome,
• etc.

In addition, this indicator is also affected by a person’s age and physical activity. The less he moves, the fewer bread units he should consume.

How to count

It is easiest to adapt this measure to a standard behavioral measurement of food.

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What does it mean?

Let's calculate the amount of food energy, for example, in bread.

Just 1 piece of bread (white, black, but not rich!) contains 1 XE. It is generally accepted that it is healthier for a diabetic to dry bread, in other words, to eat crackers. So, if you chew a bread crumb, the number of bread units will not decrease, since during the drying process only water evaporates from the product. Dehydrated bread is not devoid of carbohydrates.

If we grind a cracker, we get about 1 tablespoon, which contains the same amount of XE.

In 1 tablespoon of flour, starch (this is also a carbohydrate, which is why it is not recommended to eat potatoes) - 1 XE.

Exactly the same number of units are contained in:

• two tablespoons of any cooked cereal
• 1 tbsp sugar or 3 pieces of refined sugar
• 7 tablespoons of any legumes
• 3 medium or large carrots
• 1 medium sized potato
• 1 large beet
• half a banana or grapefruit
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• 1 persimmon
• 1 peach
• 3 tangerines
• 1 piece of melon, watermelon or pineapple
• 3 plums or apricots

Small fruits and berries are easier to calculate in terms of the volume of a saucer without a slide. 1 XE is equal to 1 saucer of cherries, cherries, strawberries. But very sweet small berries or fruits can be measured individually. For example, 3-4 grapes contain 1 XE.

As for drinks, let’s take an ordinary faceted glass as a measure and 1 XE is contained in:

• a third of a glass of grape juice
• 1 glass of kvass or beer
• 1/2 cup apple juice and other less sweet fruit juices

It is worth noting that any juice is much less beneficial for diabetes than raw fruit or vegetable, since it is devoid of a natural component that slows down carbohydrate metabolism - dietary fiber. Fiber slows down the process of food processing, and fiber that is insoluble in water generally removes some of the substances along with it, thereby cleansing the body and reducing the overall calorie content of foods. So it’s worth taking this fact into account when planning your diet!

Fiber as a fundamental basis for diabetic health List of foods rich in fiber

Unsweetened drinks do not contain carbohydrates, just like meat and fish products. Therefore, there is no point in counting grain units in them.

Things are a little different with confectionery products, because they are nothing but carbohydrates! For example, 100 grams of ice cream contains 2 units.

If you want to slow down the absorption of saccharides, then consume them exclusively after eating the main meal. So the glycemic level will increase somewhat more slowly. Any fats contained in the product also slow down the absorption process. Therefore, creamy ice cream is much better than fruit ice, which has absolutely no benefit for diabetics. But to be honest, it would be worth giving up all sweet foods altogether.

But what if we bought a finished product in a store? How to calculate the amount of XE in them?

Everything is extremely simple. We read the part of the label where the energy value is written. We look at the carbohydrates contained in 100 grams of the product and remember that 1 unit is equal to 10-15 grams. carbohydrates.

To make it easier to calculate, of course, it is better to take a round number as the norm, but carry out the calculation taking into account the error and always round up.

100 grams of milk chocolate contain 50 grams of carbohydrates, therefore, this amount of sweetness is approximately equal to 5 XE.

As for alcohol, you should not think that it is safe for diabetics, since it contains practically no sugar.

This is a wrong opinion! In 100 grams of any table wine there are 20 grams of carbohydrates, and this is still the same 2 XE, in 250 ml of beer - 1 XE (this is 1 glass), in dark beer there are more carbohydrates and the same amount will be equal to 2 XE.

Self-calculation

People suffering from diabetes mellitus should always have XE tables at hand. They indicate how many carbohydrates certain foods contain in quantities equivalent to 1 unit of bread. They are the basis for creating a daily diet. However, if it suddenly doesn’t appear, you can make the necessary calculations yourself.

The label of any product usually indicates its composition and nutritional value. To convert carbohydrates into bread units, you need to divide their amount by 12. The resulting number is the desired value. Now you need to weigh the required amount of product that the patient can eat without fear for his health.

For example, 100 g of regular cookies contain 50 g of carbohydrates. To find out how much XE is contained in the same amount of cookies, we make the following approximate calculation:

50:12=4

Thus, 100 grams of cookies will already contain 4 bread units. Then the maximum amount of cookies that you can eat without harming your health is 150 grams. This quantity will contain 6 bread units. The required amount of insulin is calculated specifically for this weight of cookies.

Principles of therapeutic nutrition

• The caloric content of food for diabetes in the daily diet must be compensated by energy expenditure.
• The intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates should be balanced at every meal.
• Fractional meals for patients are the basis for creating a menu. A person should eat at least 5 times a day, taking food in small portions.

Features of type 2 diabetes mellitus

A special type of diabetes occurs when there is normal (reduced or excessive) production of insulin by the leading organ of the endocrine system. The disease of the second type is not associated with a lack of hormone in the body, as with the first. Tissue cells in older diabetics become resistant (unresponsive) to insulin over time and for a number of reasons.

The main effect of the hormone produced by the pancreas is to help the penetration of glucose from the blood into the tissues (muscle, fat, liver). In type 2 diabetes, there is insulin in the body, but the cells no longer perceive it. Unutilized glucose accumulates in the blood, causing hyperglycemia syndrome (blood sugar levels exceed acceptable limits). The process of impaired insulin resistance develops slowly in older patients, from several weeks to months and even years.

Often the disease is diagnosed during a routine examination. Undiagnosed diabetics may seek medical attention with symptoms of:

• sudden skin rashes, itching;
• visual impairment, cataracts;
• angiopathy (peripheral vascular diseases);
• neuropathy (complications of nerve endings);
• kidney dysfunction, impotence.

In addition, drops of dried urine, which is a glucose solution, leave white stains on the laundry. About 90% of patients, as a rule, have a body weight that exceeds the norm. Retrospectively, it can be established that the diabetic had intrauterine development disorders in the postnatal period. Early feeding with formula milk supports defects in the production of endogenous (internal) insulin. Doctors recommend, if possible, breastfeeding your child.

It has been proven that the mechanism of insulin resistance is fixed by evolution. Humanity had to survive in unfavorable conditions. Periods of famine alternated with times of plenty. Immunity to the pancreatic hormone helped accumulate energy - the body stored fat in reserve to survive the tests of hunger.

In modern conditions, economic development is accompanied by a tendency towards a sedentary lifestyle. Genetically preserved mechanisms continue to accumulate energy, which leads to the development of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The debut of glycemia indicates that by this time 50% of the special cells of the pancreas have lost their functional activity.

The period of the asymptomatic stage of diabetes mellitus is considered by endocrinologists to be the most dangerous. The person is already sick, but does not receive adequate treatment. There is a high probability of the occurrence and development of cardiovascular complications. Diagnosed at an early stage, the disease can be cured without taking medications. A special diet, physical activity and herbal medicine may be sufficient.

XE of individual products

Carbohydrates and XE in particular are available in three forms - sugar, starch and fiber. Carbohydrates are found in grains (bread, pasta and cereals), fruits, vegetables, root vegetables (potatoes/sweet potatoes), beer, wine and some spirits, desserts and candy, most dairy products (except cheese) and other foods such as sucrose, fructose, maltose.

A healthy diet for type 2 diabetes should contain nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates , such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, skim milk and yogurt. Choosing a diet high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein should be directly proportional to the calorie content.

Simple carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates (monosaccharides and disaccharides) are easily broken down, and the glucose released into the bloodstream causes an increase in blood sugar.
Foods containing simple sugars include table sugar, corn syrup, some fruit juices, candy, soda, honey, milk, yogurt, jams, chocolate, cookies and white flour products.

Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides) take longer to break down and slowly release glucose into the bloodstream.
This slow increase in blood glucose levels is safer for diabetics. Some of the foods that contain complex sugars include: barley, beans, bran, brown bread, brown rice, buckwheat, corn flour, cereal breads, high fiber cereals, lentils, pasta, corn, muesli, peas, potatoes, spaghetti, whole grain bread, whole grain cereals.

Carbohydrate metabolism

Once the digestion process begins, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and released into the blood. Available glucose in the blood is either used for energy, stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles, or, when there is no need for energy, it is processed and stored in the body as fat.

All of the above glucose metabolism requires insulin. People with diabetes cannot produce enough insulin or are not insulin sensitive and therefore need to maintain their blood glucose levels with medications and lifestyle changes.

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To calculate bread units for type 2 diabetes, use the tables below with XE values ​​for some products.

Dairy

Fruits and berries

Potatoes, cereals, nuts

Flour products

Vegetables

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 sugar levels are high, it is recommended to prepare thick porridges, and when sugar levels are low, semolina, for example. The least desirable foods on this list are canned peas and baby corn.

Additional recommendations

The first and second types of diabetes mellitus are a disease that necessarily requires dietary nutrition. Otherwise, a sharp increase in blood sugar levels is likely, which will lead not only to worsening well-being, but also to more significant complications.

Possible consumption per day for different types of people

If for some reason you manage to consume more XE than was originally calculated, then you need to wait a little after eating. After this, a small ratio of insulin will be required, which will lead to the elimination of sugar levels. The problem is that it is not advisable to do this often.

In addition, it is unacceptable to administer more than 14 units of insulin (short) before use.

For optimal sugar levels between eating sessions, it is highly recommended to use something in the amount of 1 XE. In this case, there will be no need to use insulin and a person facing diabetes will be able to be 100% confident in maintaining their own health status and excluding the development of complications. In addition, questions will not arise about how to calculate XE and why it is necessary to contact a specialist.

Glycemic index of foods

With diabetes, it is not only the presence of carbohydrates in a certain product that matters, but also how quickly they are absorbed and enter the bloodstream. The smoother the carbohydrate is digested, the less the increase in blood glucose occurs.

GI (glycemic index) is the coefficient of the effect of various foods on blood glucose.
Products with a high glycemic index (sugar, sweets, sweet drinks, jam) should be excluded from your menu. It is allowed to consume only 1-2 XE of sweets to relieve hypoglycemia. Previous article: How and why a blood test for sugar is performed Next article: Kidney damage in diabetes mellitus

Consumption rate

For type 2 diabetics (and in some cases, type 1), a low-carbohydrate diet is recommended, which will reduce the release of glucose into the blood. Reducing the consumption of these components will lead to weight loss (if necessary), insulin levels will also drop, and diabetes will be compensated.

With this diet, the calculation is most often carried out in grams and amounts to 25 - 30 g of carbohydrates per day for type 1 and type 1 diabetes. This corresponds to approximately 2 - 2.5 hex per day for diabetes mellitus. At the same time, this amount of carbohydrates should be consumed in combination with an increased dosage of proteins and, to a lesser extent, fats.

It is important to remember that the intake of carbohydrates should be uniform. For each meal about 0.5 - 0.8 XE or 6 - 8 g

There is nothing complicated about how to correctly calculate this indicator in products. Look at the packaging; there is always a table of carbohydrates in the products, which also indicates the content of proteins and fats. Adjust this number based on the weight of the product. Divide the number by 12. The resulting result is the number of XE.

The second important question is how to calculate the amount of insulin based on these data. The use of one XE without the introduction of any glucose-lowering drug increases the level of glucose in the body by an average of 1.7 - 2 mm/l. Based on this, determine the dose of insulin.

From what is written above it is clear that calculating XE for insulin injection is quite complex. It is much easier to calculate this figure per 1 gram.

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 eliminate a negative effect on the level of glucose in a person’s 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.

XE content tables

The average XE content of some of the most popular products has already been calculated. They are also necessary because not all food is sold in packaging. A table of bread units, taking into account that 1 XE is equal to 12 g, is given below. They are developed by Endocrinological Research Centers (ERC) in accordance with Russian counting standards.

Easily digestible carbohydrates

Table 1

For type 2 diabetes, these foods should be completely avoided. In the first form of the disease, they can be used, but only in case of a real danger of hypoglycemia.

Beverages

table 2

There is some complexity in how to count the units in this case. Cups and glasses have volumes from 150 to 350 ml and it is not always indicated on the dishes. In any case, if diabetes is not sufficiently compensated, it is better to avoid juices (this rule applies to any type of diabetes).

Fruits

Table 3

All types of diabetes also require the exclusion of fruits. They are high in sugars and easily digestible carbohydrates.

Vegetables

Table 4

Since you can consume only 2 - 2.5 units for diabetes, vegetables that are not rich in carbohydrates are recommended for consumption so that the volume of food that covers the daily requirement of a diabetic for XE is sufficient.

Dairy

Table 5

When consuming dairy products, in addition to carbohydrates, it is worth calculating the fat content. In the second form of the disease, you can only consume low-fat products.

Flour and cereal products

Table 6

For diabetes mellitus, the table above is of great importance. To find out with its help how much XE is in the product that the patient consumes, it needs to be weighed. High-precision electronic scales will help you accurately count bread units and are indispensable for diabetics.

XE table for basic foodstuffs

Below are the quantitative indicators of bread units in some products.