Count "Carbs as sugars" or just "Carbs"

[goji]

Hi

This question was asked to me by someone with T1 who is on Novorapid and Levemir. He wanted to know whether when looking at a packet, why you don't count the "Carbs as sugars" rather than just the "Carbs".

For example, on a packet of brownies it says:

"Carbohydrates per brownie 15.3g of which sugars 12.9g"

He wants to know if he should avoid foods with carbs that have a high 'of which sugars' level? Or do you just go solely by the carbs?

Thanks
G

 

[borofergie]

Total Carbs. The sugar bit is irrelevant.

 

[xyzzy]

Yes sugar is just a refined carbohydrate and its carbs that primarily effect levels so always ignore the "of which sugars" bit.

 

[phoenix]

Normally you would count all carbs.
There are a few things that some people might count less (like sweet corn and lentils) .
If your friend is using novo and levimir without knowing how to carb count it might be a good idea to direct him to this online carb counting course.
http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[LouiseW]

I normally subtract the g of fibre from the g of carbs.

 

[Indy51]

In Australia - and I think most other countries besides the US (and maybe Canada?) - the fibre is listed separately and appears to have already been subtracted from the carbs. I always work on total carbs, ignoring sugar and fibre.