What is a "Bread Unit"?

A bread unit is a conventional concept that was introduced by nutritionists to facilitate the task of determining the required norm of carbohydrate-containing products in a daily diet. This concept is very important for people with diabetes who are receiving insulin. They should watch the amount of carbohydrates they eat to prevent their blood sugar levels from rising.

One unit of bread contains 12-15 grams of digestible carbohydrates, which increase blood sugar levels by the same amount - 2.8 mmol/l - and require 2 units of insulin for absorption by the body. Regardless of the type and quantity of the product, be it bread or an apple, one unit of bread contains the same amount of carbohydrates.

For patients with diabetes, it is very important to comply with the daily carbohydrate intake that corresponds to the dose of insulin administered to them. A person's daily need for carbohydrates is approximately 18-25 bread units. It is advisable to distribute them over six meals, and most of the carbohydrate-containing foods should be consumed in the first half of the day.

Below is a table that shows the amount of a particular product in one unit of bread. This will help you plan your diet according to the amount of carbohydrates you consume throughout the day.

1. 25-30 grams of white or black bread (half a regular loaf of bread one centimeter thick); "Maria" cookies, 3-4 pieces; biscuits, 5 pieces; crackers, 5-6 pieces;
2. breadcrumbs - 1 tablespoon; any flour - 1 tablespoon;
3. 1/2 cup of buckwheat, barley, millet, corn, oatmeal, pearl barley porridge;
4. 1/3 cup rice porridge;
5. 1/2 cup of any boiled pasta;
6. pancakes, 1 medium;
7. pancakes, 1;
8. cheesecakes, 1 medium;
9. 2 meat pies;
10. dumplings, 4-5 pieces;
11. one medium potato or 2 tbsp. spoons of fried potatoes or 2 tbsp. spoons of puree;
12. 1/2 cup boiled peas, beans, lentils;
13. 1 cup boiled grated beets or carrots;
14. 1 cup grated fresh pumpkin;
15. 1 cup fresh grated turnip;
16. 1 large apple or pear;
17. 1 large banana;
18. 15 grapes or 1/2 cup berries;
19. 1/2 cup fresh juice;
20. 1/2 cup dried fruit compote;
21. 1/2 cup milk;
22. 1 yogurt without additives;
23. 1/2 cup kefir;
24. 1/2 cup cottage cheese without additives;
25. 1/2 cup ice cream;
26. 1/4 fruit pie.

But it is worth remembering that this table is only indicative, since the amount of carbohydrates in products may vary depending on their quality and method of preparation. Therefore, if you have diabetes, it is better to consult a doctor or nutritionist so that they can help you develop an individual diet and teach you how to count bread units correctly.