CARBS---DO I REALLY NEED THEM?

I AM WONDERING IF I NEED TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CARBS FOR EACH MEAL? I TAKE 500 MG GLYP/METFORMIN 1 IN THE A.M. AND ONE IN THE P.M. AND 38 UNITS OF OF LANTUS EACH EVENING.
I HAVE STARTED TO TRY GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS AND HAVE CUT DOWN ON MY CARBS CONSIDERABLY. I REALLY AM NOT A HUGE FAN OF BREADS, AND PASTAS.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AMT OF CARBS I NEED TO HAVE FOR EACH MEAL OR PER DAY. I WILL START WALKING THIS SPRING. RIGHT NOW I AM ON A 1700 CAL. DIET. I INTEND TO LOSE WEIGHT. RIGHT NOW I AM 5'6" AND WEIGH 230 LBS.
I AM SERIOUS ABOUT ME CONTROLLING MY DIABETES AND NOT LETTING MY DIABETES CONTROL ME.

[Super_sally888]

Hello,

there are no such thing as essential carbs, but there are such thing as essential fats and proteins.

However, some foods with carbs also contain vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

If you want to go low carb, this is fine and can be very effective, but you should still eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables (basically everything execpt corn and potato is ok, and particularly the green veges).

No need for fruits (nonstarchy veges contain all the same nutrients as fruit), and grains and sweetened foods.

I would highly recommend the book "Diabetes Solutions" by Dr. Richard Berstein.  He recommends a diet of about 30 g of carbs/day and also gives excellent advice on managing diabetes.

Congratulations on getting healthy!  Keep up the good work.

[diabetes86]

e need enough carbs so you dont go below 70.

no ware in your post to say what your BG is.  Tasting is the only way to tell what works and what you need