The Lowdown on Carb Counting

Carbohydrates are a necessary and important food group but they also raise blood sugar levels. By counting your serving of carbs, you will better control your blood glucose levels.

How to Calculate a Serving of Carbohydrate

One serving of a carbohydrate has about 15 grams.  On average 45-60 grams are recommended per meal. To figure it out; take the number of carbohydrates and divide by 15 to find out how many servings of carbohydrates you are consuming. For instance; a meal containing 45 grams is equal to 3 carbs at the meal, and a snack containing 15 grams is equal to 1 carb serving.  Your healthcare provider will help you determine how many  for the day or servings in each meal and snack.

Be sure to read the nutrition food label to determine how many grams of carbohydrate are in a serving.  Look at the total carbohydrate along with the serving size to understand how much you should consume. Also make sure serving sizes are accurate by using measuring spoons, cups or a food scale.

What foods contain carbohydrate?

• Breads, cereals, crackers and pretzels

• Pasta, rice, and grains

• Starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas, and corn

• Beans, legumes and vegetarian soy products

• Milk, soymilk, and yogurt

• Fruits and fruit juices

• Sugared beverages, soda, cookies, ice cream, jelly and other sweets

Food Choices Equal to 1 Serving (15 grams) of Carbohydrate

Starches

• 1 slice bread

• ½ English muffin

• 3/4-cup ready-to-eat cereal

• 1/2 cup cooked cereal

• 4-6 small crackers (read the label; varies with manufacturer)

• ⅓ cup cooked pasta or rice

• 1/2 cup beans, peas, corn, squash or mashed potatoes

• 1/4 large baked potato

• 3 cups popped corn

Fruit

• 1 small fresh fruit

• 1/2 cup canned fruit

• 2 tablespoons raisins or 1/4 cup other dried fruit

• 17 small grapes

• 1-cup melon or berries

• 1/2 -cup fruit juice

Milk

• 1-cup reduced-fat milk or soymilk

• 6 ounces yogurt

• 1/2-cup ice cream or frozen yogurt

Sweets and Desserts

• 2-inch square unfrosted cake

• 2 small cookies

• 1/4-cup sherbet or sorbet

• 1-tablespoon syrup, jelly, honey, or table sugar

• 2 tablespoons light syrup

“Free Foods“

1-cup of raw, non-starchy vegetables or 1/2 cup cooked, non-starchy vegetables are considered free foods with zero carbohydrates.  Keep in mind that 3 or more servings at one meal would be counted as 1 serving of carbohydrate.  Foods with 20 calories or less per serving may also be counted as a zero carbohydrate servings or a free food.

Balance is Key

Keep in mind that you may be counting carbohydrates, but including a little bit of protein and healthy fat at meals and snacks is important for balanced nutrition.

Your dietitian can provide more information and detail for carbohydrate counting and managing your diet for diabetes.

For more information on Carbohydrate Counting, also see:

American Dietetic Association. Carbohydrate Counting for People with Diabetes

American Diabetes Association. Carbohydrate Counting