Download Ready, Set, Start Counting!

Ready, Set, Start Counting!
Carbohydrate Counting — a Tool to Help Manage Your Blood Glucose
When you have diabetes, keeping your blood glucose in a healthy range can help you feel your best
today and in the future. Carbohydrate counting — or “carb counting” — is a flexible meal-planning tool
(not a diet) that can help you understand how your food choices affect your blood glucose level.
Carbohydrate and blood glucose
Any carbohydrate food you eat (e.g., milk, fruit,
bread and pasta) is digested into glucose, which
causes your blood glucose level to increase.
However, eating some carbohydrates
throughout the day is important because they
provide energy and essential nutrients for your
body. To better manage your blood glucose,
energy levels and weight, pay attention to how
much carbohydrate you eat.
Maintaining the right balance between
carbohydrate and insulin (whether your body
produces it or you take it) helps to regulate
your blood glucose level. Determining when
and how much you eat — and whether or not
you have snacks — should be based on your
lifestyle, medications and meal-planning
goals. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN)
may consider the following ways for you to
use carb counting to determine the healthiest
plan for you:
r1PSUJPO$POUSPM Setting a maximum amount
of carbs for each meal within your healthy
meal plan and/or taking diabetes
medications can keep your blood glucose
from getting too high.
r$POTJTUFODZIf you use diabetes medications
or insulin, it may be important to eat the same
amount of food and carbohydrate at the same
time each day. Doing this can keep your blood
glucose from getting too high or too low.
r'MFYJCJMJUZ If your insulin plan includes
varying doses based on how much
carbohydrate you are eating (carb/insulin
ratio), accurate carb counting can help you
determine how much insulin to take.
'PPETUIBUDPOUBJODBSCPIZESBUF
rGrains (e.g., breads, crackers, rice, hot and
cold cereals, tortillas and noodles)
rStarchy vegetables (e.g., potatoes, peas,
corn, winter squash, lentils and beans)
rFruit and juices
rMilk and yogurt
rSweets and desserts
Non-starchy vegetables (e.g., carrots, broccoli
and tomatoes) contain only a small amount
of carbohydrates and do not affect blood
glucose when eaten in small portions.
Carbohydrate choices and
Carbohydrate
Carbohydratechoices
choices
portion
sizes
and
portion
sizes
and portion sizes
Learn
how
toread
readfood
foodlabels
labels
Learn how
howto
to
read
food
labels
Here
tips for
to keep
keep
in mind
mind
whenreading
readingfood
foodlabels.
labels.
Here
are tips
reading
foodwhen
labels.
Here are
to
in
Remember:
Always compare
comparethe
theserving
servingsize
sizelisted
listedto
your
Remember:
serving
size
listed
totoyour
your
Remember: Always
actual
portion.
Learn
how
to read food labels
actual
actual
portion.
t A
“carbohydrate
choice”
isis is a
“carbohydrate
choice”
tr
AA“carbohydrate
choice”
a portion
ofof
food,
like
a aslice
choices
portion
food,
such
as a
a Carbohydrate
portion
food,
like
slice
and
portion
sizes
of of
bread,
that
has
1515
grams
ofof has
Here are tips to keep in mind when reading food labels.
1-ounce
slice
of
bread,
that
bread,
that
has
grams
Remember: Always compare the serving size listed to your
t15Agrams
“carbohydrate
choice” is (1
carbohydrate
(1(1
carbohydrate
carbohydrate
carbohydrate
of
carbohydrate
Compare
the
Nutrition Facts
Facts
the
3Compare
Nutrition
3
actual portion.
a portion
of food,
like a slice
choice
=
15
grams
of
choice
= 15 grams
of = 15
ServingSize
Size 15
15crackers
crackers(30g)
(30g)
carbohydrate
choice
servingsize
sizelisted
listed
Serving
Find
serving
Find the
the
1
1
of bread, that has 15 grams of
Servings
Per
Container
about
Servings
Per
Container
about
1414
carbohydrate).
carbohydrate).
grams
of
carbohydrate).
youractual
actual
serving
totoyour
serving size.
carbohydrate (1 carbohydrate
Calories Facts
130
Compare the
Nutrition
Calories
130
3
portion.
The
total
carbohydrate
portion.
The
total
carbohydrate
fromany
any
choice
=
15 grams of from
Serving Size 15 crackers (30g)
serving size listed
Find the
1
The idea is that total
Total
Fat
3g
5%
Total
Fat
3g
5%
Servings
Per
Container
about
14
carbohydrate).
food
has
about
food
has
aboutthe
thesame
sameeffect
effect
to your actual
serving size.
carbohydrate from any food
Saturated
SaturatedFat
Fat0g
0g 130
Calories
Locate
the
blood
glucose.
Locate
the
onon
blood
glucose.
portion.
The total carbohydrate from any
22
Cholesterol
0%
Cholesterol0mg
0mg
0%
often
has
a
similar
effect
on
Total
Fat
3g
5%
totalcarbohydrate
carbohydrate
food
has about
the
sameor
total
t Small
portions
sweets
t Small
portions
ofofsweets
oreffect
Sodium
160mg
7%
the
grams
Sodium
160mg
7%
Saturated
Fat 0g
Count
the
grams
44Count
blood
glucose
levels.
Locate
the
on blood glucose.
inone
one serving.
serving.
2
in
Cholesterol
0mg
0%
sugar
can
occasionally
be
used
Total
sugar can occasionally be used
Total Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate 22g
22g 7%
7%
ofofcarbohydrate
carbohydrate
total carbohydrate
(Sugars
are
t
Small
portions
of
sweets
or
(Sugars
are
Sodium
160mg
7%
Count
the
grams
Dietary
Fiber
2g
8%
r
S
mall
portions
of
sweets
or
place
other
4
Dietary Fiber 2g
8%
in in
place
ofof
other
ororthe
number
the
number
inincluded
one serving.
sugar can occasionally be used
in this
this Total Carbohydrate
22g
7%
Sugars
of carbohydrate
included
in
Sugars 3g
3g
carbohydratesugar can occasionally be used
(Sugars
are
carbohydrateofofcarbohydrate
carbohydrate
Fiber 2g
8%
in place of other
Protein
– – or the number
number, so
so you
you do
do Dietary
Protein 3g
3g
number,
containing
food.
included
in
this
in
place
of
other
Sugars
3g
containing
food.
choices.
this
choices.
InIn
this
carbohydrateVitamin A
0% of carbohydrate
notneed
need
to count
count
Vitamin
A
0%
not
to
Protein
3g
–
number,
so you
do
carbohydrateVitamin C
0% choices.
t Measure
weigh
containing
food.
In this 1010
example,
crackers
example,
crackers
Vitamin
C
0%
them
separately.)
t Measure
oror
weigh
Vitamin
A
0%
not
need
to count
them
separately.)
containing
food.
example,
10
crackers
foods
learn
would
have
about
Vitamin C
0%
t Measure
or weigh
have
about
15 grams
foods
toto
learn
them separately.)
would
have
about
what
common
foods
to learn
15
grams
ofequal
carb and
of carb
and
what
common
rMeasuring
or
15
grams
of
carb
and
what common
portion
sizes look
equal
1 choice.
carb choice.
1 choice.
carb
portion
sizessizes
look
equal 1 carb
weighing
foods
portion
look
like. If you do
like.can
If you
help
you
If do
you
do
notlike.
have
access
not learn
have
access
not have
access
what
The number of carbohydrate choices you
to a scale or measuring cups,
The
number
of
choices
you youyou
The
number
ofcarbohydrate
carbohydrate
choices
need
The
number
of carbohydrate
choices
to
a
scale
or
measuring
cups,
to acommon
scale or measuring
cups,
portion
sizes
look
need
depends
on
your
body
size,
activity
refer
to
these
hand-estimated
need
depends
on
your
body
size,
activity
depends
on your body
size,
activity
and
refer
these
need depends
on your
body
size, level
activity
referlike.
to
these
hand-estimated
If to
you
do hand-estimated
not have access
level
weight-management
goals.
illustrations.
level
andand
weight-management
goals.
illustrations.
weight-management
goals.
An
RD
or
RDN
level and weight-management goals. can
illustrations.
to a scale or measuring cups,
help you determine the appropriate amount
refer
to thesecarbohydrate
hand-estimated
Determine
choicesonline
onlineof carbs for you. Visit www.eatright.org
Determine
carbohydrate
choices
Determine
carbohydrate
choices online
illustrations.
When
a nutritionlabel
labelisis not
not available,
you
Visitfind
the home
page of
your
search search
an
near
you.preferred
When
a nutrition
available,often
often
you 3. to
3.
Visit
theRD/RDN
home
page
ofpreferred
your
can
find
the
information
online.
engine
(like
Google
or
Bing)
and
enter
theenter
key the
When
a
nutrition
label
is
not
available,
often
you
3.
Visit
the
home
page
of
your
preferred
search
can find the information online.
engine (like Google or Bing) and
key
words
“nutrition
information
for
____
(the
name
can
find
the information
engine“nutrition
(like Google
or Bing)for
and____
enter
thename
key
1. Locate
the
name of online.
the company
thatonline
produced
Determine
carbohydrate
choices
words
information
(the
1. Locate the
name of the company
that produced of the
food you are looking for)” in the search
or packaged the food, then visit its website.
words
“nutrition
information
for
(the
of
the
food
youa are
lookingapp
for)”
in____
the
search
1.When
Locate
the name
offood,
the
company
that
produced
nutrition
label
is not
available,
often
you
3.
Download
nutrition
onto
your
cellname
orapackaged
the
then
visit its
website.
window.
2.packaged
Refer to a the
reliable
website
that
of the
food you are looking for)” in the search
window.
food,
then
visitprovides
its website.
can
the
online.
phone:
2.orfind
Refer
to information
a reliable
website
4. Download
a nutrition app onto your cell phone
nutrition
information,
suchthat
as: provides
window.
4.
nutrition
onto
your cell phone
list
of apps,app
visit
http://www.dce.org/
suchDownload
as:a. For a a
2.1. Refer
to
a
reliable
website
that
provides
nutrition
information,
such
as:
Locate
the
name
of
the
company
that
produced
a. Calorie King (www.calorieking.com)
such
as:
4.
Download
a nutrition app onto your cell phone
a. MyFitnessPal
public-resources/diabetes/
nutrition
information,
as:
ora.packaged
theNational
foodsuch
and
visit its website.
King
(www.calorieking.com)
b.Calorie
The USDA
Nutrient Database
(http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile)
MyFitnessPal
a.
such
as:
4. Check out your favorite chain restaurant’s
KingNational
(www.calorieking.com)
2. a.Refer
to(http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search)
aUSDA
reliable
website
that provides
b.Calorie
The
Nutrient
Database
5. Check
out
your favorite chain restaurant’s nutrition
MyFitnessPal
a. (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile)
nutrition
information on their website so you
c.
MyFoodAdvisor
(http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search)
nutrition
information,
such
as:
b. The USDA National Nutrient Database
information
on their
website
sochain
you can
stick to
(http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile)
5.
Check
out
your
favorite
restaurant’s
nutrition
can
stick
to
your
plan
when
you
eat away
(http://tracker.diabetes.org/explore)
your
plan
when
you
are
eating
away
from
home.
(http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search)
c.
MyFoodAdvisor
a. Calorie King (www.calorieking.com)
on their
website
sorestaurant’s
you can sticknutrition
to
5. information
Check
your
favorite
chain
fromout
home.
(http://tracker.diabetes.org/explore)
your
plan when
eatingso
away
home.
c.b. The
MyFoodAdvisor
information
on you
theirare
website
youfrom
can stick
to
USDA National Nutrient Database
(http://tracker.diabetes.org/explore)
your plan when you are eating away from home.
(http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search)
c. MyFoodAdvisor
(http://tracker.diabetes.org/explore)
Breads, Grains
Milk and Yogurt
'PPEMJTUT
and
Cereals
1 cup milk
1 ounce bread
Breads, Grains
Milk and Yogurt
product and Cereals
1 cup low-fat
(1 slice bread,
¼
1 ounce bread
1 cup milk,
milk or
or skim
arge bagel,
6”
product (1 slice
1 cupor
low-fat
or
low-fat
fat-free
tortilla) bread, ¼ large
skim milk, or
bagel, 6” tortilla) plain yogurt
6 ounces low-fat or
1/3 cup 1/3
cooked
rice
cup cooked rice
fat-free plain or
6 ounces
flavored
or pastaor pasta
Greek yogurt
yogurt
made with
1 cup soup
6 ounces flavored
1 cup soup
low-cal
yogurtsweetener
made with
¾ ounce
¾ ounceunsweetened cold (these
low-cal
sweetener
vary,
check
(these
vary,
check
unsweetened
cold
cereal (serving sizes label)
label)
vary, check
label)
cereal (serving
sizes
½ cup
cooked
vary, check
label)
cereal
½ cup cooked
cereal
3 cups air-popped
popcorn
3 cups air-popped
popcorn
Vegetables
Sweets and
and Beans
Snack Foods
cup potato,
¾ ounce snack
1 small piece fresh ½
Vegetables
Sweets and
Fruits
sweet
potato, peas,
food
(pretzels, 4fruit
and Beans
Snack
Foods
corn
crackers)
½
medium
fruit ½ cup
1 small
piece fresh
potato, sweet ¾ ounce snack food
fruit
peas, corn
4-6
(apple,
banana) potato,
½ cup
cooked (pretzels,
15
potato chips
crackers)
½
medium
fruit
½
cup
cooked
½ cup canned fruit beans, legumes
(apple, banana)
beans, legumes
8 baked1
chips,
ounce sweet
in own juice
(garbanzo,
kidney,
(garbanzo, kidney,
potato, pita
½ cup canned fruit
snack
black
beans)beans)
black
own melon
juice
13 regular chips,
1incup
(2 small sandwic
1 cup winter squash tortilla, potato
1
cup
honeydew
or
½ cup fruit juice
1 cup winter 1 ouncecookies,
5 vanilla
cantaloupe
1/3 cup cooked
sweet snack
squash
wafers)
21 TBSP
dried fruit cassava,
yam, taro
1/4 cup
(2 small sandwich
(green
cookies, 5 vanilla
1watermelon
cup raspberries 1/3 1plantain
½
cups
cooked
1 TBSP sugar or
or yellow)
wafers)
½ cup fruit juice
1 ¼ cup
vegetables (small
honey
1 ½ cups cooked
1 TBSP sugar or
2 TBSP dried fruit
strawberries
portions
of non-honey
vegetables
(small
1 cup raspberries
portions
of vegetables ½ cup regular ice
starchy
½ cup regular ice
¾ cup blackberries,nonstarchy
1 ¼ cup strawberries
cream cream
are
free)
blueberries
vegetables are free)
Fruits
1 cup blackberries
3/4 cup blueberries
The lists above provide a basic idea of the carb count in common foods. Each portion is one carbohydrate
choice (15 grams of carbohydrate). Foods with fewer than 20 calories and fewer than 5 grams of carbohydrate
Carb choices for common serving sizes
Better carb choices
are considered “free.” These include sugar-free beverages, sugar substitutes, spices and seasonings.
1 regular sandwich = 2 carb choices, or
Carbohydrate
for common
about
30 grams ofchoices
carbohydrates
All carbs are not alike. Choose better carb choices,
Better
such ascarbohydrate
whole grainschoices
and less-processed foods.
1 6” sub sandwich = 3 carb choices, or about
r1 regular sandwich = 2 carbohydrate choices
45 grams
of carbohydrates
or about
30 grams of carbohydrates
Carbohydrate counting is important, but the type
• Select whole grain bread, whole grain pasta an
of carbohydrate also is important for both blood
brown rice over white (refined) varieties.
glucose and overall health. All carbohydrates are
not
same. Choose
better
carbohydrate
choices,grains,
• the
Experiment
with
many
types of whole
suchincluding
as whole grains
andoatmeal,
less-processed
foods.
barley,
quinoa
and bulgur.
serving sizes
1 cup
rice or pasta
=
r1cooked
6” sub sandwich
= 3 carbohydrate
choices
3 carborchoices,
about
45 grams of
about 45or
grams
of carbohydrates
carbohydrates
r1 cup cooked rice or pasta = 3 carbohydrate
choices
or about 45
grams
carbohydrates
1 medium
(average)
apple
orofbanana
=
r1choices
medium or
(average)
or banana =
2 carb
aboutapple
30 grams
2 carbohydrate choices or about 30 grams
of carbohydrates
of carbohydrates
rOpt for beans and other legumes.
• Go for whole fruits instead of fruit juice or suga
rSelect
whole grain bread, whole grain pasta and
foods.
brown rice over white (refined) varieties.
• Opt for beans and other legumes.
rExperiment with many types of whole grains,
•including
Select barley,
a variety
of vegetables
as cauliflow
oatmeal,
quinoa andsuch
bulgur.
and spinach
(most
vegetables a
rGotomato,
for wholecarrots
fruits instead
of fruit juice
or sugary
foods.
great choices).
rSelect a variety of vegetables such as cauliflower,
tomato, carrots and spinach (most vegetables
are great choices).
How much to eat?
How much to eat?
Women
'PS8FJHIU.BJOUFOBODF
Many women need about
Women
3-4 carbohydrate choices
Many women
need
(45-60
grams) at
eachabout
meal
3-4 carbohydrate choices
(45-60 grams) at each meal
Breakfast
1 slice (1 ounce)
Breakfast
whole grain toast
1 slice (1 ounce)
1 carbohydrate
1
teaspoon
light
margarine
choice
whole grain toast
1
omelet
with
spinach
1 egg
teaspoon
light
margarine
and mushrooms
1 egg omelet with spinach
1 small orange
and mushrooms
Men
Many men need about
Men
4-5 carbohydrate choices
Manygrams)
men need
about
(60-75
at each
meal
4-5 carbohydrate choices
(60-75 grams) at each meal
Breakfast
1 small orange
Breakfast
1
1 cup
smallcooked
orangeoatmeal
made with water
1 cup cooked oatmeal
1
cup fat-free
milk
made
with water
1 carbohydrate
choice
2
nuts
1 tablespoons
cup fat-free milk
1 carbohydrate
choice
1 small orange
1 carbohydrate
choice
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons nuts
6 ounces low-fat
plain Greek yogurt
Lunch
1 carbohydrate
choice
2 tablespoons raisins
1 carbohydrate
choice
Lunch
1 cup brown rice
Lunch
Lunch
1 sandwich with
1whole
smallgrain
fruit bread
2 carbohydrate
choices
1
small
1-2
cupsfruit
veggies
1-2 cups veggies
Dinner
3 carbohydrate
choices
1 carbohydrate
choice
1-2
cups
chicken
1 cup
brown
rice
and veggie stir fry
1-2 cups chicken
1
small
fruitstir fry
and
veggie
0-1 carbohydrate
choice
1 small fruit
Dinner
1 carbohydrate
choice
1 cup pasta
Dinner
½
cup pasta
red sauce with meat
1 cup
3 carbohydrate
choices
1 piece of chicken
Dinner
1
squash
1 cup
piecewinter
of chicken
1 small
fruit squash
cup winter
1 -2 cups broccoli
1 small fruit
1 large green salad
1
cups
broccoli
1 -2
cup
fat-free
skim milk
1 large green salad
2 carbohydrate
choices
1 carbohydrate
choice
1 carbohydrate
choice
0-1 carbohydrate
choice
carbohydrate
1 cup fat-free skim milk 1choice
6
½ounces
cup redlow-fat
sauce with meat
plain Greek yogurt
6 ounces low-fat
plain
Greek
yogurt
1 large
green
salad
1 large green salad
0-1 carbohydrate
choice
1 carbohydrate
choice
1 carbohydrate
choice
My Individual Carbohydrate Goals
Time
Carbohydrate
choices or grams
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
TOTAL
Healthy eating is about more than just counting carbohydrates. It is important to eat
balanced meals with an emphasis on vegetables and fruits.
Eat a variety of foods. For most people these include:
rat least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
rat least 3 servings of whole grains or legumes (beans)
r2–3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy
rAdequate protein and healthy fats
Protein foods (including meat, poultry and fish) and fats do not directly affect blood
glucose and can help you feel satisfied, although they do add calories. To keep your heart
healthy, choose healthy fats (like those found in nuts, seeds and fish) in appropriate
portions. With all of the food you eat, remember that portion control is important.
© 2014 Diabetes Care and Education Dietetic Practice Group. Permission to reproduce for non-profit
educational purposes granted through 2017.
For a referral to a registered dietitian and for additional food and nutrition information, visit the
Diabetes Care and Education Practice Group at www.dce.org or the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics at www.eatright.org, or 1-800-877-1600.