Counting Carbohydrates
Counting carbohydrates is one type of a diabetic meal plan.
The goal of all meal planning is to help you keep your blood sugar
in target range; reach and stay at your goal weight; lower the fats
and cholesterol in your blood; and feel better and stay healthy.
What is carbohydrate counting?
Carbohydrate counting is a meal planning tool.
Carbohydrates are in
foods that are starchy or taste sweet, such as fruit, milk, breads and
desserts. Carbohydrates affect blood sugar more than fats or protein.
Most people eat 40 - 60% of their total calories as carbohydrate.
You can count carbohydrate grams or choices. If you take insulin
you can learn how to adjust your insulin dose based on the carbohydrate
count.
How do I count carbohydrate choices?
The fruit, milk and starch food groups all have similar amounts of
carbohydrates. Each starch, milk or fruit on the exchange lists or the
food pyramid count as one choice. The low-starch vegetable group is
low in carbohydrate and does not have to be counted, unless you eat 1 1/2
cups or more at a meal or snack. If you know how much carbohydrate a
food has, you can use this plan.
Each carbohydrate choice has about 15 grams of carbohydrate. You
can get the amount of carbohydrate grams a food has from the food label.
divide this by 15 to see how many carbohydrate choices are in a serving of
that food. Here are some meal examples:
| Food |
Carbohydrate choices |
| 1 packet oatmeal, cooked |
1 |
| 1 slice toast |
1 |
| 2 Tbsp raisins |
1 |
| Coffee |
0 |
| Breakfast total |
3 choices |
| or |
|
| 1 turkey sandwich (2 slice bread) |
2 |
| 1 oz potato chips |
1 |
| 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce |
1 |
| 1 cup milk |
1 |
| Lunch total |
5 choices |
| or |
|
| 1 baked potato |
2 |
| 3 oz steak |
0 |
| 1/2 cup green beans |
0 |
| 2 cup salad |
0 |
| 2 Tbsp ranch dressing |
0 |
| 1 dinner roll |
1 |
| 1 tsp margarine |
0 |
| 1/2 cup ice cream |
1 |
| Supper total |
4 choices |
How do I count grams of carbohydrates?
Counting grams of carbohydrate is more exact, but is done in she
same way.
| Food |
Carbohydrate Grams |
| 1 packet oatmeal, cooked |
18 |
| 1 slice toast |
16 |
| 2 Tbsp raisins |
15 |
| Coffee |
0 |
| Breakfast total |
49 grams |
| or |
|
| 1 turkey sandwich (2 slice bread) |
32 |
| 1 oz potato chips |
15 |
| 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce |
17 |
| 1 cup milk |
12 |
| Lunch total |
76 grams |
| or |
|
| 1 baked potato |
30 |
| 3 oz steak |
0 |
| 1/2 cup green beans |
5 |
| 2 cup salad |
3 |
| 2 Tbsp ranch dressing |
2 |
| 1 dinner roll |
15 |
| 1 tsp margarine |
0 |
| 1/2 cup ice cream |
15 |
| Supper total |
70 grams |
How do I begin to count carbohydrates?
You might need to set an appointment with a nutritionist or
diabetes educator to get more detail on carbohydrate counting.