Carbohydrate Counting
Why?
• Carbohydrates or “Carbs” are the sugars and starches in our foods which make
our blood sugar go up.
• Consistency in Carbohydrate intake, meal spacing and regularity can help with
blood glucose control and weight management.
• Carbohydrate counting is a way to plan your meals and snacks.
How Much?
• The amount of Carbohydrate you need will vary depending on how much food you need to
maintain a healthy weight and how active you are.
• Most people need between 150-300 grams of Carbohydrate per day.
• The current recommended minimum intake for Carbohydrate is 130 grams per day.
The following guidelines may be helpful:
WOMEN
MEN
45-60 grams per meal
(3-4 Carb choices)
60-75 grams per meal
(4-5 Carb choices)
15-30 grams per snack
(1-2 Carb choices)
15-30 grams per snack
(1-2 Carb choices)
Where are the Carbohydrates?
1. Use these food lists:
Each of the following is 15 grams of Carbohydrate or 1 Carb choice.
GRAINS and STARCHES
1 slice of bread
¼ large bagel(4 ½”)
½ pita bread (6”)
6” tortilla, roti or chapatti
dry cereal – Check label
¾ cup cooked cereal
1 cup soup
1 pancake (4”)
cup cooked:
rice –white or brown
sweet potato
plantain
creamed corn
millet
quinoa
1/ 3
½ cup cooked:
pasta –white or whole wheat
barley
couscous
potato
yam
corn
beans, peas, lentils
VEGETABLES
1 cup frozen or canned peas
¾ cup frozen mixed
vegetables
¾ cup parsnip or squash
1 cup pumpkin
¾ cup tomato sauce
1 cup canned or stewed
tomatoes
Most other vegetables are
very low in carbohydrate
FRUITS
1 small (“tennis ball”)
fresh fruit: orange, apple ,
peach, pear
1 small or ½ medium banana
½ cup canned fruit
(packed in water)
1 cup blueberries or melon
2 cups strawberries,
blackberries or raspberries
2 medium kiwis or plums
4 apricots
1 cup cherries (~15)
½ cup red or green grapes
(~15)
¼ cup dried fruit
2 small figs or dates
OTHER CHOICES
1 tbsp sugar, syrup, jam or honey
3 tbsp ketchup, barbeque
sauce or chutney
4 arrowroot biscuits
5 Ryvita™ crackers
3 cups popcorn
2 taco shells
3 wonton wrapper
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp flour
MILK and ALTERNATIVES
1 cup milk or buttermilk
¾ cup plain or diet yogurt
Check label for:
Soymilk – plain or sweetened
Sweetened yogurts
Greek yogurt – plain or sweetened
FREE FOODS
Items such as coffee, tea,
herbal tea, diet soft drinks,
herbs, spices, vinegar,
mustard and most condiments
contain very little or no
carbohydrate.
2. How to read a food label
• Find the Serving Size.
(How does it compare to your portion?)
Nutrition Facts
Per 90 g serving (2 slices)
Amount
% Daily Value
Calories 170
• Find the Carbohydrate in one serving.
(Fibre and sugar are included in this number.)
Fat 2.7 g
4%
Saturated 0.5 g + Trans 0 g
5%
Cholesterol 0 mg
• Subtract the Fibre from the total.
(Fibre does not raise your blood sugar.)
In this example:
36 g-6 g = 30 g of available Carbohydrate
Sodium 200 mg
Carbohydrates 36 g
8%
13 %
24 %
Fibre 6 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 8 g
Vitamin A
1 % Vitamin C 0 %
Calcium 2 % Iron 16 %
What are My Blood Sugar Goals?
Before meals: 4-7 mmol
2 hours after a meal: Less than 10 mmol
An ideal rise in blood sugar after a meal: 2-3 mmol
If your blood sugars are too high after meals, consider the following:
1. Are you eating too many carbohydrates? Check portions and read labels.
2. Do you need to try some choices with a lower Glycemic Index?
For example: Coarse grain breads, porridge, All Bran, Bran Buds, converted Rice, pasta or
noodles, nugget potatoes or legumes
3. Are your meals balanced with at least 3 food groups? Ensure you include a source of protein: fish, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, tofu, legumes, nuts, dairy
4. Do you need to add or increase exercise after your meals?
If you have addressed all of the above but continue to have blood sugar higher than
the targets, talk with your Doctor about changing your diabetes medication(s)
Let’s Practice
Food
Portion Size
Grams Carb
#Choices
Sample Breakfast
Slow cooked oats
¾ cup
15 1
2% Milk
1 cup
15
1
Blueberries
1 cup
15
1
Almonds
¼ cup 0
-
Coffee, black 1 cup
0
-
45
3
Totals
Favorite Foods Worksheet
Food
Portion Size
Grams Carb
Breads, Cereals,
Other Starches
Fruits
Milk, Yogurt, Soymilk
Other Choices
For more copies, go online at http://vch.eduhealth.ca
or email [email protected] and quote Catalogue No. FB.819.C37
© Vancouver Coastal Health, March 2015
The information in this document is intended solely for the person
to whom it was given by the health care team.
www.vch.ca
#Choices