
Carbohydrates 101
by
C. Zhaleh Gazori, R.D., C.D.E.
Challenges with
hospitalized patients

 Sick
 Poor appetite
 Medication induced
hyperglycemia
 Off their home meds (orals
typically) and on insulin
 Multiple people seeing pt,
food often gets cold, affects
intake
 Patients on room service,
difficult to know when they
ordered
What can you do

 What can you as the RN do?
 *DO NOT police your
patients
 Educate/encourage better
choices
 Ask about education
 Suggest outpatient
education if warranted
 Request DM ed referral
Carbohydrates

 Carbohydrates turn to
glucose/sugar in the blood
 Our body requires glucose for
energy.
 The purest form of glucose comes
from a carbohydrate.
 What are sources of carbohydrates
 Milk/Yogurt
 Starches/Grains
 Bread, crackers, rice, pasta,
tortillas, potatoes (including
yams and sweet potatoes), corn,
peas
 Fruits
 Sweets
Types of Carbs
Simple
Honey
Milk sugar (galactose)
Fructose
Sugar
Molasses, syrup
Jam, jelly, marmalade
Real soda, juice, sugary
drinks
 Pies, candy, etc…








Complex
 Pasta, rice, beans,
lentils
 Bread, tortillas,
 Cereals
 Potatoes, peas, corn,
etc..
Counting carbs can help
you…

 Manage blood sugars
with a consistent intake
 Increase flexibility with
options/choices
 All food can fit, it’s just
how much?
 1 Carb choice = 15
grams Total Carb
Carbs are portioned into 15 gm
units

Starch servings





½ c beans, lentils, potatoes
1/3 c. rice, pasta
3/4c. Dry cereal
1 oz bread
1/2c. Cooked cereal
Fruit servings:
 4 oz. Fruit juice
 1 small fresh fruit
 1/2c. Canned fruit
Dairy servings
 8oz of milk
 6-8 oz yogurt
Simple sugars:
 1T syrup, honey, jam
 2 small cookies
 1T sugar
Consistent carb approach at
UCIMC:
 Consistent Carb (VL) 30-45 g/meal (6-9 servings/day)
 Consistent Carb (L) 45-60 g/meal (9-12 servings/day)
 Consistent Carb (M) 60-75 g/meal (12-15 servings/day)
 Consistent Carb (H) 75-105 g/ meal (15-21 servings/day)
 Consistent Carb (VH) 105-120 g/meal (21-24 servings/day)
 Gestational DM: 15-30/15/30-45/30/30-45/30 (12
servings/day)
Eat 3 balanced meals
and 1-3 snacks per day

 Spread food out over the day into smaller meals or
snacks-especially carbohydrates
Men
Women
Meals
45-60 grams carb
30-45 grams carb
Snacks
30 grams carb
15 grams carb
 Eat a variety of food including a lot of vegetables
 Eat a similar amount of food from day to day
 Avoid skipping meals or snacks to prevent overeating later in the day
Balance out carbohydrates

Add your protein
Add your free veggies
Use limited amounts of total
fat and choose healthy fats.
Food Label
1. Identify serving size
2. Identify how much
carbohydrate?
3. 27gms is close to two
servings of
carbohydrate.
We identify the total, not
just sugars; all carb will
bring blood sugars up.
Quiz
Carb or not











Apple
Egg
Avocado
Lentils
Jicama
Corn
Spaghetti squash
Pizza
Yam
Peas










Milk
Banana
Carrots
Black beans
Corn tortilla
Chicken
Hamburger
Orange juice
Cake
Zucchini
How many sugar packets
(each packet is 9 g of carb)

 Starbucks Frappucinno
 12 oz soda
 Jack in the Box Teriyaki
Chicken Rice Bowl
 1 Banana
 1 cup cooked noodles or
rice
 8 oz milk
 1 Naked Juice
 In & Out Burger/Fries
 7 = 63 g carb
 4.5 = 41 g carb
 14.8 = 133 g carb
 3.5 = 30 g carb
 5 = 45 g carb
 1.3 = 12 g carb
 7.3 = 66 g carb
 10.3 = 93 g carb
What questions do you
have?
