University College Hospital
Carbohydrate counting using
cup measures
Children and Young People’s Diabetes
Service
Using standard measures, such as cup measures, is a quick and easy way of
carbohydrate counting.
They are particularly useful for foods such as pasta, rice and breakfast cereals, which are
difficult to measure ‘by eye,’ or, when baking or following recipes.
Cup measures are easily available from supermarkets, home stores and department
stores or online, they come in a variety of designs
This is a guide to help you carbohydrate count some staple foods using cup measures.
Do not worry if your cups do not look the same as those in the pictures, to ensure your
cups are the same size as those used in this information sheet, check that the volume of
1 cup = 250ml and the volume of ½ cup = 125ml. The weights of the portions are also
written underneath the pictures so you can check your portion sizes are the same.
Carbohydrate/
1 cup
Carbohydrate/
½ cup
12.5g
6.3g
116g
58g
Food
Milk
Portion
250ml
125ml
Flour
Portion
150g
75g
Food
Carbohydrate/
1 cup
Carbohydrate/
½ cup
225g
112g
50g
25g
47g
23g
Sugar
Portion
225g
112g
Cooked Pasta*
Portion
150g
75g
Cooked Rice*
Portion
140g
70g
*If cooked to packet instructions
Food
Carbohydrate/
1 cup
Carbohydrate/
½ cup
74g
37g
154g
77g
62g
31g
Uncooked (dry) Pasta
Portion
100g
50g
Uncooked (dry) Rice
Portion
200g
100g
Porridge Oats
Portion
100g
50g
Food
Carbohydrate/
1 cup
Carbohydrate/
½ cup
25g
12.5g
26g
13g
36g
18g
Cornflakes
Portion
30g
15g
Rice krispies
Portion
30g
15g
Mashed Potatoes**
Portion
250g
125g
** Carbohydrate content may vary slightly depending on additions such as milk, butter, cheese etc
If there is a food not listed in this factsheet, for example a different breakfast cereal, you
can calculate the carbohydrate content of 1 cupful yourself by weighing the portion and
working out the carbohydrate content of this amount using the carbohydrate per 100g,
from the food label, as shown below:
Step 1:
Carbohydrate per 100g (from food label) ÷ 100 = carbohydrate in 1g of this food
Step 2:
Answer (carbohydrate in 1g) x weight of portion (from scales) = carbohydrate in your portion
Worked example - multigrain hoops:
Food Label:
Weight of one cupful = 35g
35g
Stage 1:
74 ÷ 100 = 0.74g carbohydrate in 1g
Stage 2:
0.74 x 35 = 26g carbohydrate in 35g portion (1 cupful)
You’ll then be able to serve ‘cupfuls’ of these foods and know how much carbohydrate
they contain.
Use the table below to keep a note of your favourite foods to use in the future.
Food
Carbohydrate
per 100g (from
food label)
Weight of
1 cupful0
Carbohydrate
per cupful
Multigrain hoops
74g
35g
26g carbohydrate
*this is just an example
*this is just an example
*this is just an example
*this is just an example
If you would like any further support with carbohydrate counting, contact the Children’s
Diabetes Dietitian on 02034479364 or [email protected].
Contact Numbers:
Office Hours (08:00 to 18:00): 020 3447 9364 (Children’s Diabetes Nurses and
Dietitian)
Out of Hours: 020 3456 7890 and page Paediatric On-call Registrar
Expert advice and information about children and young people's type 1 diabetes at
www.uclh.nhs.uk/T1
If you need a large print, audio or translated copy of this document,
please contact us on 020 344 79364. We will try our best to meet your
needs.
First published: 01/05/2015
Date last reviewed: 01/05/2015
Date next review due: 01/05/2017
Leaflet code: UCLH/S&C/PAED/CYPDS/CC-CUPMEAS/1
© University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust