Carbohydrate Counting: The Basics  
          Carbohydrate Counting: The Basics
           What is Carbohydrate Counting?
           Carbohydrate, or carb, counting is a way to plan meals and snacks to help manage 
           your diabetes.  All carbs affect your blood glucose.  Eating about the same amount 
           of carb at each meal will help to keep your blood glucose steady. Review the list 
           below and find the carb foods that you like to eat. Figure out how many carbs they 
           contain. For example, if you eat one cup of cooked rice, you’ve eaten 3 carb choices 
           or about 45 grams of carb.
           Carb Choices                                   How Many Carbs Should I Eat?
           Each one of these foods in the serving         Until you see a dietitian, aim to keep the 
           size listed is considered one carb choice      amount of carbs about the same at each 
           and contains about 15 grams of carb.           meal and snack. 
                                  Starches                Breakfast: 30-45 grams carb. Include a 
                                  1 slice bread or        lowfat protein source like milk or an egg.
                                  small roll              Lunch and Dinner: 45-60 grams carb. 
                                  1/3 cup cooked          Include fruit and non-starchy vegetables. 
                                  rice or pasta           Choose small portions of lowfat protein 
                                  1/2 cup peas,           foods.
                                  corn, beans or          Snacks: 1-3 snacks daily, 15-30 grams 
                                  lentils                 carb
                                  3/4 cup dry cereal
                                  6 saltine crackers    How to Read a Food Label 
                                  Fruit                 •  Find the serving size 
                                  1 small fruit            at the top of the label
                                  1/2 cup canned        •  Decide how much 
                                  fruit or juice            you will eat
                                                        •  Find the total
                                  Milk/Yogurt               carbohydrate grams 
                                  1 cup nonfat or           per serving
                                  low fat milk          •  Dietary fiber and 
                                  3/4 cup light             sugar are part of the 
                                  yogurt                   “total carbohydrate”
                                  Sweets                Healthy Eating 
                                  1/2 cup ice cream     •  Start measuring my carb choices or grams
                                  or frozen yogurt         of carb and aim for_________ choices 
                                  2 small cookies          (grams) per meal and _______ at snacks.
                                  1 Tbsp. jam,          •  Read food labels for serving size and total 
                                  sugar, or honey          grams of carb.
                                                        •  Make an appointment to meet with a 
                                                           dietitian for more education.
                                           Copyright © 2014 by Joslin Diabetes Center (www.joslin.org). All Rights Reserved. 
           A diabetes education initiative from Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization and Joslin Diabetes Center.