Counting Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate in starch foods, vegetables, fruits, milk and sugar is turned to blood glucose five minutes to one hour after you eat. By eating regular amounts of carbohydrate over three meals daily, you can better manage your diabetes. Eating consistent carbohydrates will also help your doctor or diabetes educator in adjusting your diabetes medication.
Carbohydrate counting is a system of meal planning that focuses on the total amount of carbohydrate eaten at each meal and snack, rather than the source. Carbohydrate counting helps maintain consistency in carbohydrate intake, while allowing for flexibility in the source of carbohydrate.
The amount of carbohydrate you should eat throughout the day depends on the number of calories/kilojoules you need. Approximately half of your daily calories/kilojoules should come from carbohydrate.
The following table gives half of the daily calories/kilojoules as carbohydrate. If you have above 60-75 grams of carbohydrate per meal, you may need to divide the remainder of the carbohydrate into snacks depending on your diabetes medication and blood sugar levels.
| Total Daily Calories/ Kilojoules | Breakfast Carb | Lunch Carb | Dinner Carb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200/5000 | 50 grams | 50 grams | 50 grams |
| 1400/5900 | 58 grams | 58 grams | 58 grams |
| 1500/6300 | 63 grams | 63 grams | 63 grams |
| 1600/6700 | 67 grams | 67 grams | 67 grams |
| 1700/7100 | 71 grams | 71 grams | 71 grams |
| 1800/7600 | 75 grams | 75 grams | 75 grams |
| 1900/8000 | 79 grams | 79 grams | 79 grams |
| 2000/8400 | 83 grams | 83 grams | 83 grams |
| 2100/8800 | 88 grams | 88 grams | 88 grams |
| 2200/9200 | 92 grams | 92 grams | 92 grams |
The distribution of carbohydrate grams for each meal may be moved to better fit your eating habits. For example, if you typically eat a small breakfast and enjoy a bedtime snack, you can move some of the grams from breakfast to bedtime. The key is to consistently eat the same amount of carbohydrates at meals each day for better blood glucose control.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index™ (GI) is a scale that was developed to rank foods based on how quickly they raise blood glucose. Research has shown that eating foods with low GI may benefit people with diabetes. The slow digestion and therefore slow absorption of these carbohydrates can cause a more gradual rise in blood sugar. The GI values of foods are based on many factors, including the food form, food processing and cooking methods used in preparing a food. Consult a registered dietitian to help you incorporate low GI foods into your meal plan.
Food Record
If you know how different foods affect your blood glucose, you can make diet changes to better manage blood glucose levels. Keeping a food record of what you eat, how much you eat and the carbohydrate amount will help you learn about the effect of different foods. To learn more about nutrition try our special meal-planning tool.
Carbohydrate Amounts in Foods
Different types of foods contain different amounts of carbohydrate. The following tables give you a better idea of the amount of carbohydrate for single servings of different food types, and will assist you in counting the carbohydrates you usually eat. The information is based on the new Beyond the Basics: Meal Planning for healthy eating, diabetes prevention and management. Serving sizes are approximate. For more detailed information, read labels and use reference books.
Low Carbohydrate Foods
The following items contain little or no carbohydrates and may be eaten at any time.
Drinks
- Club soda
- Coffee
- Diet soft drinks
- Mineral water
- Sugar-free drink mixes
- Tea
- Tonic water, sugar-free
Soups
- Bouillon
- Broth
Liquid seasonings
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Tabasco® sauce
- Taco sauce
- Vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
Other seasonings
- Garlic
- Herbs
- Spices
- Sugar substitutes