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Chapter 2:

Basic Carb Counting

In This Chapter, You’ll Learn:

• How to count carbohydrate

• How much carbohydrate to eat

• If you’re ready for carb counting

There are two levels of carb counting: basic and advanced. Everyone starts at the basic level, so that’s where we’ll start, too. Later on, you may find that you want or need to progress to the advanced techniques. We’ll cover those methods in Chapter 11. For now, let’s focus on the basics to get you started.

The focus of basic carb counting is to eat about the same amount of carbohydrate at the same times each day in order to keep your blood glucose levels in your target ranges. The first step is to learn how to count the amount of carbohydrate in different foods.

Two Ways to Count

There are two ways to count carbohydrates: counting grams of carbohydrate and counting carbohydrate servings. Counting carb servings is easier and is usually a close enough estimate for basic carb counting. But there may be times when you need to count grams, so it is best to be aware of both methods.

Remember the Number 15

If you’re counting carb servings, the general rule is that 15 grams of carbohydrate equals one carb serving. The size of the serving will vary depending on the type of food. For example, one carb serving equals

• 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes

• 1 ounce of dry cereal, or

• 1 slice of bread

All of these servings contain 15 grams of carbohydrate. This also means that if you eat more than the serving size of the food, you will need to count more than one serving of carb.

Table 1-1 in Chapter 1 shows examples of common food servings that contain 15 grams of carbohydrate. However, in the real world, not all servings contain exactly 15 grams of carbohydrate. The number will vary from serving to serving, from food to food. There are lots of resources out there to help you figure out grams of carb and serving sizes. As a starting point, refer to Table 2-1, below. For a more detailed list, see Appendix 1, which lists many commonly eaten foods with the exact number of grams of carbohydrate per serving. As we go on, we’ll learn how to find the carbohydrate content on a packaged foods’ Nutrition Facts label. There’s also a list of books and websites in Appendix 2 that may be helpful.

What are grams of carbohydrate?

Don’t confuse gram weight on the serving size of a Nutrition Facts label with carbohydrate grams. Answer these True/False questions to check your knowledge of grams.

1. True False A gram is a unit of weight in the metric system.

2. True False Carbohydrate is measured in grams (g).

3. True False When you weigh something that is 1 ounce (oz), the metric conversion is 30 g.

4. True False The weight of a food portion will tell you how many grams of carbohydrate are in it.

Answers: 1. true; 2. true; 3. true; 4. false. The number of grams of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in a food is not the same as the weight of the food itself. For example, a medium (4 oz) apple may weigh 120 grams (there are 30 grams in an ounce), but the amount of carbohydrate in it is about 15 grams. A medium (6 oz) potato weighs 180 grams (30 grams × 6 oz), but the amount of carbohydrate in it is about 30 grams. However, there are now food scales available that can be programmed to give you a pretty close estimate to the nutrients contained in the food you weigh.

How Much Carbohydrate Should I Eat?

There is no set amount of carbohydrate that is right for everyone. The amount of carbohydrate you need to eat at your meals and snacks should be based on several factors:

• Your height and weight

• Your usual eating habits and daily schedule

• The foods you like to eat

• Your amount of physical activity

• Your health status and diabetes goals

• The diabetes medications you take and the times that you take them

• Your blood glucose monitoring results

• The results of your blood lipid (fat in the bloodstream) tests

To help you determine how much carbohydrate to eat, you need to consider several factors, such as whether you are male or female, small or large, and want to lose weight. As a starting point, most women need three to four carbohydrate servings (45–60 grams) and most men need about four to five carbohydrate servings (60–75 grams) at each meal. You may need less if you want to lose weight. Take a look at Table 2-2 to get a general idea of how much carbohydrate you should eat. A dietitian who specializes in diabetes care can help you determine the amount of carbohydrate that best fits your needs (see Chapter 12 for tips on finding a dietitian). When you’re using basic carb counting, it is important to keep the amount of carbohydrate you eat at meals and snacks about the same from meal to meal and day to day. This will help you better manage your blood glucose.

Are You Ready to Begin Basic Carb Counting?

We’ve covered the basics—now it’s time for you to decide if you’re ready to use basic carb counting as your meal-planning approach. Are you ready to:

1. Find a meal planning approach that fits your lifestyle and desire for more flexibility? ___ Yes ___ No

2. Find a meal planning approach that helps you achieve better control of your blood glucose levels? ___ Yes ___ No

3. Learn more about foods and how much carbohydrate is in them? ___ Yes ___ No

4. Pay more attention to what you eat and the amount you eat? ___ Yes ___ No

5. Keep food records that detail the types of foods, the amounts of food, when you eat, and how much carb is in each food, meal, or snack? ___ Yes ___ No

6. Check blood glucose levels at least two times a day and record the results? For example, select either breakfast, lunch, or dinner; then check before you eat the meal and two hours after the meal. ___ Yes ___ No

7. Weigh and measure servings? ___ Yes ___ No

8. Read the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods to find the Total Carbohydrate content? ___ Yes ___ No

9. Spend time to learn how much carbohydrate you need to eat to keep your blood glucose levels in control? ___ Yes ___ No

10. Use a carb counting book for foods that don’t have a label? ___ Yes ___ No

Hopefully, you’re ready to move forward. There’s no doubt that carb counting requires some learning and adjustment—it can be challenging. As time goes on, carb counting will hopefully become easier for you and the process won’t seem as rigorous. So let’s get started!