How To Count Carbs In Food

Carbohydrates act as our body's main source of energy, with each gram providing four calories. They are predominantly found in fruits, vegetables and grains such as pasta, rice, oats and bread. Certain health conditions, namely diabetes mellitus, require paying careful attention to the amount of ingested carbohydrates to avoid dangerous spikes or crashes in blood glucose levels. In 1950, the American Dietetic Association, the American Diabetes Association and the U.S. Public Health Service designed the Diabetes Food Exchange System to assist diabetics in monitoring their carbohydrate intake. The system divides foods into five major groups: carbohydrates, fats, meat and meat substitutes, fast food, and combination foods.

Step 1

Obtain the diabetes food exchange list for the carbohydrate group. Notice that the carbohydrate group is further divided into the following subgroups: starch, fruit, vegetables, milk and other. You can find the lists online or in any introductory nutrition textbook.

Step 2

Learn the amount of carbohydrates provided by a serving of each of the subgroups. Here is a quick summary:
One serving of starch = 15 g of carbohydrates
One serving of fruit = 15 g of carbohydrates
One serving of vegetables = 5 g of carbohydrates
One serving of milk = 12 g of carbohydrates

Step 3

Learn the average serving size from each of the subgroups. For example, a typical serving of starch is one slice of bread, 1/2 cup bran cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked pasta. Also, a serving of fruit is one small apple or 1/2 cup orange juice. Each of those examples contains 15 g of carbohydrates.

Step 4

Use measuring cups and/or measuring spoons to estimate the serving sizes of your food and thus obtain a more accurate carbohydrate count. For instance, measure out your breakfast cereal and milk using measuring cups. A half-cup of cereal counts as a starch serving and provides 15 g of carbohydrates, whereas 1 cup of milk counts as a milk serving and contains 12 g of carbohydrates for a total of 27 g of carbohydrates.

Tips and Warnings

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for carbohydrates for males and females ages 19 to 50 is 130 g. The American Diabetes Association recommends limiting your carbohydrate intake to 45 to 60 g at one meal to avoid extreme blood glucose levels.