Many low-carb diets, including the well-known Atkin's diet, require that you count carbohydrates to stay within a set total for each day or meal. You may also need to count carbs to stay within appropriate guidelines for managing diabetes. Counting carbs can be time-consuming or even confusing, but a smart strategy can save time and trouble. Understand which foods contain carbohydrates and learn how to estimate and track your carbs over the course of the day and week to achieve weight loss on a low-carb diet plan.
Step 1
Figure out how many grams of carbohydrates you want to consume daily. If you are diabetic, your physician or dietitian can provide you with guidance. Most low-carb diets include suggested carbohydrate levels.
Step 2
Base your meals around naturally low-carb foods. Include lean proteins and healthy fats in your meals, recommends the American Diabetes Association. Non-starchy vegetables are also quite low in carbohydrates.
Step 3
Choose nutrient-dense foods, like whole grains, low-fat dairy products and fresh vegetables for your carbohydrates. These foods offer the most benefit and are lower on the glycemic index, producing fewer variations in insulin and blood glucose levels, according to DiabetesNet.com.
Step 4
Estimate carbohydrate values. One teaspoon of sugar, one glass of milk, one slice of bread and one small piece of fruit each contain about 15 grams of carbohydrates. Recognizing the approximate carbohydrate value of these foods can help you monitor your carb intake over the course of a meal or day, according to Reader's Digest.
Step 5
Read food labels or use a printed or online carbohydrate counter to check how many grams of carbohydrates are in a food. If you are eating a food with more than 5 g of fiber per serving, you may subtract the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrate.
Tips and Warnings
- Whether you are counting carbs for medical reasons or weight loss, choose foods low in saturated and trans fats for heart health, recommends the Mayo Clinic.
- Consult your physician before making drastic lifestyle changes. If you are diabetic, plan your diet and carb intake with a registered dietitian or your health care provider.
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