Pasta is a quick and tasty meal that contains complex carbohydrates. Foods that fall in the carbohydrate category provide your body and mind with energy so that you’re able to enjoy activities like tennis, running or swimming. People who are diabetic, or those who just prefer to limit the amount of carbs that they eat for dietary reasons, must count the carbohydrates that they consume in each meal. Counting carbohydrates means reading labels and being aware of your portion sizes.
Step 1
Read labels to determine how many carbohydrates are in each portion size. The package of dried or fresh pasta will most likely have a nutrition label on it, telling you what the portion size is for that particular product and the amount of carbs in it. For example, the label on a package of spaghetti may say a portion size is 2 ounces and the carbs for that amount of pasta is 40 grams. Portion sizes can vary between types of pasta and manufacturer, so it is important to read the label each time you eat it.
Step 2
Measure the pasta to ensure that you are eating the correct portion size; it is easy to overestimate portion sizes and end up eating much more than you planned. Measure cooked pasta in a measuring cup; if one serving is ½ cup cooked, then place the pasta into a measuring cup until it reaches the ½ cup line.
Step 3
Separate dried pasta into individual portions, since it is impossible to measure dried pasta in a measuring cup. For example, if the label on a 16-ounce package of spaghetti says that a serving size is 2 ounces, or 1/8 package, then separate the pasta into eight equal servings.
Step 4
Learn to eyeball portion sizes for times that you are not able to measure, such as when eating at a restaurant. A rounded handful or a fist is equivalent to one serving or ½ cup of pasta.
Things You'll Need
- Nutrition label
- Measuring cup
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