How Does Carbohydrate Counting Work?
There are two methods of carbohydrate counting — simple and advanced. • Simple Carbohydrate Counting With the simple method, you work with your dietitian to plan how many grams of carbohydrate to eat at meals and snacks. One serving from the Bread/Starch, Fruit, or Milk group each contains between 12 and 15 grams of carbohydrate. Vegetables contribute little carbohydrate and are not counted. When you know how many grams of carbohydrate you need each meal, you can choose foods from any of the three carbohydrate-containing food groups to meet your allowance. For example, if you need 75 grams of carbohydrate for breakfast each day, you might have dry cereal, fruit, and yogurt when you are not rushed. On a more hectic day, you could get the same amount of carbohydrate by eating a bagel, low sugar jelly, and a glass of milk as you rush out the door. Knowing portions is important. For example, a bagel from a bakery is usually 4-5 ounces and contains 60-75 grams of carbohydrate while a froze
