International Diabetes Center > Diabetes Self-care > Carbohydrate Counting

Carbohydrate counting

Your food plan may be based on a method of planning called carbohydrate counting. If so, your food plan contains a certain number of carbohydrate choices for each meal and snack. Eating a relatively consistent number of carbohydrate choices at each meal and snack helps control your blood glucose levels. One carbohydrate choice is a serving of food that contains 15 grams of carbohydrate. For example, one small apple is one carbohydrate choice. If you eat two apples, it counts as two carbohydrate choices. Most food plans include three to five carbohydrate choices for meals and one to two carbohydrate choices for snacks.

A number of resources are available that list foods with their carbohydrate content. Ask your provider to suggest a resource that will work well for you. Nutrition labels on packaged foods also will tell you how much carbohydrate is in a serving of food. These can help you determine serving sizes that will fit your food plan.

In addition to counting carbohydrates, eating your meals at about the same times each day also helps keep your blood glucose levels in target. Generally, it is OK to eat within one hour of your usual time.

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