How do I calculate my carbs?

There are 2 easy ways to find out how many carbohydrates you have in your meals. 

1.  The first is by reading the nutrition label.  It will tell you how many grams of carbohydrates there are in the food you are eating.  It will also tell you what the serving size is for that amount of carbohydrates. You simply have to add up all of the carbohydrates of each food to make sure you are staying within the limit for that meal.

2.  The second way is by using the Choose Your Foods booklet.  This is an exchange list for diabetics to use.  It has food categorized into Starches, Fruits, Milk, Sweets Desserts & Other Carbohydrates, Fats, Meat & Meat Substitutes, Nonstarchy Vegetables, Free Foods, Combination Foods, and Fast Foods.

Within the categories, foods are set up in serving sizes that will most likely equal 15gm of carbohydrates.  Here are some examples.

1. One 1 3/4 inch cube of Cornbread equals 15gms of carbohydrates
2. 2 small tangerines equal 15gms of carbohydrates
3. 1/3 cup of baked beans equals 15gms of carbohydrates.

So if I wanted to have lunch (Recommended 45gms) I could eat 3 different foods from the exchange list because I know that they will add up to 45gms.  NOTE:  It is generally more accurate to read a label for a specific food because all of the ingredients have been accounted for.