www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
Carbohydrate Counting Handbook
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………2
Why count carbohydrates? ……………………………………………………… 2
Healthy Eating Guidelines ………………………………………………………..2
Is this food a carbohydrate, protein, or fat? …………………………………….3
Diabetic Food Guide Pyramid…………………………………………………….4
Reading Food Labels……………………………………………………………...5
Measuring Serving Sizes…………………………………………………………. 6
Sources of Carbohydrate………………………………………………………….7-8
Sources of Protein/Fat……………………………………………………………..9
Sugar-free versus Carbohydrate-free……………………………………………10
Snacks………………………………………………………………………………11
Free Foods………………………………………………………………………….12
Low Carb Foods……………………………………………………………………13
Guidelines for Dining Out………………………………………………………… 14
Fast Food Facts…………………………………………………………….......... 15-16
Exercise Guidelines………………………………………………………………. 17-18
Heart Healthy Low-Fat Diet Guidelines………………………………………… 19-20
Sick Day Guidelines………………………………………………………………. 21
Sources of Carbohydrate Quiz…………………………………………………... 22
Sources of Carbohydrate Quiz (Answer Key)…………………………………..23
Meal Planning Quiz……………………………………………………………….. 24
Meal Planning Quiz (Answer Key)……………………………………………... 25
Your Carbohydrate Meal Plan…………………………………………………… 26
Keeping a Food Diary…………………………………………………………….. 27
Important Phone Numbers……………………………………………………….. 28
Carbohydrate Counting Resources………………………………………………29
Additional Resources to Help You .……………………………………………...30
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
2
Introduction
The eating regimen for someone with diabetes is a healthy way of eating from which the entire
family can benefit. This handbook will provide you with the basic survival skills to count
carbohydrates while eating a healthy diet.
Why Count Carbohydrates???
Food is made up of many different nutrients:
Carbohydrate
Protein
Fat
Vitamins and minerals
Water
Fiber
Our bodies need a little bit of each of these nutrients. But, when someone has diabetes they
need to pay close attention to the amount of carbohydrate that they consume. Carbohydrate
is the nutrient that breaks down to sugar in our bodies as we digest it. Our bodies use
carbohydrate for energy. In order to utilize that energy, however, insulin must be available to
carry sugar (glucose) into cells. Because people with diabetes have impaired insulin
production and/or utilization, sugar can build up in their blood, causing hyperglycemia, if they
take in too much carbohydrate at one time. This is why it is very important to count the grams
of carbohydrate in the foods that you eat. It will allow you to control your diabetes better by
eating the correct amount of carbohydrates for the amount of insulin that your doctor
prescribes. Carbohydrates and insulin are a balancing act.
Healthy Eating Guidelines
Guidelines for meal planning:
Eat a variety of foods to make sure your diet is well balanced.
Limit intake of sweets, fats, and salt to make your diet healthier.
Increase intake of fiber.
Eat meals and snacks at the same time each day.
Eat the same amount of carbohydrates at meals and snacks.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
3
Is this food a carbohydrate, protein, or fat?
Now that you will be counting carbohydrates, you will need to determine if the food that you are
eating contains carbohydrates. If any food contains more than 5 grams of carbohydrate per
serving you will need to include it in your meal plan. Foods can be a combination of
“carbohydrate, protein, and/or fat”. You can use the food guide pyramid to help you determine
if a food is a carbohydrate, protein, or fat, or a combination.
Carbohydrate Group:
Grains, dried beans, starchy vegetables
Fruit
Milk & yogurt
Protein Group:
Beef, pork, poultry, fish
Eggs, cheese
Nuts
Tofu
Fat Group:
Butter
Margarine
Oils
Lard
Sour cream
Mayonnaise
Salad dressings* (see page 9 )
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
4
Diabetic Food Guide Pyramid
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
5
Reading Food Labels
There are two steps to follow when reading food labels to count carbohydrates:
1. Look at the serving size for the food. This is located at the top of the label.
2. Look at the total carbohydrate amount. This is located towards the middle of the label.
These two parts of the label tell you what you need to know. The amount of total
carbohydrates listed is for the particular serving size listed. Also keep the following information
in mind when reading food labels:
“Sugars” reflect both added sugars and those that naturally occur in foods. It is
important to look at the total amount of carbohydrate rather than the source.
If sugar alcohols are listed on the food label, divide that number by 2 and subtract it
from the total carbohydrate. (Sugar alcohols only provide half the calories as sugar.)
If dietary fiber is listed on the food label, you can subtract the full amount of fiber from
the total carbohydrate. (Fiber is not digested as sugar and therefore, will not have an
effect on our blood sugar.)
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
6
Measuring Serving Sizes
Measuring the serving size of the items that you are choosing to eat is very important. The
total amount of carbohydrates depends on the serving size. Therefore, it is very important that
you have measuring cups, spoons, and/or a food scale. The following is a list of descriptions
to help you visualize what a serving size might look like, in case measuring cups are not
available.
Easy Ways to Estimate Portion Size
3 oz boneless meat = deck of cards
1 oz slice cheese = 3 ½” computer disk
Medium piece of fruit = baseball or tennis ball
2 Tbsp peanut butter = golf ball
¼ cup dried fruit = golf ball
1 pancake = compact disk (CD)
1 serving of chips (1 oz) = 1 small cupped hand
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
7
Sources of Carbohydrate
Each item listed with its accompanying serving size contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate
or 1 serving(exchange) of carbohydrate.
Breads
1 slice bread
2 slices reduced-calorie bread
1 1oz. dinner roll
½ hamburger/hot dog bun
½ bagel
½ English muffin
1 2 ½ -inch biscuit
1 2-inch cube cornbread
½ 6-inch pita
1 6-inch tortilla
2 6-inch taco shells
1 4 ½ -inch waffle
2 4-inch pancakes
1 slice French toast
1 cup croutons
1/3 cup stuffing, bread (prepared)
Cereals and Grains
½ cereal bar
½ unfrosted poptart or toaster pastry
½ cup bran cereal
¾ cup unsweetened cereal
½ cup sugar-frosted cereal
1 ½ cup puffed cereal
½ cup Shredded Wheat
¼ cup Grape-Nuts
½ cup oats
½ cup cooked cereal (grits, oatmeal)
1/3 cup couscous
3 Tbsp flour (dry)
3 Tbsp cornmeal (dry)
3 Tbsp wheat germ
½ cup pasta (cooked)
1/3 cup rice (white or brown) (cooked)
½ cup rice milk
Starchy Vegetables
½ cup corn
1 corn on cob, 6-inch
½ cup peas
1 3oz potato, plain (baked or boiled)
½ cup mashed potatoes
½ cup yam, sweet potato, plain
1 cup squash, winter (acorn, butternut)
1/3 – 1/2 cup tomato or spaghetti sauce
1 ½ cup vegetable juice
Beans, Peas, and Lentils
1/3 cup baked beans
½ cup beans/peas, cooked (garbanzo,
pinto, kidney, white, split, black-eyed)
2/3 cup lima beans
½ cup lentils, cooked
Crackers and Snacks
7 saltine crackers
15-20 tortilla or potato chips
24 oyster crackers
8 animal crackers
3 2-½ -inch square graham crackers
¾ oz pretzels
¼ - ½ soft pretzel
3 cups popped popcorn
2 4-inch rice cakes
½ cup chow mein noodles
3 cheese or peanut butter crackers
43 Goldfish crackers
21 Cheese Nips
Milk and Yogurt
1 cup (8 oz) milk (skim, 1%, 2%, whole)
½ cup (4 oz) chocolate milk
¾ cup (6 oz) plain, low-fat yogurt
½ cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup goat’s milk
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
8
More Sources of Carbohydrate
Each item listed with its accompanying serving size contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate
or 1 serving(exchange) of carbohydrate.
Fruit
½ cup canned fruit (unsweetened, in its
own juice)
½ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1 small banana (4½ inch)
1 small apple, orange
15 small grapes
1 ¼ cup strawberries, whole
1 ¼ cup watermelon (cubed)
1 cup cantaloupe, honeydew, papaya
(cubed)
2 Tbsp raisins
¼ cup dried fruit
½ cup juice (apple, orange, grapefruit,
pineapple)
1/3 cup juice (grape, cranberry, prune,
blends)
Combination/Other Food
½ cup Ice cream
½ cup Ice cream, no added sugar
1/3 - 1/2 cup frozen yogurt
¼ cup sherbet
½ cup pudding, sugar-free
1- inch square cake, frosted
2- inch square cake, unfrosted
½ Doughnut, plain cake
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp regular syrup
1 Tbsp light syrup
1 Tbsp jam, jelly
3 Tbsp ketchup
½ cup jello, regular
1/3 – 1/2 slice, medium pizza
Fibrous Vegetables
Each item listed contains about 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving.
What is a serving of fibrous vegetables? ½ cup cooked OR 1 cup raw
Artichoke/artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Beans (green, wax, Italian)
Bean sprouts
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mixed vegetables, without corn, peas, pasta
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions (white, green, scallions)
Pea pods
Peppers, all varieties
Radishes
Salad greens
Sauerkraut
Spinach
Summer squash
Tomato
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Watercress
Zucchini
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
9
Protein/Fat (0 grams carbohydrate)
Each item listed is considered a protein and/or fat, unless you add carbohydrate to it
Beef
Poultry
Fish/Seafood
Pork
Veal
Meat sticks
Luncheon/deli meats
Eggs
Cheese
Nuts
Cream cheese
Creamer, non-dairy
Mayonnaise
Margarine
Butter
Oil
Lard
Salad dressings: ***ranch, oil and vinegar,
Caesar
Sour cream
***The following are salad dressings that can be high in carbohydrate per serving. Please read
the food label to determine the amount of carbohydrate:
Catalina
French
Honey Dijon
Honey mustard
Poppy seed
Russian
Red wine vinaigrette
Raspberry vinaigrette
Thousand island
***Items that are “fat-free,” “low-fat”, “lite”, or “reduced-fat” may actually have
sugar/carbohydrate added to them to make them taste better, since the fat was taken out.
Therefore, you should always read the food label for the total carbohydrate.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
10
Sugar-free versus Carbohydrate-free
Just because a food is labeled “Sugar-Free” or “No Sugar Added” doesn’t necessarily make it
a “free food,” it may contain carbohydrate. The carbohydrate may come from other ingredients
in the food, such as flour. You still need to read the label for the total carbohydrate and include
it in your meal plan. The reason that an item can be labeled “Sugar-Free” or “No Sugar
Added” is because the manufacturer is not adding “table sugar.” Sugar comes in many forms
other than “table sugar.” All types of sugar contain carbohydrate that will affect your blood
sugar.
“Sugar-free” means less than 0.5 grams of “table sugar” per serving.
“No added sugar” means that no sugar was added, but it may be found naturally in the food.
The following is a list of different types of sugar:
Nutritive (caloric) sweeteners:
Glucose
Fructose
Sucrose- table sugar (white sugar)
Lactose
Galactose
Brown sugar
Dextrin
Maple syrup
Maltose
Raw sugar
Corn sweetener
Dextrose
Honey
Molasses
High fructose corn syrup
Corn syrup
Sugar
Sugar alcohols- sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol
Non-nutritive (low-calorie) sweeteners: The use of these products will help limit sugar intake.
Saccharine- Sweet-N-Low
Aspartame- NutraSweet, Equal
Acesulfame K- SweetOne
Sucralose- Splenda
***All are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
***People with phenylketonuria should not use aspartame.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
11
Snacks
Snacks are a very important part of your meal plan. For good blood sugar control, you should
eat the same amount of carbohydrate for each snack. When you count carbohydrates, you are
given the flexibility to eat what you want at snacks, as long as it fits into your carbohydrate
meal plan. Snacks can contain 15-30 grams of carbohydrate. Your dietitian will tell you how
much to have. You can refer to the lists of sources of carbohydrate to help you pick and
choose what to have or simply read the food label of the item that you want. Bedtime snacks
should contain both carbohydrate and protein.
Here are some examples of snacks that contain about 15 grams of carbohydrate:
1 small piece fresh fruit
3 cups popcorn
6 oz light yogurt
7 saltine crackers w/ cheese
½ cup ice cream
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 rice cakes
½ cup sugar-free pudding
½ sandwich
Here are some examples of snacks that contain about 30 grams of carbohydrate:
1 granola bar
1 cereal bar
6 pk crackers
6 cups popcorn
1 small bagel w/ cream cheese
1 sandwich (meat and cheese)
1 cup milk w/ a small piece of fresh fruit
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
12
Free Foods
Some foods are free only if you consume a minimal amount. The following guidelines will help
you determine if a food is “free”:
Contains less than 5 grams carbohydrate
Contains less than 20 calories
Free Foods- The following foods contain little to no carbohydrate and/or calories and will not
affect your blood sugar. Remember...just because a food is labeled “sugar-free” doesn’t
necessarily mean that it is “carbohydrate-free.”
Diet soda
Crystal Light
Sugar-free Kool-aid
Sugar-free or unsweetened iced tea
(sweetened with sugar substitute)
Coffee
Bouillon
Broth
Sugar-free jello
Sugar-free gum
Sugar-free popsicles (not made with fruit
juice)
Dill pickles
Mustard
Herbs/spices
Cooking spray
Soy sauce
Vinegar
Low-Carbohydrate Foods- These foods contain less than 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving,
but may have more than 20 calories per serving. They may affect your blood sugar therefore it
is very important to eat them in moderation. You can find these foods in the protein, fat, and
fibrous vegetable sections of the book on pages 8, 9 and 13 .
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
13
Low Carb Foods
Deli meat slices
-turkey, ham, roast beef, bologna,
chicken, pepperoni, salami, pastrami
Meat sticks/Beef jerky
Tofu
Cheese
-American, Cheddar, Colby, Monterey
Jack, Mozzarella, Muenster, Provolone,
Swiss
Cottage cheese ½ cup
Ricotta cheese
Eggs- boiled, scrambled, deviled
Nuts ( ½ ounce – 1 ounce)
-almonds, cashews, brazilnuts,
macadamia, pecans, pistachio,
sunflower
Seafood salad*
Egg salad*
Chicken salad*
Soup (broth- or cream-based)***read food
label for carb content
Broth- chicken, beef, vegetable
Veggies ( ½ cup cooked – 1 cup raw)
-asparagus, artichoke hearts, green
beans/wax beans, broccoli, cabbage,
carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard
greens, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce(3
cups chopped), mushrooms, bell
peppers, radishes, sauerkraut, spinach,
spaghetti squash, summer squash,
tomatoes, zucchini
Vegetable/tomato juice (V8) ½ cup
Popcorn (1 cup)
Pickles
Olives
Sugar free Jell-O
Whipped topping (2 Tbsp)
Fun Ideas:
Ricotta cheese- mix with almond or vanilla extract and a packet of sugar substitute
Stir-fry ½ cup veggies with soy sauce
Mix ½ cup green beans & wax beans with 1-2 Tbsp Italian dressing
Raw veggies with ranch dip
Make kabobs with meat, cheese cubes, and veggies, enjoy cooked or cold
Make seafood salad, egg salad, or chicken salad with mayo & seasonings and use it to dip
veggies or eat plain
Please note:
*The way that you prepare an item may add more carbohydrate. Be careful when preparing,
not to use extra ingredients that will add carbohydrate.
*Most low-carb foods are low-carb because of the serving size. If you have more than one
serving, you may need to count the carbs as part of your meal or snack.
*Remember that even though these foods may be low in carbohydrate, they may not be low in
fat and/or calories. It is still important that you monitor your intake of these items and try to
choose the low-fat, fat-free, or low-calorie version of the product.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
14
Guidelines for Dining Out
When you eat out, somewhere other than home, it is still very important to follow your
carbohydrate meal plan. Here are a couple of tips to help you control your diabetes while
dining out.
Wait until you arrive at the restaurant to give insulin, there may be unexpected delays. You
may need to change the time you take your insulin or have a small snack to prevent low
blood sugar.
Plan ahead. Memorize your carbohydrate meal plan. Think about what it is that you might
be eating.
Practice measuring out serving sizes. It is good to know what a serving size might look like
displayed on a plate.
Obtain a copy of the establishment’s nutritional analysis of foods. Most restaurants have
the nutrition information on their website.
Take charge and ask questions. Make sure you understand how foods are prepared
because some foods can contain hidden carbohydrates.
Other Healthy Tips for Dining Out:
Ask for a doggie bag to put half of the entrée away before you begin to eat.
Ask your server to only bring out half the portion of the entrée.
Order the child-size portion.
Order an appetizer and/or salad as a meal.
Share the entrée with someone that you are with.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
15
Fast Food Facts
Burger King
Croissan’wich (1) 21-23 grams
Biscuit (1) 35-37 grams
French Toast Sticks (5) 51 grams
Hash Brown Rounds (sm) 25 grams
Whopper Sandwich (1) 47 grams
Whopper Jr Sandwich (1) 28 grams
Hamburger (1) 27 grams
Cheeseburger (1) 27 grams
BK Big Fish Sand (1) 59 grams
Chicken Sandwich (1) 54 grams
Chicken Tenders (4 pc) 9 grams
French Fries (sm) 32 grams
Onion Rings (med) 46 grams
Dutch Apple Pie (1) 39 grams
Chick-Fil-A
Chicken Sandwich (1) 29-31 grams
Grilled Chicken Sand (1) 36-38 grams
Chick-n-Strips (4 pc) 10 grams
Chick-Fil-A nuggets (8pc) 12 grams
Tossed Salad (1) 13 grams
Carrot-Raisin Salad (sm) 28 grams
Cole Slaw (sm) 11 grams
Waffle Potato Fries (sm) 49 grams
Domino’s
Pizza
12”(m) Hand Tossed (2/8 slices) 55-57 grams
12”(m) Thin Crust (2/8 slices) 31-33 grams
12”(m) Deep Dish (2/8 slices) 56-59 grams
6” Deep Dish Pizza (1 pizza) 68-70 grams
Breadstick (1) 18 grams
Wings (1) 1-2 grams
Papa John’s
Pizza
14” Original Crust (1/8 slices) 37-39 grams
14” Thin Crust (1/8 slices) 22-24 grams
Cheesesticks (1/7 order) 20 grams
Breadsticks (1) 26 grams
Pizza Hut
Medium Stuffed Crust (1/8 slices) 45-48 grams
Medium Thin ‘N Crispy (1/8 slices) 27-30 grams
Medium Hand-Tossed (1/8 slices) 43-45 grams
Medium Pan Pizza (1/8 slices) 44-46 grams
Medium Sicilian (1/8 slices) 30-32 grams
The BIG New Yorker (1/8 slices) 42-44 grams
Medium The Edge (1/8 slices) 15-17 grams
Person Pan Pizza (1) 110-111 grams
KFC
Original Recipe breast 16 grams
leg 4 grams
thigh 6 grams
wing 5 grams
Extra Crispy
TM
breast 17grams
leg 7grams
thigh 14 grams
wing 10 grams
Hot & Spicy breast 23 grams
leg 9 grams
thigh 13 grams
wing 9 grams
Chunky Chicken Pot Pie(1) 69 grams
Hot Wings
(6 pc) 18 grams
Honey BBQ Wings (6 pc) 33 grams
Crispy Strips (3 pc) 18-23 grams
Popcorn Chicken (6 oz) 36 grams
BBQ Baked Beans (5 ½ oz) 33 grams
Biscuit (1) 20 grams
Cole Slaw (5 oz) 26 grams
Corn on the Cob (1) 35 grams
Macaroni & Cheese (5 ½ oz) 21 grams
Potato Salad ( 5 ½ oz) 23 grams
Potatoes w/ Gravy (5 oz) 17 grams
Potato Wedges (5 oz) 28 grams
McDonald’s
Hamburger/cheeseburger (1) 35-38 grams
Big Mac (1) 45 grams
Filet-O-Fish (1) 45 grams
French Fries (sm) 26 grams
French Fries (med) 57 grams
French Fries (lg) 68 grams
French Fries (super size) 77 grams
Chicken McNuggets (4 pc) 13 grams
McMuffin (1) 25-27 grams
Biscuit (1) 34-36 grams
Bagel (1) 57-59 grams
Hot Cakes, plain (1 order) 58 grams
Vanilla Cone (1) 23 grams
Sundae (1) 50-61 grams
McFlurry (1) 82-90 grams
Apple Pie (1) 34 grams
McDonaldland Cookies (1 pkg) 32 grams
Milkshake (sm) 59-60 grams
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
16
More Fast Food Facts
Subway
6-inch cold subs (1) 44-46 grams
6-inch hot subs (1) 46-51 grams
Salads (1) 11-16 grams
Cookies (1) 31-33 grams
Wendy’s
Hamburger/Cheeseburger (1) 33-36 grams
Breaded Chicken sandwich (1) 43-44 grams
Pitas (1) 48-52 grams
Baked Potato (1) 71-83 grams
French Fries (sm) 35 grams
French Fries (Biggie) 61 grams
Chicken Nuggets (5 pc) 11 grams
Frosty
TM
(12 oz) 56 grams
Taco Bell
Soft taco (1) 20 grams
Hard taco (1) 12 grams
7-layer burrito (1) 65 grams
Bean burrito (1) 54 grams
Big Beef burrito
(1) 43-52 grams
Quesadilla (1) 31-33 grams
Mexican pizza 39-42 grams
Taco salad (salsa & shell) 69 grams
Taco salad (w/o shell) 36 grams
Gorditas (1) 27-31 grams
Chalupas (1) 27-31 grams
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
17
Exercise Guidelines
Exercise plays a very important role in managing your diabetes. Everyone should include
exercise as a normal part of life.
Why is exercise important for someone with diabetes?
Helps control blood sugar by burning excess sugar.
Helps you feel better.
Helps keep your body in good shape.
Helps keep your heart healthy by lowering your heart rate and blood pressure.
Helps lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides.
Helps your body be more sensitive to insulin.
Helps ease blood circulation throughout the body.
When should I be careful about exercising?
If your blood sugar is >300 mg/dl, you should check for urine ketones.
If you have urine ketones, you should avoid exercise.
Things to remember when exercising:
Be aware of peak times of insulin and remember that these times may cause your blood
sugar to drop even more than at other times.
Carry fast-acting carbohydrates (juice, glucose tablets, etc…) in case of hypoglycemia.
Always have extra snacks available.
Everyone reacts differently to exercise, so you have to learn how your body reacts by
monitoring your blood sugars often.
It may be a good idea to check your blood sugar before, during, and after exercise.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
18
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
19
Heart Healthy
Low Fat Diet Guidelines
Especially if you have Type 2 diabetes, it is very important to follow low-fat diet guidelines to
help achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The low-fat diet guidelines will help you make
low-fat choices when purchasing and preparing foods.
Tips to reduce fat intake:
Recognize hidden sources of fat: convenience items, fast food, easy-to-prepare foods
Read food labels: choose foods that have less than 3 grams of total fat per 100 calories
per serving (less than 30% of calories should come from fat)
Know your definitions, they can be very misleading:
Fat Free- less than 0.5 grams fat per serving
Low Fat- 3 grams or less per serving
Reduced Fat- at least 25% less fat per serving (these foods could still be high in fat)
Know that low-fat, fat-free, or reduced-fat foods may be high in sugar, salt, and calories,
therefore portion sizes should be limited
Even though you may be watching fat intake, you need to also watch calorie intake
because excessive calories may lead to weight gain
GOOD CHOICES POOR CHOICES
DAIRY
PRODUCTS
Skim or low-fat milk
Skim milk cheese (part skim mozzarella
and ricotta, other nonfat/low-fat
cheeses)
Low-fat/nonfat cottage cheese
Low-fat/nonfat yogurt
Ice milk/low-fat ice cream
Whole milk
Cream
Whole milk cheese (cheddar, colby,
american)
Whole milk cottage cheese
Regular yogurt
Ice cream
FRUITS &
VEGETABLES
All fresh, frozen, or canned fruits &
vegetables
Vegetables in cream sauce, white sauce,
butter
Vegetables made with fatback or other
meat fat
Breaded or deep-fried fruits or
vegetables
Coconuts
BREADS,
CEREALS,
STARCHES
Low-fat/nonfat baked goods
Animal crackers, graham crackers, fig
newtons, vanilla wafers, ginger snaps
Pasta, rice, potatoes
White, wheat, rye or french breads
Plain rolls or bagels
Cereal
Pretzels, saltine crackers or low-fat
snack crackers
Air-popped popcorn, plain or low-fat
popcorn
Low-fat/fat free cookies
Most commercial baked goods
Biscuits, muffins, cornbread, croissants
Granola
Potato chips, most snack crackers,
buttered popcorn
Most cookies, danishes, pastries
French fries
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
20
Heart Healthy - Low Fat Diet Guidelines- cont’d
GOOD CHOICES POOR CHOICES
MEAT & MEAT
SUBSTITUTES
Meats should be prepared by:
baking, broiling, roasting, grilling,
stewing
Lean beef (round, loin cuts)
Pork (loin, leg)
Lamb, veal, venison
Skinless turkey, chicken, or other game
90-100% fat free luncheon meats
Low-fat hot dogs
Egg whites
Fish and shellfish
Tuna (packed in water)
Deep-fat frying & pan frying meats
High fat (marbled) red meats
Chicken & turkey with skin
Hot dogs
Regular luncheon meats
Sausage, bacon, Spam, canned meats
Egg yolks (limit to 3 per week)
DESSERTS
Low-fat/fat free frozen yogurt
Low-fat/fat free ice cream/ice milk
Angel food cake
Fat free pudding
Ice cream
Most baked goods
Regular pudding
FATS & OILS/
CONDIMENTS
Diet margarine
Low-fat/nonfat cream cheese
Low-fat/nonfat salad dressings
Low-fat/nonfat mayonnaise
Low-fat/nonfat sour cream
Low-fat/nonfat cooking spray
Butter or margarine
Regular salad dressing
Non-dairy creamer, cream
Sour cream
Mayonnaise
Gravy
Cream or cheese sauces
Oils, lard
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
21
Sick Day Guidelines
If you are sick:
Drink 8 ounces calorie-free fluid every hour while awake to prevent dehydration (water, diet
soda, broth, sugar-free Kool Aid). Fluids should be caffeine-free.
Increase frequency of blood glucose monitoring to every 2-4 hours.
Monitor for ketones every 4 hours.
Record your results from monitoring.
You still may need to take your insulin and/or oral medications even if you are not eating,
but you may need to make a change in the amount that you are taking, therefore you
should call your doctor.
Extra doses of rapid- or short-acting insulin may be needed.
If you cannot eat because of nausea or cannot keep food down and your blood sugar is less
than 180 mg/dl:
Sip on carbohydrate containing beverages/soft foods to prevent hypoglycemia (regular
soda, juices, soups, ice cream)
Acceptable foods that contain 15 grams of carbohydrate:
½ cup (4 oz) apple juice
½ cup (4 oz) regular soda
1 cup Gatorade
1 regular Popsicle stick
5 lifesavers candies
1 slice dry toast
6 saltines
½ cup regular ice cream
¼ cup sherbet
¼ cup regular pudding
½ cup regular jello
When to call your doctor:
Vomiting more than once
Diarrhea more than 5 times or more than 6 hours
Difficulty breathing
Change in mental status
2 consecutive blood sugars greater than 300mg/dl even after giving extra insulin
Moderate or large urine ketones
If you ever have any questions or concerns
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
22
Sources of Carbohydrate Quiz
Please fill in the chart by checking if the following foods are considered to be a carbohydrate,
protein, or fat, or a combination. Some examples have been done for you.
FOOD LIST CARBOHYDRATE PROTEIN FAT
Apple
Hot dog w/ bun
Cheese
Butter
Baked beans
Pizza
Baked potato
Grilled chicken
Burger King Whopper®
Low fat milk
Corn
Peanut butter
Ranch salad dressing
Peas
French fries
Ice cream
Popcorn
Garden salad
French salad dressing
Bean Burrito
Answers on next page
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
23
Sources of Carbohydrate Quiz (Answer Key)
FOOD LIST CARBOHYDRATE PROTEIN FAT
Apple
Hot dog w/ bun
Cheese
Butter
Baked beans
Pizza
Baked potato
Grilled chicken
Burger King Whopper®
Low fat milk
Corn
Peanut butter
Ranch salad dressing
Peas
French fries
Ice cream
Popcorn
Garden salad
French salad dressing
Bean Burrito
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
24
Meal Planning Quiz
Here are some example meal plans, please fill in the accompanying carbohydrate counts:
Breakfast Carbohydrate grams
2 cups Cheerios ________________
1 cup (8 oz) milk ________________
1 scrambled egg ________________
2 sausage links ________________
½ banana ________________
TOTAL=____
Lunch
1 turkey sandwich ________________
1 oz potato chips ________________
1 cup (8 oz) milk ________________
1 cup carrot sticks ________________
2 Tbsp ranch dressing ________________
Crystal Lite ________________
TOTAL=____
OR
1 chicken sandwich ________________
15 French fries ________________
½ cup applesauce ________________
1 cup (8oz) milk ________________
TOTAL=____
Afternoon Snack
1 small apple ________________
3 peanut butter crackers ________________
TOTAL=____
Dinner
1 cup pasta ________________
½ cup spaghetti sauce ________________
2 meatballs ________________
1 garlic breadstick ________________
2 cup salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber) ________________
2 Tbsp French salad dressing ________________
diet soda ________________
TOTAL=____
Bedtime Snack
½ cup (4 oz) milk ________________
½ cup chex mix ________________
TOTAL=____
Answers on next page
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
25
Meal Planning Quiz (Answer Key)
Here are some example meal plans with accompanying carbohydrate counts:
Breakfast Carbohydrate grams
2 cups Cheerios 48
1 cup (8 oz) milk 12
1 scrambled egg 0
2 sausage links 0
½ banana 15
TOTAL=75
Lunch
1 turkey sandwich 30
1 oz potato chips 15
1 cup (8 oz) milk 12
1 cup carrot sticks 5
2 Tbsp ranch dressing 0
Crystal Lite 0
TOTAL=62
OR
1 chicken sandwich 30
15 French fries 15
½ cup applesauce 15
1 cup (8oz) milk 12
TOTAL=72
Afternoon Snack
1 small apple 15
3 peanut butter crackers 13
TOTAL=28
Dinner
1 cup pasta 30
½ cup spaghetti sauce 15
2 meatballs 0
1 garlic breadstick 15
2 cup salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber) 10
2 Tbsp French salad dressing 8
diet soda 0
TOTAL=78
Bedtime Snack
½ cup (4 oz) milk 6
½ cup chex mix 20
TOTAL=26
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
26
Your Carbohydrate Meal Plan
Breakfast __________grams carb
Snack __________ grams carb
Lunch __________ grams carb
Snack __________ grams carb
Dinner __________ grams carb
Snack __________ grams carb
Your dietitian will provide you with an individualized carbohydrate meal plan that is specific to
your needs.
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
27
Keeping a Food Diary
Name: ___________________________________ Dr. _____________________
Date: _________________________________
Please record everything that you eat or drink. Be as specific as possible.
Time/
Meal
Blood
Sugar
Insulin
Dose
Food/Beverage Intake &
Amount
Amount
of Carb
Comments
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
Other
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
28
Important Phone Numbers
CHKD Main Phone Number (757) 668-7000
Endocrine Department (757) 668-7237
Dr. Reuben Rohn
Dr. Marta Satin-Smith
Dr. Eric Gyuricsko
Robin Crecink, RN (757) 668-8571
Specialty Programs Coordinator (Insurance Authorizations)
Doctor on-call (toll free) (866) 883-9886
(emergencies & after-hours needs)
Life Threatening Emergencies 911
Blood Sugar Line (757) 668-8654
Blood Sugar Fax (757) 668-8215
Prescription Refills (757) 668-8747
Diabetes Center (757) 668-8609
Debi Warren
Department Secretary
Pamala Suter, MS, RD, CDE
Diabetes Program Manager
Liz Riedel, RD, CDE
Dietitian/Diabetes Educator
Renee Freeman, RN, CDE
Diabetes Nurse Educator
Ruth Compo, MSW
Social Worker
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
29
CARBOHYDRATE COUNTING RESOURCES
General Information on Carbohydrate Counting:
The American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Carb Counting
Karmeen Kulkarni, and Hope Warshaw www.diabetes.org
Carbohydrate Counting (2002)
International Diabetes Center Publishing www.idcpublishing.com
Basic Carbohydrate Counting (2003)
Advanced Carbohydrate Counting (2003)
American Dietetic Association 800-877-1600, Ext. 5000
www.eatright.org or American Diabetes Association 800-232-6733,
www.diabetes.org
Carbohydrate Value of Foods Without Nutrition Labels:
The Doctor’s Pocket Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter (2005)
(Allan Borushek) www.calorieking.com
The Complete Book of Food Counts (2003)
Corinne Netzer, Dell Publishing www.amazon.com and major bookstores
Calories and Carbohydrates, 15
th
Edition (2003)
Barbara Kraus, Signet Publishing www.amazon.com and major bookstores
The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide (2000)
Lea Ann Holzmeister, American Diabetes Association 800-232-6733 or
www.Diabetes.org
Webs sites for carbohydrate counts:
www.calorieking.com (click on food database)
www.nal.usda.gov (nutrition information for 6,000 basic foods) Go to
“Publications and Databases”. Click on “Databases”. Go down to
“USDA Nutrient Databases for Standard Reference”. Go to
“For More Information”. Then go to “download” if you choose to print.
Carbohydrate Values for Restaurant Foods:
Extensions web site for Fast Foods
nutrition information for 16 fast food restaurants:
www.fcs.uga.edu/extension/nut_pubs.php. Click on Dinning Out.
Fast Food Web sites such as www.mcdonalds.com or www.pizzahut.com
Guide to Healthy Restaurants Eating, 2
nd
ed. Hope Warshaw
American Diabetes Association- 800-232-6733 or www.diabetes.org
Nutrition in the Fast Lane – The Fast Food Dinning Guide
(nutrition information for 54 popular chain restaurants)
Franklin Publishing, Inc. 800-634-1993 or www.fastfoodfacts.com
Software for Personal Digital Assistants (Palm Pilots) for Carb Counts/Diabetes
Management
Diabetes Tracker-www.calorieking.com
GlucoPilot diabetes management software-www.healthetech.com
EZManager from Animas Corporation-www.animascorp.com
www.chkd.org/services/diabetes
30
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP YOU
The American Diabetes Association The American Dietetic Association
National Office 216 West Jackson Boulevard
1701 North Beauregard Street Chicago, IL 60606
Alexandria, VA 22311 800-366-1655
800-232-3472 www.eatright.org
www.diabetes.org
Children With Diabetes
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com
Take the LEAD- Founded by Nicole Johnson, Miss America of 1999
http://www.diabeteslead.org
The Children with Diabetes Foundation
http://www.cwdfoundation.org/
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
http://www.jdrf.org/
Diabetes-Kids.org
http://www.diabetes-kids.org/