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Carbohydrate Counting & Factors

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How to Use This Guide

Few foods, other than table sugar and lollipops, are 100% carbohydrate.

The carbohydrate factors for a variety of foods are provided on the following pages. These factors represent the amount of carbohydrate in 1 gram of that particular food. To find out how much carbohydrate you are eating in a particular food, you will need to do a simple calculation:

  1. Weigh the food on a gram scale to get its total weight.
  2. Find the food and its carbohydrate factor in one of the food groups listed below.
  3. On a calculator, multiply the food’s weight in grams by its carbohydrate factor.
  4. The answer is the number of grams of carbohydrate you are eating.

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Example

Let’s say you place a small apple on a gram scale and find that it weighs 100 grams. 

You then look up it’s carbohydrate factor and find that it is .13.  You then simply multiply 100 grams by .13 to get the amount of carbohydrate:

100 grams of apple × .13 = 13 grams of carbohydrate

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Additional Information

These carbohydrate factors give the actual concentration of carbs in foods. For instance, apples are 13% carbohydrate (most of their weight is water), while raisins are 77% carbohydrate by weight, and bagels contain 56% carbohydrate in weight. Both apple juice and regular sodas have more of its carbohydrate as sucrose or sugar.

Cranberry juice is even richer in carb at 16%, while grapefruit juice contains only 9% by weight. A 6oz. glass of cranberry juice will therefore contain almost twice as much carbohydrate as an identical glass of grapefruit juice. Because it contains more carb, the glass of cranberry juice can raise the blood sugar nearly twice as far as the same amount of grapefruit juice. It will also require twice as much insulin to cover it.

 

Beverages

carbonated soda

.12

eggnog

.08

milk

.04

chocolate milk

.11

flavored instant coffee

.06

punch

.11

Alcoholic Beverages

regular beer

.04

champagne

.01

sweet wine

.04

light beer

.02

liqueurs

.30

dry wine

.12

Gin, rum, scotch, whiskey and vodka contain no carbohydrate. With 2 or more drinks, alcohol can lower the normal production of sugar by the liver. Because of the risk of a low blood sugar no insulin is usually taken for alcoholic drinks. Discuss with your physician/health care team.

Breads & Grains

bagel

.56

French toast

.26

rice, cooked

.24

barley, uncooked

.77

lentils

.19

rolls

.60

biscuits

.45

macaroni, plain

.23

spaghetti, plain

.26

bread

.53

macaroni w/cheese

.20

spaghetti, w/sauce

.15

bread crumbs

.74

muffins

.45

toast

.70

bread sticks

.75

Pancakes/waffles, dry

.70

Tortillas, corn

.42

corn starch

.83

pancakes & waffles, prepared

.44

tortillas, flour

.58

English muffin

.51

 wheat flour

 .76

    

Dry Cold Cereals

All Bran

.78

Grapenuts

.83

Shredded Wheat

.81

Cheerios

.70

NutriGrain

.86

Special K

.76

Corn Chex

.89

Product 19

.84

Rice Krispies

.88

Corn Flakes

.84

Puffed Wheat

.77

Total

.79

Fruit and Fiber

.78

Raisin Bran

.75

Wheaties

.80

Granola

.68

Quaker 100% Natural

.64

 

 

Cooked Hot Cereals

corn grits

.11

oatmeal

.10

Wheatena

.12

Cream of Wheat

.14

Roman Meal

.14

Wheat Hearts

.12

farina

.11

 

 

 

 

Combination Dishes

beef stew

.06

coleslaw

.14

potato salad

.13

burrito

.24

fish & chips

.18

spaghetti w/meat sauce

.15

chicken pot pie

.17

lasagna

.16

tossed salad

.05

tuna casserole

.13

chili w/beans

.11

macaroni and cheese

.20

pizza

.28

chili w/o beans

.06

 

 

Fruit

apple

.13

fruit cocktail (water)

.10

persimmons, Japanese

.20

applesauce

.10

grapes, Concord

.14

persimmons, native

.34

apricots, fresh

.13

grapes, European

.17

pineapple, fresh

.14

apricots, canned (water)

.10

grapes, green (seedless)

.14

 

pineapple, canned, water

.10

apricots, canned (juice)

.14

grapefruit

.10

pineapple, canned, juice

.15

apricots, dried

.60

honeydew

.08

plums, fresh

.18

banana

.20

lemons

.09

plums, canned, water

.12

blackberries

.12

limes

.10

prunes, dehydrated

.91

cantaloupe

.08

mangoes

.17

prunes, dried, cooked

.67

cherries, fresh, sweet red

.16

nectarines

.17

raisins

.77

cherries, fresh, sour red

.14

 

oranges

.12

raspberries

.14

cherries, canned, water

.11

papayas

.10

strawberries, fresh

.08

cherries, maraschino

.29

peaches, fresh

.10

strawberries, frozen, sweet

.26

cranberry sauce, sugar

.36

peaches, canned, water

.08

watermelon

.06

tangerines

.12

peaches, canned, juice

.12

pears, fresh

.15

dates, dried and pitted

.67

figs, Fresh

.18

pears, canned, water

.09

figs, dried

.62

 

 

 

 

Juices

apple cider

.14

grapefruit-orange, canned

.10

orange-apricot

.13

apple juice

 

.12

grapefruit-orange, frozen

.11

papaya

.12

apricot

.12

lemon

.08

pineapple, canned

.14

apricot nectar

.15

lemonade, frozen

.11

pineapple, frozen

.13

cranberry

.16

orange, fresh

.11

prune

.19

grape, bottled

.16

orange, canned, unsweetened

.10

tomato

.04

grape, frozen

.13

orange, canned, sweet

.12

V-8

.04

grapefruit, fresh

.09

orange, frozen

.11

 

 

grapefruit, canned

.07

 grapefruit, frozen

 .09

 

 

Desserts and Sweets

apple butter

.46

cookies, animal

.80

ice milk

.23

banana bread

.47

cookies, choc chip

.59

jams

.70

brownie w/nuts

.50

cookies, fig bar

.71

jellies

.70

cake, angel food

.60

cookies, gingersnap

.80

pie, apple

.37

cake, coffee

.52

cookies, oatmeal & raisin

.72

pie, blueberry

.34

cake, fruit

.57

danish pastries

.46

pie, cherry

.38

cake, sponge

.55

doughnut, cake

.52

pie, lemon meringue

.38

candy, caramel

.76

doughnut, jelly-filled

.46

pie, pecan

.23

candy, fudge w/nuts

.69

fruit turnovers

.26

pie, pumpkin

.23

candy, hard

.96

honey

.76

preserves

.70

candy, jelly beans

.93

ice cream, plain

.21

sherbert

.32

candy, lollipops

1.00

ice cream, cone

.30

 

 

candy, peanut brittle

.73

ice cream, bar

.25

 

 

chocolate syrup

.65

 

 

 

 

Dressings, Sauces, and Condiments

bacon bits

.19

olives

.04

pickle relish, sweet

.34

barbecue sauce

.13

pickles, sweet

.36

soy sauce

.10

catsup

.25

salad dressing, blue cheese

.07

spaghetti sauce

.09

cheese sauce

.06

salad dressing, Caesar

.04

steak sauce

.09

chili sauce

.05

salad dressing, French

.17

sweet & sour sauce

.45

hollandaise sauce

.08

salad dressing, Italian

.07

tartar sauce

.04

horseradish

.10

salad dressing, Russian

.07

tomato paste

.19

mayonnaise

.02

salad dressing, thousand island

.15

Worcestershire sauce

.18

mustard

.04

 

 

 

 

Sandwiches

BLT

.19

egg salad

.22

peanut butter & jelly

.50

chicken salad

.24

hot dog w/bun

.26

tuna salad

.24

club

.13

 

 

 

 

Snack Foods

almonds

.19

marshmallows

.78

popcorn, popped, no butter

.78

cashews

.26

mixed nuts

.18

potato chips

.50

corn chips

.57

onion dip

.10

pretzels

.75

crackers, Graham

.73

peanut butter

.17

sunflower seeds, no shells

.19

crackers, round

.67

peanuts

.20

walnuts

.15

crackers, rye

.50

pistachios

.19

 

 

crackers, saltines

.70

 

 

 

 

Vegetables

artichoke

.10

carrots, raw

.10

peas

.12

asparagus

.04

carrots, cooked

.07

peppers

.05

avocado

.05

cauliflower, raw

.05

potatoes, baked

.21

bamboo shoots

.05

cauliflower, cooked

.04

potatoes, boiled

.15

beans, raw green

.07

celery

.04

potatoes, hash browns

.29

beans, cooked green

.05

chard, raw

.05

potatoes, French fries

.34

beans: kidney, lima, pinto, red, white

.21

corn, steamed on cob

.19

potatoes, chips

.50

bean sprouts

.06

corn, sweet, creamed

.20

pumpkin

.08

beets, boiled

.07

corn, canned

.06

radishes

.04

beet greens, cooked

.03

cucumber

.03

sauerkraut

.04

broccoli

.06

eggplant, cooked

.04

spinach

.04

brussels sprouts

.06

lettuce

.03

squash, summer, cooked

.03

cabbage, raw

.05

mushrooms

.04

squash, winter, baked

.15

cabbage, cooked

.04

okra

.05

squash, winter, boiled

.09

cabbage, Chinese, raw

.03

onions

.07

tomatoes

.05

cabbage, Chinese

.01

parsnips

.18

turnips

.05

 

Reference

©Gary Scheiner MS, CDCES – Integrated Diabetes Services. May be reproduced and used for patient education, but not sold.

 

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