Free foods
A free food is any food or drink that contains fewer than 20 calories or five grams of carbohydrate per serving. Foods with a serving size listed below should be limited
to no more than three servings at one time.
Carbohydrate-free beverages (such as club soda, Crystal Light®, calorie-free water, diet soft drinks, coffee, and hot or unsweetened teas) will not affect blood glucose.
Food |
Serving Size |
Carbohydrate Grams |
Carbohydrate Choice |
Artificial sweeteners |
1 teaspoon |
0 to 1 |
0 |
Barbeque sauce |
2 teaspoons |
4 |
0 |
Cocktail sauce |
2 tablespoons |
3 |
0 |
Dill pickles |
4 slices |
1 |
0 |
Gravy |
1/4 cup |
3 |
0 |
Herbs and spices |
1 teaspoon |
1 |
0 |
Ketchup |
1 tablespoon |
4 |
0 |
Lemon and lime juice |
1 tablespoon |
2 |
0 |
Most vegetables |
1/2 to 1 cup |
5 |
0 |
Mustard |
2 tablespoons |
3 |
0 |
Olives |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Salsa |
2 tablespoons |
4 |
0 |
Soy sauce |
1 tablespoon |
1 |
0 |
Steak sauce |
1 tablespoon |
3 to 5 |
0 |
Sugar-free gelatin |
1/2 cup |
0 |
0 |
Sugar-free ice pops |
1 |
3 |
0 |
Sugar-free jam or jelly |
1 teaspoon |
5 |
0 |
Sugar-free syrup |
2 tablespoons |
5 |
0 |
Source: Allina Patient Education, Basic Skills for Living with Diabetes, fifth edition, ISBN 1-931876-32-0
First published: 12/01/2006
Last updated: 10/18/2011
Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts
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