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Examples of one carbohydrate choice


Breads, cereals, grains, starchy vegetables

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Bagel (most bagel shops)

1 large

60 to 75

4 to 5

Bagel

1 mini

15

1

Baked beans

1/2 cup

30

2

Black beans: cooked

1/2 cup

21

1 1/2

Bread: reduced-calorie

2 slices

15

1

Bread: sticks (soft), 6 to 7 inches

1 stick

30

2

Bread: pumpernickel, rye, white, whole wheat

1 slice

15

1

Cereal: cooked and unsweetened

1/2 cup

15

1

Cereal: dry

1/2 to 1 1/3 cup

20 to 45

1 to 3

Coleslaw

1/2 cup

15

1

Corn

1/2 cup

15

1

Corn on the cob: 5 to 6 inches

1

15 to 20

1

Cornbread

2-inch square

23 to 34

1 1/2 to 2

Couscous: cooked

1/2 cup

15 to 20

1

Dinner roll

1

15

1

Doughnut: cake

1

25

1 1/2

Doughnut: glazed

1

35

2

Doughnut holes

2

15

1

English muffin

one-half

15

1

Garbanzo beans

1/2 cup

22 to 27

1 1/2 to 2

Graham crackers

3 squares

15

1

Green peas

1/2 cup

15

1

Hash browns

1/2 cup

22 to 30

1 1/2 to 2

Hoagie roll

1

75

5

Hot dog or hamburger bun

one-half

15

1

Kidney beans

1/2 cup

20

1

Lentils

1/2 cup

20

1

Muffin: extra large

1

50 to 75

4 to 5

Muffin: medium

1

24

1 1/2

Pancake: 4 inches

1

15

1

Pasta: cooked (macaroni, noodles, spaghetti)

1/3 cup

15

1

Pita: 6 inches

1

30

2

Potato salad

1/2 cup

15

1

Potatoes: baked

1/4

45 to 60

3 to 4

Potatoes: french fries (frozen)

10 to 15

15

1

Potatoes: mashed

1/2 cup

15

1

Rice: brown, cooked

1/3 cup

15

1

Rice: wild, cooked

1/2 cup

15

1

Rice: white, cooked

1/3 cup

15

1

Ritz crackers

6 to 7

15

1

Saltine crackers

6

15

1

Squash: acorn

1/4 medium (1 cup)

15

1

Squash: butternut

1/4 medium (1 cup)

30

2

Stuffing

1/2 cup

10 to 15

1

Taco: corn shell, 6 inches

2

15

1

Tater tots

5

15

1

Tortilla: flour, 6 inches

1

15

1

Waffle: frozen

1

15

1

Wheat thins

12

15

1

Yam (sweet potato)

1/2 cup

15

1

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Fruits

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Apple: small

1

15

1

Banana: large

1

30

2

Berries: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries

1 cup whole

15

1

Canned fruit: in juice

1/2 cup

15

1

Cherries

15

15

1

Clementines

2

15

1

Grapefruit: medium

1/2

15

1

Grapes

15

15

1

Kiwi: large

1

15

1

Mango

1/2 cup

15

1

Melon

1 cup cubes

15

1

Nectarine: medium

1

15

1

Orange: medium

1

15

1

Peach: medium

1

15

1

Pear: small

1

15

1

Pineapple

1 cup

20

1

Plums: small

2

15

1

Raisins

2 tablespoons

15

1

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Fruit and vegetable juice

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Apple, grapefruit, orange or pineapple

1/2 cup

15

1

Cranberry juice cocktail, grape, prune

1/3 cup

15

1

Fruit juice blends (100 percent juice)

1/3 cup

15

1

Fruit juice: reduced calorie

1 cup

10 to 15

1

Tomato juice

1 cup

10

1

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Milk and yogurt

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Milk: buttermilk, skim, whole, 1 percent, 2 percent

1 cup

15

1

Milk: chocolate

1 cup

30

2

Milk: soy (plain or flavored)

1/2 to 1 cup

15

1

Yogurt: plain or artifically sweetened

3/4 cup

15

1

Yogurt: sweetened with fruit

3/4 cup

30

2

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Snacks and sweets

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Angel food cake: unfrosted, 1-inch slice

1

15

1

Brownie: unfrosted, 2-inch by 2-inch

1

15

1

Cake: unfrosted, 2-inch by 2-inch

1

15

1

Cheesecake

1/12 of 9-inch

35 to 45

2 1/2 to 3

Chips: potato or tortilla (regular)

10 to 15

15 to 20

1

Cookie: 3-inch

1

10 to 15

1

Cupcake: frosted, small

1

30

2

Frozen yogurt

1/2 cup

25

1 1/2

Gelatin: regular

1/2 cup

15

1

Honey: regular

1 tablespoon

15

1

Ice cream cone: cake, sugar, wafer

1

3 to 9

0 to 1/2

Ice cream: light, low-fat, regular

1/2 cup

15

1

Jam and jelly: regular

1 tablespoon

15

1

Pie: single crust

1/8 of 9-inch

25 to 45

1 1/2 to 3

Pie: double crust

1/8 of 9-inch

45

3

Popcorn

3 cups

15

1

Pretzels: mini twists

20

25

1 1/2

Pudding: regular

1/2 cup

30

2

Pudding: sugar-free

1/2 cup

15

1

Sherbet, sorbet, gelato

1/2 cup

30

2

Sugar: brown packed or white

1 tablespoon

15

1

Syrup: light

1/4 cup

25

1 1/2

Syrup: regular

1/4 cup

52 to 60

1

Syrup: sugar-free

1/4 cup

15

1

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Convenience and combination foods

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Casserole (hot dish)

1/2 cup

30

2

Chili

1 cup

30

2

Pasta or potato salad

1/2 cup

15 to 25

1 to 1 1/2

Soup: broth type

1 cup

15

1

Soup: cream type

1 cup

15 to 30

1 to 2

Sub sandwich

6-inch

45

3

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Convenience and combination foods: Ethnic

Food

Serving Size

Carbohydrate Grams

Carbohydrate Choice

Asian

Chinese egg noodles

1/3 cup

15

1

Chow mein

1 cup

15 to 20

1

Chow mein noodles

1/2 cup

15

1

Egg roll: 5-inch

1

23

1 1/2

Fried rice

1/3 cup

15

1

Lo mein (meat, noodles, vegetables)

1 cup

30 to 50

2 to 3

Stir fry (meat, no rice)

1 cup

10

1

Sweet and sour: chicken or pork (no noodles, no rice)

1 cup

45

3

Sweet and sour sauce

1 tablespoon

15

1

Italian

Lasagna

4-inch by 4-inch

45 to 60

3 to 4

Pizza: thick crust

1/8 large

30 to 45

2 to 3

Pizza: thin crust

1/8 large

25 to 35

1 1/2 to 2

Ravioli (no sauce)

9 to 11

45 to 60

3 to 4

Tomato sauce

1/2 cup

15

1

Mexican

Burrito: 6- to 8-inch

1

45 to 60

3 to 4

Enchilada: 8-inch

1

50

3

Fajita: 6- to 8-inch

1

20

1

Quesadilla: 8- to 10-inches

1

30 to 40

2 to 3

Refried beans

1/2 cup

20

1

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Source: Allina Health Patient Education, Basic Skills for Living with Diabetes, fifth edition, ISBN 1-931876-32-0

First published: 12/01/2006
Last updated: 05/14/2012

Reviewed by: Allina Health Patient Education experts