How to Calculate Carb Intake

It is important to include some carbohydrates in your diet, because they provide the body with energy. However, there are several good reasons to monitor the amount of carbohydrates consumed in a day, as an excess of carbs may contribute to weight gain or be harmful to diabetics. There are a couple of different ways to calculate carbohydrate consumption --- for prepackaged foods, use the nutrition label to determine the amount of carbs, or you can use a gram scale or measuring cup to determine the carbohydrate value for fresh foods. With either method, you will need to find the food's carb factor.

Instructions

Prepackaged Foods

1

Subtract the total fiber amount in grams from the total carbohydrate amount in grams.

2

Divide the difference by the total grams per serving located at the top of the chart. The result will be the food's carb factor.

3

Weigh the amount of the food you will be eating by separating your portion and placing it on the gram scale.

4

Multiply the weight of the portion, as displayed on the gram scale, by the food's carb factor. The product will tell you the amount of carbohydrate consumption that will result from the food portion.

Basic Fresh Foods

5

Locate the carb factor of the food by using a carb factor list. For instance, according to the list available at Diabetesselfmanagement.com, oil-popped popcorn has a carb factor of .57.

6

Weigh your portion by placing it on the gram scale.

7

Multiply the weight of the food in grams by the carb factor. The product will be the amount of carbohydrates in the portion.