How to read a food label for carbs
On a nutrition label, start with the serving size, then look at total carbohydrate, which already includes sugars, starch and fibre. If you eat more or less than one serving, multiply the grams of carbohydrate by the number of servings you ate. Sugars are part of the total and are not added on top.
Where are the carbohydrates on the label?
- Serving size and servings per container. Everything on the label is for one serving. If you eat the whole pack, multiply by the servings per container.
- Total carbohydrate. This includes sugars, starch and fibre. It is the main number.
- Dietary fibre. A carbohydrate your body cannot digest, so it does not raise blood glucose. Some care plans subtract it from the total.
- Total sugars and added sugars. Both are already inside the total carbohydrate. Added sugars are sweeteners that are not naturally in the ingredients, such as table sugar, honey or syrups.
How do I work out the carbohydrate in my portion?
Label per serving: carbohydrate per serving × servings eaten.
Label per 100 g: carbohydrate per 100 g × grams eaten ÷ 100.
Example: a label shows 22 g of carbohydrate per serving. You eat one and a half servings: 22 × 1.5 = 33 g.
Use the carb calculator. It also scales calories.
Tips
- Check whether the label's serving matches what you actually eat.
- Labels round their numbers, so treat them as close, not exact.
- Fresh foods have no label. Reference tables or your dietitian can help, and estimates are fine for a diary.
Glycove estimates the carbohydrate in meals you describe or photograph and shows the foods and portions it used, so you can adjust them. It never uses an estimate to calculate a dose.
Information, not medical advice. Talk to your care team about your own targets and treatment. Never use a converter or a diary entry to work out an insulin or medicine dose.
Sources
- American Diabetes Association: How to read nutrition labels
- NIDDK: Diet, eating and physical activity
Frequently asked questions
Should I subtract fibre from total carbohydrate?
Fibre is a carbohydrate your body cannot digest. Some care plans subtract it from the total and others do not. Ask your dietitian or care team which method to use.
Do I add the sugars to the total carbohydrate?
No. The grams of sugar are already included in total carbohydrate, so you do not count them separately.
What if the label gives values per 100 g?
Multiply the carbohydrate per 100 g by the weight you ate in grams, then divide by 100. The carb calculator does this for you.
Keep reading
Carb calculator
Work out the carbohydrate and calories in the portion you ate from a nutrition label, per serving or per 100 g. Free and private, in your browser.
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