LIVING WELL WITH DIABETES
Serving Size GuideKeep your serving sizes in check! Use the healthy plate method to balance your plate (fill ½ of a 9-inch plate with vegetables, ¼ with whole grains/starches, ¼ with protein, and add dairy and/or fruit on the side). For women, aim for 2 to 3 servings of carbohydrate per meal if your goal is to lose weight and 3 to 4 servings if your goal is to maintain weight. For men, aim for 3 to 4 servings of carbohydrate per meal if your goal is to lose weight and 4 to 5 servings if your goal is to maintain weight.
These foods have 1 serving (15 grams) of carbohydrate.
GRA
INS
Bread (loaf-type)
Bun (hot dog, hamburger)
Roll (plain)
Pasta (cooked)
Tortilla (corn, flour)
Rice, quinoa, couscous (cooked)
1 slice ½ 1 small 1/3 cup 1 (6 inches) 1/3 cup
Bagel Cold cereal (unsweetened)
Granola Pancake or waffle
Biscuit Oatmeal, grits (cooked)
¼ large ¾ cup ¼ cup 1 (4 inches) 1 (2½ inches) ½ cup
STA
RCH
YVE
GET
ABL
ES
Taro Potato (mashed or baked)
Peas (green) Sweet potato, yam (plain)
Corn Squash (acorn, butternut)
1/3 cup ½ cup or ½ medium
½ cup ½ cup ½ cup or ½ large cob
1 cup
BEA
NS,
PEA
S,
& L
ENTI
LS
Baked beans (canned)
Lentils (cooked)
Beans (cooked or canned)
Peas (black-eyed)
Hummus Refried beans (fat-free or vegetarian)
1/3 cup ½ cup ½ cup ½ cup 1/3 cup ½ cup
DA
IRY
Fat-free, low-fat milk (cow’s, lactose-free, rice, sweetened soy)
Fat-free plain or Greek yogurt* (may be artificially sweetened)
1 cup 2/3 cup
*Check the label. The amount of carbohydrate can vary by brand.
These foods have 1 serving (15 grams) of carbohydrate.FR
UIT
Apple Banana Mango Grapes (small)
Grapefruit Cherries Pineapple (fresh)
1 small ½ banana (4 inches)
½ small ½ cup ½ large 12 ¾ cup
Orange, nectarine,
peach (fresh)
Raspberries Blueberries Strawberries (whole)
Raisins Canned fruit in juice
1 small 1 cup ¾ cup 1¼ cups 2 tablespoons ½ cup
SNA
CKS
Popcorn (popped)
Pretzels Crackers (round, butter-type, or
saltine)
Chips (baked or regular)
Granola bar Rice cakes
3 cups ¾ ounce 6 8 baked, 13 regular
1 2
SWEE
TS
Cake (unfrosted)
Cupcake (frosted)
Brownie (unfrosted)
Doughnut (glazed)
Frozen fruit juice bar
Ice cream
2-inch square ½ small 1¼-inch square ½ 1 ½ cup
Cookies (chocolate chip)
Muffin Honey, sugar, jelly, regular syrup
Pudding (made with 2% milk)
Frozen yogurt* (fat-free or regular)
2 small ¼ regular muffin 1 tablespoon ¼ cup 1/3 cup fat-free, ½ cup regular
NO
NST
ARC
HY
VEG
ETA
BLES
Total carbohydrate per serving: 5 gramsBeans (waxed or green), bean sprouts, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, lettuce, nopales, okra, onions, peppers, radishes, spinach, tomatoes
1 serving = 1 cup raw, ½ cup cooked, ½ cup juice, or ½ cup tomato sauce
©2018 Southern California Permanente Medical Group. All rights reserved. Center for Healthy Living RHE765 (7/18) kp.org
*Check the label. The amount of carbohydrate can vary by brand.