How to Calculate Carbs
Science has shown that carbohydrates have a different effect on the body than do calories that are derived from foods that supply protein and fat. They have found that carbohydrates stimulate the production of insulin, which can cause hunger a few hours after eating. Foods that are lower in carbohydrates and higher in fat or protein digest more slowly and do not spike insulin production. People have had great luck with the diets that curtail excessive carbohydrate consumption.
Calculating carbohydrates can be done using online tools, or by reading the nutritional labels on prepared foods.
Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Figuring out Net Carbohydrates in Prepared Foods
-
1
Look at the food label on the package or can and subtract the fiber from the carbohydrates. Those are the net carbohydrates.
-
2
Search online for the food you want to eat to see if data have been published on its glycemic load. There are foods that are low calorie, yet raise your blood sugar so you actually get hungry quickly after eating them. Making sure you stick to low glycemic foods can help you lose weight by curbing your appetite.
-
-
3
Check to see if the restaurants where you eat publish the carbohydrate contents of their food. Many fast food companies list the nutritional values of the foods they offer on the menus, on the walls or online.
How to Find out Carbs Using the USDA Website
-
4
Go to the USDA website link listed below. This website has thousands of food products in its database, and by selecting the food that you want to eat, whether it is prepared or fresh, you will be able to learn how many carbs the food has and all the other nutritional aspects of the food.
-
5
Put the food into the search bar and scroll through the results to find what you are looking for. Again, you'll have to subtract the fiber from the carbs to figure out the net carbs.
-
6
Write the results in your cookbook or put on a sticky, and keep with your recipe, or save the results in a folder on your computer so you can plan your meals around the carbohydrate count.
Using Online Software for Recipe Analysis
-
7
Search for shareware or freeware that you can download to your computer that will allow you to analyze the nutritional content of your recipes. Many of these are simple programs that are based on the USDA database of food and its properties. You can also go to your local office supply store or electronics store to browse the shelves for cooking software that lets you put in your own recipes to do a nutritional analysis.
-
8
Install the software according to the directions, and start entering the recipes that you are using to find the carbohydrates in your home cooked food.
-
9
Print the results out, and keep in a file for the next time you cook that recipe, or save the recipe in a folder for future use.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Cutting carbohydrates from your diet can help you lose weight, but you shouldn't cut back on nutritious carbohydrates like potatoes.
Resources
- Photo Credit www.msu.edu/.../inquiries2003/chloroplasts.html
