Diabetes - Low Carbohydrate Foods
The goal of diabetes management is to maintain a healthy range of blood sugar by balancing food, insulin and activity. Young children can have different food preferences from day to day. Their activity level can also vary from day to day. To balance food, insulin, and activity, you can use "carb counting."
- Foods that contain carbohydrates:
- Fruits and juice
- Starches such as bread, cereal, and pasta
- Starchy vegetables such as peas, potatoes, and corn
- Milk, yogurt, and ice cream
- Sweets, candy, and soda
- Foods that contain protein: Meats, cheese, eggs, nuts, fish
- Foods that contain fats: Margarine, salad dressing, oils
If your child is particularly hungry one day, offer some low carb foods, which will provide your child with more to eat while keeping the child's carb intake the same day-to-day.
Low Carbohydrate Foods
| Food |
Amount |
Grams of Carbs |
| Applesauce, unsweetened |
1/2 cup |
15 |
| Berries |
1 cup |
15 |
| Cereal, unsweetened, dry |
3/4 cup |
15 |
| Cheese balls |
50 |
15 |
| Cranberry juice, low-cal |
1 cup |
15 |
| Goldfish crackers |
50 |
15 |
| Marshmallows, large |
3 |
15 |
| Oyster crackers |
55 |
15 |
| Popcorn |
3 cups |
15 |
| Pretzels |
65 sticks or 12 mini |
15 |
| Ritz bits |
40 |
15 |
| Teddy grahams |
15 |
15 |
| Watermelon |
1 1/4 cups |
15 |
| Yogurt, lite |
1 cup |
15 |
Use your ADA Carb Counting booklet to look up the food, portion size, and amount of carbohydrate in grams. You can also use the Nutrition Facts food label to look up the grams of carbohydrate of a food, the portion size of the food, and the number of serving per container.
Use your child's meal plan goals to help plan meals and snacks and to keep the child's carb intake the same from day to day.