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How do I read a food label?

Reading food labels is important. It can show you how different foods fit into your meal plan. The label tells you what the size of one serving is and the amount of grams of "Total Carbohydrate" that serving has. You do not need to look at the sugar grams, since these are already counted in the Total Carbohydrate grams. Carefully read the label on food packages with claims such as "No Sugar Added" or "Reduced Sugar," even foods that claim to be "Sugar Free." Many of these foods still contain carbohydrates. Remember: 1 carb serving = 15 grams of carbohydrates.

Where can I start?

A good place to start is to limit less healthy carbohydrates like candy, sodas or desserts. It helps to:

• Choose diet sodas, calorie-free drinks, or water instead of sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Consider using sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners in place of regular sugar.
• If you want a sweet, plan ahead to include it with your meal. At the same time, try to add a little extra time for exercise to help keep those high sugars down. Aim for a small dessert (1 carb serving) such as 1/2 cup of ice cream or 3 graham crackers or 2 small cookies.

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