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    Learning About Your Health

    Carbohydrate (CHO) Food Choices

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    The food choices listed below contain carbohydrate that turns into sugar during digestion. Foods with carbohydrate should be eaten in appropriate amounts and distributed throughout the day. Be sure to check the specific food labels as individual brands vary.

    Fruits (15g CHO)

    Apple, orange, tangerine, pear, peach (small) - 1
    Fruit Juice (unsweetened) - 1/2 cup
    Applesauce (unsweetened) - 1/2 cup
    Apricots (medium, fresh) - 4
    Apricot (dried halves) - 7
    Banana - 4 inches
    Blackberries, blueberries - 3/4 cup
    Cantaloupe (small) - 1/3 melon
    Honeydew (small) - 1/6 melon
    Watermelon - 1-1/4 cup
    Cherries (fresh) - 14
    Figs - 2
    Plums - 2
    Canned fruit (unsweetened) - 1/2 cup
    Grapefruit (large) - 1/2
    Grapes - 15
    Kiwi (large) - 1
    Pineapple (fresh) - 3/4 cup
    Mango/papaya (small) - 1/2
    Prunes (medium) - 3
    Raisins - 2 Tbsp
    Strawberries - 1-1/4 cup
    Persimmon (medium) - 1/2
    Pomegranate (medium) - 2/3
    Cherimoya - 1/8
    Plantain - 1
    Guava (medium) - 1
    Cactus fruit - 1
    Raspberry - 1 cup

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    Vegetables/Beans (15g CHO)

    Yams/sweet potatoes (fresh) - 1/2 cup
    Beans (kidney, pinto, black eyed peas, cooked) - 1/2 cup
    Baked beans (canned) - 1/3 cup (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Corn, hominy, peas - 1/2 cup
    Potato (small) - 1
    Mashed potato - 1/2 cup
    Hash brown - 1/2 cup
    Winter squash - 1 cup
    Butternut squash - 1/2 med.
    Lima beans - 1/2 cup
    Taro/lotus root - 1/3 cup
    Hummus - 1/3 cup
    Mung beans - 1/2 cup
    Edamame (soybeans) - 2/3 cup
    Miso - 3 Tbsp (Read food label and check sodium content)

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    Breads (15g CHO)

    French bread - 1 oz
    Matzo - 3/4 oz
    White, whole wheat, rye (1 oz) - 1 slice
    Bread sticks (4 inch) - 2
    Bagel, English muffin (small) - 1/2
    Hot dog or hamburger bun - 1/2
    Croissant (small) - 1
    Muffin (small) - 1/2
    Pancake/waffle (4 inch) - 1
    Pita - 1/2
    Roll (plain) - 1
    Fruit breads (e.g., banana) - 1 oz slice
    Tortilla (6 inch) - 1
    Stuffing - 1/3 cup
    Croutons - 1 cup

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    Crackers/Snacks (15g CHO)

    Animal crackers - 8
    Graham cracker squares - 3
    Popcorn - 3 cups (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Round crackers - 4-6 (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Pretzels - 3/4 oz (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Snack chips (~11 chips) - 1 oz (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Saltine type crackers - 6 (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Rice cakes (4 inch) - 2
    Sandwich crackers (cheese/peanut butter) - 3
    Fortune cookies (small) - 2

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    Cereals (15g CHO)

    Bran cereal - 1/2 cup
    Granola - 1/4 cup
    Cooked cereal - 1/2 cup
    Other unsweetened dry cereals - 3/4 cup
    Sugar frosted cereal - 1/2 cup
    Puffed cereal - 1-1/2 cup

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    Soups (15g CHO)

    Rice soup - 3/4 cup
    Beef barley - 3/4 cup
    Chicken & rice/noodle - 1 cup
    Bean, lentil, chickpeas - 1/2 cup
    Cream (with milk) - 1 cup
    Minestrone - 1/2 cup
    Tomato - 1/2 cup
    Pelmini - 1/3 cup

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    Pasta/Grains (15g CHO)

    Cellophane noodles - 1/2 cup
    Sushi (California Roll) - 4 pieces
    Polenta - 1/2 cup
    Grits - 1/2 cup
    Gnocchi - 2 small
    Couscous - 1/2 cup
    Wonton - 5
    Pasta, macaroni - 1/3 cup
    Rice - 1/3 cup
    Millet, buckwheat, bulgar - 1/3 cup
    Udon - 1/3 cup
    Tortellini - 1/3 cup

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    Milk/Yogurt (13-17g CHO)

    Skim, 2%, whole, buttermilk - 1 cup
    Evaporated skim milk - 1/2 cup
    Dry milk, nonfat powder - 1/2 cup
    Yogurt (plain) - 1 cup
    Yogurt (artificially sweetened) - 1 cup
    Sweetened soy milk (with calcium) - 1 cup

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    Other Carbohydrates (15g CHO)

    Cake (no icing), 2 in. square - 1 slice
    Cookies (small) - 2
    Custard - 1/2 cup
    Doughnut (plain) - 1
    Frozen fruit yogurt (fat free) - 1/3 cup
    Energy bar (medium) - 1/2
    Ice cream/ice milk - 1/2 cup
    Fudgsicle - 1
    Fruit spread (100% fruit) - 1 Tbsp
    Gelatin (regular) - 1/2 cup
    Pudding (regular) - 1/3 cup
    Pudding (sugar-free) - 1/2 cup
    Spaghetti sauce (canned) - 1/2 cup (Read food label and check sodium content)
    Sugar/honey - 1 Tbsp


    NOTE: For canned or boxed foods, read all food labels and check sodium content.

    Note: This handout is also available in Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

    Produced by the Center for Patient and Community Education in association with the staff and physicians at California Pacific Medical Center. Last updated: 10/04


    Funded by: A generous donation from the Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Ciocca Foundation.

    Note: This information is not meant to replace any information or personal medical advice which you get directly from your doctor(s). If you have any questions about this information, such as the risks or benefits of the treatment listed, please ask your doctor(s).

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