Carb counters are essential for controlling blood sugar or following a low-carb diet. They come in book, online, or portable device form and should include common prepared foods and low-carb items on their listings. It’s important to choose one that caters to specific dietary needs.
Whether you’re trying to control your blood sugar due to diabetes concerns, or just following a low-carb diet, a carb counter is an essential tool. These diet aids provide the carbohydrate gram count for most foods. The best carb counters include information on the fiber content of foods, as well as any sugar alcohols, which can be inferred from the total carb count on many low-carb diets. Another consideration is the middle of the carb counter. There are carbohydrate counting books, portable devices, and online options, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.
Choosing the best carbohydrate counter implies discovering specific needs and uses of it. Some counters come in book form, others are available only online, and many can be opened on a portable e-reader. It is also important to consider the scope of the counter database. For those on special diets that include hard-to-find ingredients, a common counter might not include information about them. Find one that caters to that specific diet.
There are several books on the market that provide carbohydrate counts for many common and not-so-common foods. Some of these books offer complete nutrition facts about foods, including things like calorie counts, protein counts, and fat grams, plus additional nutritional information. Other books focus on carbohydrates, making them less bulky and much easier to transport. The portability of any carb counter is always an advantage when using the counter when dining out or shopping. Some of these books are now also available in eBook form.
There are several free and paid online services that can provide carbohydrate counts. Some of these services also function as food diaries. You can simply type in the foods you eat, along with the portion sizes, and the program will keep track of all the carbs you eat in a day. Other online services are strictly informational and only provide nutritional information without any record keeping service.
The drawback to online carb counters is that they are not portable, unless they are available as an app for a cell phone or other portable device. Another option is a portable food calculator. These systems provide the benefits of print and online carb counters in a small, portable device that is dedicated to tracking your nutritional intake.
When selecting a carb counter, it’s very important to check if they include common prepared foods and low-carb items on their listings. If not, make sure an online calculator or program gives you the option to add custom foods. Many dieters rely on low-carb versions of common prepared meals and snacks. These items should be counted in the dieter’s food diary, but may not automatically be included in a carb counter’s program. By allowing you to add food, the counter you choose will allow you to actually keep track of the carbs you eat.
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