Following easy carb counting tips can help you stay on target with your diet. Limiting the number of carbs you eat per day and keeping consumption consistent can help you keep your blood sugar levels from spiking.
Understanding Carbs
Foods contain both simple and complex carbs and within both categories there are healthy options and ones that are best to limit or avoid. Simple carbs like fruit, vegetables and low-fat milk products are okay, but sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey and items filled with added sugar like candy and sodas should be avoided. When carb counting, go for healthy complex carbs like whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans and lentils, not refined starches like white rice, white bread or other items made from white flour.
Reading Labels
Food labels list the amount of carbohydrates in each serving and can help your carb counting efforts. However, if foods contain less than 1 gram of carbohydrates, food manufacturers can list the total carbs per serving as 0. At the beginning of a low carb diet, you probably are trying to stick to 20 grams or less per day. But as you progress through the diet and look to continue carb counting as a part of a healthy lifestyle you may anywhere from 25 grams per day if you have a low metabolism to 90 per day if you exercise daily. Remember, the label lists the grams of carbs per serving, so if you have more than one serving you'll be eating a larger number of carbs.
A Serving of Carbs
If you are going to stick to carb counting, you should learn what one serving or 15 grams of carbs looks like. Here are a few examples:
 | When you follow low carb diet plans, you limit the amount and kind of carbohydrates you eat, while increasing your consumption of protein and fat. |
 | If you keep a list of low carb foods handy, you'll be able to satisfy hunger pangs with smart food choices. |
 | Low carb vegetables will help to fill you up without throwing your blood sugar levels out of whack. |
Eating plans like South Beach and the Ab Diet can help you lose weight, improve your cardiovascular health and ward off health conditions like diabetes. |
Many people curious about starting a low carb diet wonder if there are side effects they need to be aware of before getting started. Many also wonder if there are harmful low carb diet side effects too, so let's look at the most common side effects of low carb dieting, and talk about whether any of these are harmful. |
