The Nutrition Facts label is one of the most useful tools you have for managing meals with diabetes. You do not need to read every line. Start with serving size and total carbohydrate, then look at fiber and added sugars.
Key takeaways
- Every number on the label is for one serving, not the whole package.
- Total carbohydrate already includes sugar, starch and fiber, so it is the main number to track if you count carbs.
- "Sugar free" does not always mean carb free.
- Your own glucose readings are the best guide to how a food affects you.
Step 1: Check the serving size first
All the amounts on the label, including calories and carbohydrate, refer to the serving size shown at the top. The label also lists servings per container.
This is where many people get caught out. A bottle of juice or a bag of crackers can hold two or three servings. If you eat the whole thing, multiply every number on the label by the number of servings you ate.
Step 2: Look at total carbohydrate
Total carbohydrate is the number most relevant to blood glucose. It adds together sugars, starch and fiber. The American Diabetes Association advises checking the total grams of carbohydrate if you are counting carbs or making meal decisions based on them.
Many people with diabetes get a carb target for each meal from their care team or dietitian. The label helps you see how a food fits that target. If you are not sure what your target is, ask them rather than guessing.
Step 3: Find the fiber
Fiber is a carbohydrate your body does not fully digest. The FDA lists it in the "get more of" group and notes that diets high in fiber may help lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels. The Daily Value for fiber is 28 grams a day.
As a handy rule, a food labelled "high fiber" has 5 grams or more per serving, and a "good source of fiber" has 2.5 grams or more. Beans, lentils, oats, vegetables and whole grains are common high-fiber choices.
Step 4: Spot the added sugars
The line called "Sugars" includes both natural sugars (like those in milk or fruit) and added sugars. Under it you will see "Added Sugars". These are sugars put in during processing, plus syrups and honey. The FDA Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams a day.
Added sugars are worth watching because they can raise glucose quickly and often come with few other nutrients. Foods like sauces, yogurts, cereals and drinks can hide a lot of them.
Use %DV as a quick guide
The %DV column shows how much a serving adds to a typical day's needs. As a general guide from the FDA, 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high. Aim for higher %DV in fiber and lower %DV in added sugars.
Watch out for "sugar free" and sugar alcohols
Claims such as "sugar free", "reduced sugar" and "no sugar added" are not the same as carb free. A sugar-free biscuit can still be made with flour and contain plenty of carbohydrate, so always check the label.
Some products also list sugar alcohols (for example sorbitol or xylitol) under total carbohydrate. They have about half the calories of regular sugar, but some are partly digested and can still affect glucose. The ADA suggests using the total grams of carbohydrate and monitoring your glucose closely with foods high in fiber or sugar alcohols to learn how your own body responds.
A quick example
Imagine a pasta meal label shows 34 g total carbohydrate per serving and the package holds 2 servings. If you eat the whole package, you eat 68 g of carbohydrate. Seeing this before you cook helps you plan portions, add vegetables or protein, and decide whether it fits your meal target.
Make labels part of your routine
- Check the serving size and servings per container.
- Note the total carbohydrate for the amount you will actually eat.
- Look at fiber and added sugars.
- Check your glucose before and after to see how the meal worked for you, if you monitor.
Not every food has a label, such as fresh produce or restaurant meals. For those, the DiaFitus features include meal logging so you can keep a record of what you ate alongside your activity and glucose notes. DiaFitus is an educational wellness tool and is not a medical device.
This article is for general education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor, dietitian or diabetes care team about the right carbohydrate goals and medication plan for you.
