Reading the nutrition panel
What each line on our recipes means, and how it compares with the Nutrition Facts label on packaged food.
Serving size
Every number is for one serving, here 1/8 of the recipe. Two servings means twice the numbers.
Total carbohydrate
All the carbohydrate in a serving, fiber included, counted the way US Nutrition Facts labels count it. It's the number on every recipe card.
Fiber and sugars
Parts of the total, shown on their own lines. If your care team counts net carbs, you can subtract fiber yourself; we always show the total.
Carb portions
The total carbohydrate in units of 15 g, a unit many diabetes educators use for meal planning.
Line by line
Serving size
A recipe's serving is an equal share of the whole recipe: 1/8 of a recipe that makes 8 servings. We also describe it in kitchen terms (“3 to 4 slices”, “¾ cup”) and show it on a 9-inch plate. If you eat more or less, use Your serving on the recipe to recalculate.
Calories
Energy in one serving, in kilocalories, the unit US labels call Calories.
Total carbohydrate
Starches, sugars and fiber together. US Nutrition Facts labels count it the same way, so you can compare our recipes with packaged foods. This is the number on every recipe card and in the carb table.
Dietary fiber
Part of the total carbohydrate. Some people subtract fiber and count “net carbs”; others don't. We always show total carbohydrate and fiber separately so you can follow the method you use with your care team.
Total sugars and added sugars
Also part of the total carbohydrate. Total sugars include those naturally in fruit, milk and vegetables. Added sugars appear only when the source data reports them; a dash means the value isn't known, not that it's zero.
Carb portions
Total carbohydrate divided into units of 15 g, rounded to the nearest half. Many diabetes educators use 15 g units, sometimes called carb choices or exchanges, for meal planning.
Protein, fat and sodium
The rest of the panel, per serving, as on US labels. Sodium is in milligrams.
A dash means unknown
When an ingredient has no published value for a nutrient, we show — instead of a total. The one exception is a tiny amount (1 g or less per serving, such as a pinch of a spice), which we count as zero and list under “Where these numbers come from”, up to 2 g per serving in total. A missing carbohydrate or sodium value is never filled in.
These are estimates
Values are calculated from USDA FoodData Central for the ingredients as listed. Brands, ripeness, cooking and how you measure all change the real numbers. How we calculate.
This guide explains what the numbers mean. It isn't medical advice: how much carbohydrate is right for you is a question for your doctor, dietitian or diabetes educator.