Where do you find carbohydrates?

Information for people with Diabetes

When you have diabetes you need to remember to eat starchy carbohydrate foods as part of each meal. This is important to  give you energy and to keep your blood sugars balanced.

You will find that there are different types of carbohydrate. Starchy carbohydrates are the most important ones. Here are some examples:

• Bread and bread products
  • all types, rolls, bagels, crumpets, tea cakes and fruit breads, chapatti, naan bread, poppadoms, pitta bread, pizza bases, French bread, garlic bread, tortilla wraps, breadcrumbs
• All cereals and grains
  • flour and flour products  oats, barley, corn, cous cous, semolina
• Breakfast cereals
  • all varieties of non-sugar and non chocolate coated breakfast cereals, e.g. porridge, weetabix, shredded wheat
• Potatoes and potato products
  • all varieties, including boiled, mash, jacket, waffles, croquettes, chips, roast, sweet
• All varieties of rice, pasta and noodles
• Plain biscuits & buns
  • scones, malt loaf, fruit buns, scotch pancakes
• Crackers, crisp breads, rice cakes, oatcakes, bread sticks
• Beans and lentils

Other places you will find Carbohydrate:

• Fruit and fruit juice
• Milk and yoghurts
• Puddings and other treats including:
  • custard, rice pudding, popcorn, chocolate, sweets, cake, ice-cream, chocolate and sugar coated cereal. These should be limited and consumed alongside a meal.

Carbohydrate is not found in:

• Vegetables
• Fats: oils, butter, margarine
• Protein foods: plain meat, plain fish, eggs and cheese.

If you need this information in another language or format, please e-mail:

Translation.Services@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk