It’s lunchtime. You’re starving. You’re sitting in front of a burger and fries and you can’t wait to dig in, but how do you estimate how many carbs and calories you’re about to eat? This is one of the most common questions we’re asked. In this latest food challenge, Drs. E+P try to guess the carbs and calories in six mystery meals. The bottom like? Counting carbs is HARD, but Drs. E+P offer helpful tips along the way. Play along and see how you do!
Check out Dr. E + Dr. P’s other challenges!
You can easily google carb counts and if you tend to eat the same foods it’s not too difficult to remember them. Not counting carbs is a crap shoot when dosing insulin.
Agreed. Much easier to bolus for ‘regular’ repeated, home prepared foods.
Eating out is much more challenging as often the ingredients are invisible, so much more likely to get it wrong. It is a crapshoot. It’s important to recognise the limitations of the tool. Difficult to do and we don’t want to set people up for failure.
Exactly – we just have to do the best we can.
Love how you used real foods for this guessing game. Very instructive! Thanks for posting.
Thanks Janet!
Dr P you look like the Easter bunny -Y=ears!
Thanks good to know others have the same issues with carb counting….I love subs but don’t get them because who can eat only one half? You guys are the best!
Haha! Yeah the self-control is a challenge!
Do you discuss ( anywhere) how to use fat/protein to add insulin beyond the carb counting?
Hi Michelle,
Yes, we have a few videos on that topic here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eekRfKvL8k&t=188s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu53qxFzLfo&t=14s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxYz8x_yoP4&t=8s
Counting fats and protein is very much a challenge. Carbs are easier . Thanks for the info and the reality.
You guys are awesome. I love how you share how difficult it is, even for you doctors to carb count.
It’s almost always a crapshoot! 🙂
Agree on the importance of counting carbs, but would clarify the statements made @ 1:15. Carbs and protein have the same amount of calories per gram (4 calories/gram), and fat is the most calorically dense of the 3 macronutrients (9 calories/gram). So I would not want people to think that lower carb necessarily means lower calorie. (The science of calories and how the body metabolizes and extracts calories from various foods is a whole other can of worms).
Totally agree that carbs have the highest amount of calories, and I actually said that. Carbs are calories, and that’s why people with type 2 need to watch their carbs, even if they’re not on insulin. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for another creative and informative video! …but how can you possibly have had an order of fries right in front of you and not touched it. Must have been staged.
Haha! There was sampling after filming!
Is there an good app for carb counting?
Our nutritionist likes MyFitness Pal and CalorieKing, but there are a lot of apps out there you can explore to see which one you prefer.