How to Portion Your Food to Get 30 Grams of Carbohydrates

Last Updated: February 20, 2025

Are you struggling to figure out how much food you need to get 30 grams of carbohydrates? Whether you’re gearing up for a workout or recovering afterwards, knowing the right carbohydrate portions is key to fuelling your body effectively.

This post will cover everything you need about portioning your food to hit that 30-gram target. By the end, you’ll understand how many carbohydrates are in your food or how to portion your food to meet the carbohydrate requirement, helping you properly fuel your workouts and recovery.

What are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are macronutrients (along with protein and fat), that are needed in larger amounts than micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. They supply energy to your muscles and brain.

When you eat food, carbohydrates present in food are converted into glucose. When glucose levels in your blood exceed energy demands, glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles. This stored glycogen is later broken down into glucose in the liver and used by muscles during exercise to provide energy.

How many types of Carbohydrates are there?

Carbohydrates are basically of two types: simple and complex.

• Simple Carbohydrates: When you eat simple carbohydrates like sugar, glucose, and fruits, they get digested quickly and give you energy rapidly.
• Complex Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates found in whole grains (oats and quinoa), vegetables (sweet potato and corn), and legumes (beans and pulses) are digested slowly and provide you consistent energy over a longer period.

Why do you need carbohydrates?

Your body gets energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fats in the diet. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel during intense exercise. However, this storage is limited, and when it runs out, fatigue sets in, often forcing you to stop.

When consumed in the right amounts and at the optimal times, carbohydrates can boost performance and fasten recovery, making them a vital macronutrient.

How much carbohydrates do you need?

The daily carbohydrate requirement varies based on exercise intensity and duration. As exercise intensity increases, the amount of carbohydrates needed also increases. The goal is to consume enough carbohydrates to fuel the muscles, support the central nervous system, and sustain other vital bodily functions.

How Much Food Equals 30 Grams of Carbohydrates?

To ensure you’re getting the correct amount of carbohydrates, it is important to know which foods contain carbohydrates and how much to consume to hit your target of 30 grams. Let’s look at some carbohydrate-containing foods and how much of these foods equals 30 grams of carbohydrates. These quantities provide a practical starting point to gauge your carbohydrate intake.

Portion Size Of Foods Containing 30 Grams Of Carbohydrates

Food	Portion Size (g/ oz)	Portion Size
Grains & pasta
Chapati (small)	Each chapati of 33 g/ 1.2 oz	2 no.
Rice (cooked)		1 cup
Bread	Each slice of 27 g/ 0.95 oz	2 slices
Bread with jam		1 bread slice with 2 t jam
Suji upma		1 cup
Seviyan upma		1 cup
Poha		¾ cup
Ragi balls or mudde	Each mudde of 122 g/ 4.3 oz	1 no.
Pasta		¾ cup
Breakfast & Snacks
Dosa	Each dosa of 44 g/ 1.55 oz	1 ¼ no.
Dosa with masala		1 dosa with ¼ cup masala
Uttapam (medium)	Each uttapam of 94 g/ 3.3 oz	1 no.
Idli (medium)	Each idli of 40 g/ 1.4 oz	2 ½ no.
Cheela (medium)	Each cheela of 40 g/ 1.4 oz	2 no.
Dhokla	Each dhokla of 55 g/ 1.9 oz	2 no.
Pancake	Each pancake of 55 g/ 1.9 oz	1 no.
Breakfast cereals & porridge
Oatmeal		½ cup (½ cup milk, 2 T oats, 1 t sugar)
Cornflakes		½ cup (½ cup milk, 3 T cornflakes, 1 t sugar)
Muesli		½ cup (½ cup milk, 4 T muesli,  t sugar)
Ragi malt		1 cup
Pulses & Legumes
Dal		1 ½ cup
Legumes(rajma, chole, kala chana)		2/3 cup
Dairy & Beverages
Milk	360 ml	1 ½ cup
Curd	360 g/ 12.7 oz	1 ½ cup
Banana milkshake		1 cup (¾ cup milk, ½ banana, 1 t sugar)
Mango milkshake		1 cup (¾ cup milk, 1 mango, 1 t sugar)
Dried fruits
Dates (fresh)	45 g/ 1.6 oz	3 no.
Dates (dried)	40 g/ 1.4 oz	5 no.
Raisins with dates (fresh)		20 raisins with 2 dates
Starchy vegetables
Potato (small, boiled)	200 g/ 7.1 oz	2 no.
Sweet potato (medium, boiled)	130 g/ 4.6 oz	1 no.
Sweet corn (boiled)	180 g/ 6.3 oz	1 heaped cup
Fruits
Banana (medium)	130 g/ 4.6 oz	1 ¼ no.
Apple (large)	230 g/ 8.1 oz	1 ¼ no.
Plums	250 g/ 8.8 oz	5 no.
Mango	300 g/ 10.6 oz pulp	3 no.
Orange (medium)	390 g/ 13.8 oz	4 no.
Pomegranate	260 g/ 9.2 oz pearls	1 ½ cups
Custard apple	150 g/ 5.3 oz pulp	3 no.
Litchi	260 g/ 9.2 oz	20 no.
Pineapple	320 g/ 11.3 oz	9 roundels
Sapota	220 g/ 7.8 oz	4 ½ no.
Pear (medium)	380 g/ 13.4 oz	4 no.
Jamun	290 g/ 10.2 oz	40 no.
Grapes (green, round)	260 g/ 9.2 oz	1 ¼ cup
Cherries	260 g/ 9.2 oz	50 no.
Packaged & baked foods
Glucose biscuits	40 g/ 1.4 oz	8 no.
Chocolate-filled cookies	48 g/ 1.7 oz	4 no.
Ice cream	80 g/ 2.8 oz	2 scoops/ 1 small cup
Dark chocolate	Each piece of 10 g/ 0.4 oz	5 pieces
Fruit juice (packed)	220 ml	1 small bottle
Cake slice	Each piece of 10 g/ 0.4 oz	6 pieces
Doughnut		1 no.
Cake	70 g/ 2.5 oz	1 small piece
Muffin (small)	Each muffin of 30 g/ 1.05 oz	2 no.
Sugars
Jam	40 g/ 1.4 oz	4 t
Honey	40 g/ 1.4 oz	4 t
Jaggery powder	36 g/ 1.3 oz	4 ½ T
Sports food
Fruit jelly	Each jelly of 2.7 g/ 0.09 oz	13 no.
Energy bar	Each bar of 38 g/ 1.3 oz	1 ½ no.
Energy gel	Each sachet of 30 g/ 1.05 oz	1 ½ sachet
Energy drink	280 ml	1 small bottle
Electrolyte water (Isotonic)	Each glass of 250 ml	2 glasses (500 ml water, 2 packs of Electral; each pack of 21.8 g/ 0.8 oz)

Some pointers

• Food portion sizes are approximate. It is completely okay if you eat a little less or more.
• The weight of fruits and other foods listed in the table refers to the edible portion.
• The portion sizes for some foods (like fruits, baked, and packaged foods) mentioned in the table are not required to be consumed in one day. Always aim for a balanced diet.
• When choosing a portion size for baked and packaged foods or white sauce pasta, consider the fat content as well, not just the carbohydrates.
• Remember that store-bought juices have added sugars and a minimal amount of fruit. Always choose fresh over packaged.
• Pay attention to the caffeine levels in energy drinks and gels.
• Keep in mind that energy bars often have supplements.
• The cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons mentioned in the table are measured level, not heaping.

images of measured Portions of food

infographic of portion size of foods containing 30 grams of carbohydrates

Portioning Tips & Tools

It must be overwhelming for you to portion your food accurately while juggling training and busy schedules. However, with a few simple tools and tips, you can easily measure the amount of food you need to get 30 grams or more of carbohydrates for each meal or snack depending on the requirement.

1. Use a Food Scale

One of the most accurate ways to portion your food is by using a food scale. This will help you determine the exact weight of your portions, especially for fruits and vegetables.

2. Measuring Cups and spoons

Measuring cups and spoons can be a helpful tool to estimate portion sizes. For example, 1 cup of cooked rice typically provides 30 grams of carbs. Using standardized measuring cups and spoons allows quick and accurate portioning, particularly when you’re in a rush.

3. Smart Label Reading

Nutrition labels can also be a great resource to know how many grams of carbohydrates are there in one serving of packaged food. Simply check the serving size and look at the carbohydrate content per serving or you can calculate the carbohydrate content as shown in the example. Many packaged foods have clear nutritional information that makes it easy to calculate how many grams of carbohydrates are in a serving.

Example of how to calculate the carbohydrate content in one serving of food

How to alter the carbohydrate content of meals when the requirement is more?

By now, you should have an idea of how much food is required to reach 30 grams of carbohydrates. But you may be wondering how you can alter the carbohydrate content of your meal when you need more than 30 grams.

Let me walk you through the process, step by step.

1. Choose a carbohydrate-containing food

To adjust the carbohydrate content of a meal to meet your daily requirement, start by choosing carbohydrate-containing foods. Refer to the table for a list of sources.

2. Check the portion size of foods

Understanding the right portion sizes helps you plan your meals quickly. Check out the table or infographics to easily find the portion sizes for different carbohydrate-containing foods.

3. Write down the portion size and carbohydrate content for each food item

Note the portion size and carbohydrate content of each food you choose.

4. Sum up the carbohydrate contents

To calculate the total carbohydrates in your meal, simply add up the carbohydrate content of each food item you include.

5. Check if the total amount meets the requirement

Once you’ve added everything up, you might find that the total carbohydrate content is either above or below your requirement. No need to worry—just adjust the portion sizes (increase or decrease) accordingly. It’s that simple, right?

Example of how to alter the carbohydrate content of meals

Let’s say you need to consume 100 grams of carbohydrates for breakfast. What will you do first?

You decide on a breakfast that includes poha, oatmeal, and pineapple. Now, it’s time to check the portion sizes for each food item in the table or infographic. Upon review, you find 3/4 cup of poha, 9 roundels of pineapple, and 1/2 cup of oatmeal, each containing 30 grams of carbohydrates.

Let’s break it down how to adjust the portion sizes:

• If 3/4 cup of poha contains 30 grams of carbohydrates, then 1 ½ cups of poha would give you 60 grams of carbohydrates.
• Similarly, if 9 roundels of pineapple provide 30 grams of carbohydrates, 3 roundels would give you 10 grams.
• Lastly, 1/2 cup of oatmeal contains 30 grams of carbohydrates.

Now, simply add up the carbohydrate content of all the foods you’ve chosen, and you’ll have the total amount your meal gives.

Total amount of carbohydrates= 60 g (1 ½ cup poha) + 30 g (1/2 cup oatmeal) + 10 g (3 roundels of pineapple)

= 100 g

Woohoo! You met the requirements👏 .

Your breakfast is all set and ready to fuel your day💪.

Final thoughts

Getting the right amount of carbohydrates does not have to be complicated! By now, you know how to portion your food to hit that 30-gram goal and how to adjust it when the requirement is more. Whether you’re grabbing a snack or planning a meal, these simple tips will help keep you energized and ready to tackle your next workout. Don’t sweat it—just keep things simple and stay consistent.

References

1. Gopalan, C., Rama Sastri, B.V., Balasubramanian, S.C. (2018). Nutritive value of Indian foods. National Institute of Nutrition.
2. Longvah, T., Ananthan, R., Bhaskarachary, K., Venkaiah, K. (2017). Longvah, T. (Ed). Indian food composition tables. National Institute of Nutrition.
3. Sport and exercise nutrition. (2011). Lanham-New, S., Stear, S., Shireffs, S., & Collins, A. (Eds.). The Nutrition Society Textbook Series. Wiley-Blackwell.
4. Stein, K., Baker, L., Rollo, I., & Bailey, S. The female athlete: Sports nutrition and hydration resources for practitioners. Gatorade Sports Science Institute. (pp. 4-9).

Time to wrap up

Next time you’re serving your meal, give these tips a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below.