DIFFERENT SERVINGS · APPROXIMATELY THE SAME CARBS
What 20 g of carbohydrate looks like
Each plate is ONE alternative providing about 20 g of total carbohydrate. You do not need to eat them all. Look at the photo and household measure below.
Cooked white rice
about 7 level tablespoons
20 gof total carbohydrate
Cooked brown rice
about 6 level tablespoons
20 gof total carbohydrate
Whole-wheat bread
about 1½ slices
20 gof total carbohydrate
Medium slices like those shown. Check the label: size and carbohydrate content vary by bread.
Boiled peeled potato
about ⅔ cup, diced
20 gof total carbohydrate
Baked peeled sweet potato
about ½ cup of flesh
20 gof total carbohydrate
Cooked cassava (yuca)
about ⅓ cup, in pieces
20 gof total carbohydrate
Variety and cooking change the amount. Do not apply this serving to every starchy root.
Boiled sliced carrots
about 1½ slightly heaped cups
20 gof total carbohydrate
It takes a much larger serving than rice to reach about 20 g carbohydrate.
Black beans, drained
about ½ cup
20 gof total carbohydrate
Cooked quinoa
about ½ cup
20 gof total carbohydrate
Approximate measures: use a 240 ml measuring cup and 15 ml tablespoons, not variable-size cups or spoons. AI-generated illustrative photos. Variety, size and preparation change the amount.
See weights, fiber and net carbohydrates
| Prepared food | Edible weight | Approximate household measure | Total carbs | Fiber | Net carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked white rice | 71 g | about 7 level tablespoons | 20 g | 0.3 g | 19.7 g |
| Cooked brown rice | 78 g | about 6 level tablespoons | 20 g | 1.2 g | 18.7 g |
| Whole-wheat bread | 47 g | about 1½ slices | 20.1 g | 2.8 g | 17.3 g |
| Boiled peeled potato | 100 g | about ⅔ cup, diced | 20 g | 1.8 g | 18.2 g |
| Baked peeled sweet potato | 97 g | about ½ cup of flesh | 20.1 g | 3.2 g | 16.9 g |
| Cooked cassava (yuca) | 50 g | about ⅓ cup, in pieces | 19.8 g | 0.9 g | 18.9 g |
| Boiled sliced carrots | 243 g | about 1½ slightly heaped cups | 20 g | 7.3 g | 12.7 g |
| Black beans, drained | 84 g | about ½ cup | 19.9 g | 7.3 g | 12.6 g |
| Cooked quinoa | 94 g | about ½ cup | 20 g | 2.6 g | 17.4 g |
The weight here is the food’s weight, not the weight of its carbohydrates. Net carbs = total carbs − fiber.
Measures refer to food ready to eat: rice, starchy roots, carrots and quinoa already cooked; beans drained; bread as served. Count sauces, oils and other additions separately. These servings can raise glucose; starch or fiber does not guarantee a low glycemic index.
Or pair it with a salad
These salads are sides and do not require another serving of meat or fish. They do not automatically provide 20 g carbohydrate: each shows its own calculation. Use one alongside your protein or combine it with one of these portions if your plan allows.
Crunchy green salad
For 1 side; weights before mixing.
50 g of romaine lettuce
60 g of cucumber
40 g of tomato
5 g of olive oil
Wash vegetables as needed, cut and mix with the measured dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate at 4 °C / 40 °F or below.
≈ 69 kcal · 5.4 g total carbs · 1.8 g fiber · 3.5 g net carbs
Cabbage and avocado
For 1 side; weights before mixing.
70 g of cabbage
40 g of avocado
5 g of lemon juice- 5 g of olive oil
Wash vegetables as needed, cut and mix with the measured dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate at 4 °C / 40 °F or below.
≈ 127 kcal · 7.8 g total carbs · 4.4 g fiber · 3.4 g net carbs
Spinach, cucumber and feta
For 1 side; weights before mixing.
40 g of spinach- 60 g of cucumber
20 g of pasteurized feta- 5 g of olive oil
Wash vegetables as needed, cut and mix with the measured dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate at 4 °C / 40 °F or below.
≈ 115 kcal · 4.4 g total carbs · 1.2 g fiber · 3.2 g net carbs
Allergen: milk.
Measure oil and count dressing. Corn, croutons, fruit, honey and sweet sauces change carbohydrate content.
How it fits your plan
Adding vegetables, legumes or grains makes the adapted plate no longer strictly carnivore. If following this website’s strict keto approach (maximum 20 g net carbs per day), add the carbohydrates from the recipe, the side and the rest of your day. A 20 g total-carb portion is not the same as 20 g net carbs and is not an instruction to add it to every meal.
The main recipe’s values do not include these sides. With diabetes or kidney disease, the amount, food type and medications should be reviewed in your medical assessment; potassium, phosphorus, protein and fluid needs vary. Do not use these comparisons to adjust insulin on your own.
References and calculation
Generic USDA FoodData Central values (SR Legacy and FNDDS for cassava). Portions were calculated to approximate 20 g total carbohydrate, then expressed as household measures. Salads use the same ingredient references as La Mesa.
- USDA · Cooked white rice · 168878 ↗
- USDA · Cooked brown rice · 169704 ↗
- USDA · Whole-wheat bread · 172688 ↗
- USDA · Boiled peeled potato · 170440 ↗
- USDA · Baked peeled sweet potato · 168483 ↗
- USDA · Cooked cassava (yuca) · 2345064 ↗
- USDA · Boiled sliced carrots · 170394 ↗
- USDA · Black beans, drained · 173735 ↗
- USDA · Cooked quinoa · 168917 ↗
- CDC · Carbohydrate counting ↗
