There are two levels of carbohydrate counting. At the basic level, individuals must eat a consistent amount of carbohydrates at meals. It is useful to understand the effect of food and medication and to identify normal portion sizes, considering that one serving is equal to 15g of carbohydrates. The advanced level includes pattern management and understanding how to use insulin-to-carbohydrate ratios. Carbohydrate counting requires the ability to determine the amount of carbohydrates in each food, and it may promote weight gain when patients don't pay attention to their food choices (10, 12).