A close examination of Carbsnap data shows that people are fairly accurate at estimating carb counts for pasta and noodles. We first see this by looking at the average error patients make in pictures of a pasta dish, shown in the following graph. We can see that for at least 50% of the pasta pictures, the average error that patients make is between -2 and 1.5 grams of carbs. The absolute average error is about 15 grams. This means that on average, for all the pasta pictures, patients are 15 grams off.
As usual, we will demonstrate this with a few example pictures.
Note how aligned the dietitians and patients ratings are in these graphs, suggesting that patients are accurate at counting carbs for these pictures (or at least as accurate as dietitians). Pasta dishes are generally high in carbohydrates, with the pictures in Carbsnap averaging about 59 grams. It makes sense that patients learn quickly to estimate these pictures accurately since large errors could lead to dangerous situations.
Keep using Carbsnap
Don't forget, these Insights are only as good as the data we receive from Carbsnap usage. So, please continue using the platform and advocate its merits to anyone you believe could benefit from honing their carbohydrate counting skills.
Box Plots
These statistics are available in the form of a box plot, showing the selected carbohydrate counts by dietitians and patients. Remember that at least 50 percent of the data points falls within the box in a box plot. For instance, in the first pasta figure above, at least 50% of dietitians picked a range between 47 and 63 grams, while at least 50% of patients picked 50 to 65 grams (with a median of 54). A more thorough guide on interpreting box plots can be found here.