Curing mixed dish malady: Easy ways to count carbs
Eating the right amount of carbohydrates gives your body the energy and nutrition it needs. But too many carbs can lead to high blood glucose, making your diabetes go out of control.
Counting carbohydrates can be easy when there are a few ingredients to factor in. But what do you do when you're craving a meal with many different ingredients?
"Mixed dishes like soups, stews and casseroles pose a challenge to even the best carbohydrate counters," says Cara Walcheck, registered dietitian with Allina Medical Clinic – Diabetes Education. "But don't give up. An estimated guess is better than no guess, and will help you keep your blood sugars in good control."
Walcheck offers some quick and easy ways to count carbohydrates in mixed dishes.
Visually break down portions.
When you look at your meal, identify its main carbohydrate sources.
"Do you mostly see noodles, rice, corn, peas or potatoes on your plate? Does that bowl of chili or soup have a lot of kidney, navy, garbanzo or black beans?" asks Walcheck, who encourages her patients to memorize these rules for portion sizes:
- 1/2 cup of corn, peas, beans and potatoes equals 15 grams of carbohydrate (1 carb choice)
- 1/3 cup of noodles and rice equals 15 grams of carbohydrate (1 carb choice)
- 1/2 cup cooked non-starchy vegetable (onions, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, etc.) equals 5 grams of carbohydrate (nearly ½ carb choice)
To develop an eye for portion sizes, try this:
- Take modeling clay and mold it into different sized measuring cups. Let the clay harden.
- Keep the hardened clay portion next to the dinner table as a visual reference.
"You can put a mold on your plate to see how much space, for example, a ½ cup portion takes," says Walcheck.
Consider the sauce.
"Sauces can add a surprising amount of carbohydrate," says Walcheck.
For example, ¼ cup of white sauce or red (Marinara) sauce adds about 5 grams of carbohydrate to any pasta dish.
Sauces used in Asian dishes also have a high carb count. "Even the hot sauces contain a lot of added sugar," says Walcheck.
Beware of added sugars in restaurant food.
Restaurant menu items often have hidden sugars, making their carb count higher than expected.
- Sticky rice at Asian restaurants can have up to 75 grams of carbohydrate per cup.
- A 16-ounce mocha at your local coffee shop may have 35 to 40 grams.
"When deciding on an entrée, don't hesitate to ask if there is any added sugar," says Walcheck. "Many restaurants have nutrition information online, so you can check out the amount of carbohydrate in your favorite dish before you leave the house."
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Food and diabetes: Healthy eating Allina Medical Clinic - Diabetes Education Diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism specialists
Source: Cara Walcheck, registered dietitian, Allina Medical Clinic - Diabetes Education
First published: 10/02/2008
Last updated: 10/02/2008
Reviewed by: Mary Frederick, RN, MS, CDE, diabetes program manager, Allina Medical Clinic
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