Counting carbohydrates is one of the ways to manage blood sugar levels when living with diabetes. But, counting carbs in mixed dishes, such as casseroles, salads and pizza can be challenging. Looking for carb-counting tips that make sense, are simple and really work? At EatingWell, we want to make eating out a pleasant experience for you. Follow these 10 tips to count carbs and quickly calculate what you want to eat.
12 Healthy Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar
1. Count Hot Dishes by the Cup
A mix of meat and vegetables in a savory sauce, including stews and many Asian-style entrees, has around 15 grams of carbs per cup. For dishes made with pasta or grains, such as lasagna or chicken-rice casserole, estimate 30 grams of carbs per cup.
If soup is so thick and hearty that you could nearly eat it with a fork, such as chunky noodles, or if it's loaded with beans, such as chili or split-pea soup, estimate 30 grams of carbs per cup. Broth-based soups and cream soups made with water with little to no fillings average 15 grams of carbs per cup.
3. Tally Tablespoons
When a dish is served family-style, such as at an Italian restaurant or a steak house, use a tablespoon to size up servings as you put food on your plate. For example, 4 level tablespoons (1/4 cup) of baked beans add up to 15 grams of carbs, and 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) of corn also contain 15 grams of carbs.
4. Identify the Main Ingredients in Salads
If your favorite salads are higher in carbs (and creamy with lots of fat), opt for a smaller serving. Here's how common salads stack up in carbs:
Tip: Thin-crust pizza has 5-10 fewer grams of carbs per slice than regular-crust or pan pizza.
6. Limit Appetizers to One Piece
A 100-gram serving of Asian-style lettuce wrap with chicken has 5 grams of carbs, while a single Thai spring roll or Italian breadstick provides about 15 grams of carbs—not counting dipping sauces. Want an appetizer meal? The total calories and carbohydrates in an appetizer often equal (and sometimes surpass) an entree, so if you order multiple dishes, split them with friends.
7. Scan with Your Hand
An adult's hand when spread typically spans 7-8 inches from thumb to pinky finger. That's the width of a medium flour tortilla, which has 20-25 grams of carbs. Large tortillas at taco and sandwich shops, with some as much as 13 inches across, are packed with over 30 grams of carbs (and that doesn't count the filling).
8. Count Smoothies Similarly to Soda
Although chewing food is generally more satisfying (and easier on your blood sugar) than drinking it, sometimes it's hard to resist a smoothie. Typically, smoothies are made with dairy and fruit, which naturally contain carbs. If sugar is added to the smoothie, then the carb content will increase. Surprisingly or not, a 12-ounce fruit smoothie averages 38 grams of carbs, which is comparable to a 12-ounce can of regular soda, which averages 40 grams of carbs.
Tip: Split the smoothie with your friends or order the smallest size available.
9. Count a 'Bread' for Breaded Meats
"Naked" meat that's grilled or broiled is carb-free (and generally lower in fat). But if your meal includes a three-ounce breaded chicken, count 10 grams of carbs to account for it. If there is a serving of six chicken nuggets, include 15 grams of carbs. For larger breaded meats, such as country fried steak, count 30 grams of carbs.
Tip: The breading that coats the meat provides carbs.
10. Study Sandwich Standards
Although there are countless ways to build a sandwich, the bread used as the base contributes most of the carbohydrates. Follow this guide for estimating the carb counts in sandwiches made with typical savory toppings.
Breakfast meat on English muffin: 25 to 30 grams carbs
Sandwich with 2 slices of bread: 30 to 45 grams carbs
6-inch submarine sandwich: 45 to 60 grams carbs
Sandwich on a bagel: 60 to 75 grams carbs
Bottom Line
Eating mixed dishes with carbs becomes easier with these 10 tips. Visit our Diabetes Diet Center for information on meal planning, recipe ideas and more.
Carbs are measured in grams. On packaged foods, you can find total carb grams on the Nutrition Facts label. You can also check this list or use an app to find grams of carbs in foods and drinks. For diabetes meal planning, 1 carb serving is about 15 grams of carbs.
Carbs are measured in grams. On packaged foods, you can find total carb grams on the Nutrition Facts label. You can also check this list or use an app to find grams of carbs in foods and drinks. For diabetes meal planning, 1 carb serving is about 15 grams of carbs.
Actually, yes. The carbs per slice figure decreases by 5-10 carbs (per slice) if you opt for thin crust – still higher than many low-carb dieters are comfortable with.
Here's how the 5:1 rule works. Simply look at the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of dietary fibre.Divide the carbohydrates by the dietary fibre. You want a 5:1 ratio or less.
“I'd say that not eating the crust off pizza might save you about 50 to 75 calories per slice and perhaps 5 to 10 grams of carbohydrate,” explains Dana Hunnes, a clinical dietician at UCLA.
As far as how many carbohydrates to eat, Pratt says 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates is safe for most people who are trying to lose weight. It may be better for some people to eat carbs consistently throughout the day. “You can also break it up evenly with 40 to 50 grams of carbs per meal,” she says.
However, some carbs can't be broken down into individual sugars, whereas others are only partially broken down and absorbed. These include fiber and sugar alcohols. Because of this, most fiber and sugar alcohols can be subtracted from total carbs when calculating net carbs.
Pizza crust alternatives like cauliflower offer lower calories, carbs, and sodium. Chicken has zero carbs, low fat, and high protein. No matter which alternative you choose, these options are better than the high fat, excessive carbs, and soaring sodium levels in traditional pizza crusts.
Enjoying a slice of pizza alongside a large salad with a protein source like grilled chicken or salmon is a smart way to cover all of your nutrient needs and make the meal more filling. Plus, pairing a protein source to a carbohydrate helps to mitigate blood sugar spikes!
Marco's Pizza – keto pizza restaurant that's home to the pizza bowls! “I'll have the crustless pizza bowl, please.” Just like Papa Murphy's, Marco's makes it easy to keep it keto at a pizza place with their crustless pizza bowls.
Yes, even just one carb-rich meal can quickly get you out of ketosis. The carbs eaten on a cheat day will halt the production of ketones immediately until they are all metabolized by the body.
Folks who love cheese and pizza together will be relieved to know that there are many cheese types that go well with a keto diet. Here are some of the cheeses you can add to your pizza without feeling guilty: Mozzarella cheese (shredded or fresh) Pepper jack cheese.
To calculate the net carbs in whole foods, you subtract the fiber from the total number of carbs. To calculate the net carbs in processed foods, you subtract the fiber and a portion of the sugar alcohols. Whether to count net or total carbs is a controversial topic within the low-carb community.
The trick is to eat more whole carbohydrates, such as vegetables, beans, potatoes and whole grains. Eat refined carbs less frequently, including white bread, pastries, pastas, sugary soft drinks, pizza and other fast foods.
The 15-15 rule—have 15 grams of carbohydrate to raise your blood glucose and check it after 15 minutes. If it's still below 70 mg/dL, have another serving. Repeat these steps until your blood glucose is at least 70 mg/dL.
Just one large potato contains 20 grams of net carbs, the daily limit on a keto low-carb diet. As does one half of a large hamburger bun. Or half a cup of rice or pasta.
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