Hidden Carbs: If you are trying to lose weight, or just trying to consume a balanced diet, most likely you have tried to monitor your carbohydrate intake. We have all heard about and many of us have tried to eat a low carb, high protein diet. We know people that have lost lots of weight doing this, but also know that it can be a short term solution to the weight loss process since it can be difficult to maintain long term. So what is the optimal amount of carbs suggested? The American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association both recommend between 45-65 % of your calories from carbs. This may seem like a lot to you, but for someone taking in 1500 calories a day, this comes out to about 170- 245 grams/ day. So let’s take a quick look at some foods and see what’s in them, and if you are surprised by any of them.
The 2 numbers in bold are for calories and grams of carbohydrates.
1 teaspoon sugar - 15 calories, 4 grams of carbohydrates- using this as a reference so you can see how much sugar is in these following foods and drinks
Jamba Juice (Mega Mango, 22 oz) - 320, 80
Jamba Juice (Light, Berry Fulfilling, 16 oz) - 140, 29
SoBe Energize, Citrus Energy (20 oz) - 270, 67
Mott’s Apple Juice (8oz) - 120, 29
Minute Maid Orange Juice (8 oz) - 110, 27
(15.2 oz bottle) 210, 51
Nantucket Nectars Carrot Orange Mango (17.5 oz bottle) - 260, 60
Yogurt (Kirkland, lowfat 6 oz blueberry, peach, strawberry) - 180, 36
Frozen Yogurt (soft, non fat, 1/2 cup) - 100, 30
Ben and Jerry’s (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough 1/2 cup) - 270, 33
White or Whole Wheat Bread (1 oz slice) - 70, 14
Bread Crumbs (1 oz plain or seasoned) - 110, 20
Large Cinnamon Roll - 660, 102
Large Cupcake - 520, 67
Dunkin’ Donut (Chocolate Glazed Cake) - 280, 33
Jelly Beans (jelly belly, 35 beans) - 140, 37
Special K Cereal Bar - 90, 18
Nutri Grain Bars - 130, 24
Chocolate Chip Clif Bar - 240, 44
Coffee Shop Apple Danish - 450, 67
BBQ sauce (average 2 T./ 1 oz) - 40, 10
Ketchup (1 T.) - 15, 4
1 c. cubed watermelon - 45, 11
1 c. cubed grapes - 105, 28
1 small banana - 90, 23
1 medium apple- 70, 17
Marinara Sauce (average 1/2 cup) - 90, 14
Talk about hidden carbs! So what can you do to help optimize your carbohydrate intake as well as your calorie intake.
- Make every calorie count. Try not to drink your calories as they won’t fill you up this way. Drink lots of water, unsweetened ice tea, club soda, or other no calorie drinks (try to limit the sugar substitute (diet) drinks as they can make you more thirsty and crave sweets even more).
- Increase the density of your foods without the added sweets - fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans are high in fiber and nutrients your body needs. Fill up on these wholesome foods and you won’t be so hungry for sugary sweets.
- Eat lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs or egg whites, and low fat or non fat dairy like cottage cheese and yogurt to balance out your carbs. Try some of the veggie substitutes for a quick and easy part of your meal, like veggie burgers, meatless meatballs or chicken nuggets, or a bean soup or veggie chili. Try to include a small amount of protein with every meal. If you use fats, try to use the healthier ones like olive, canola, flax, or grapeseed oil, and use a spray bottle to use less. Enjoy avocado and mustard instead of mayo on sandwiches and raw nuts instead or dry roasted and salted nuts for snacks. Stay away from butter, mayo, creamy sauces and salad dressings, fried foods, and fatty cuts of meat.
- Keep moving. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s calories in vs. calories out. If you get moving you will burn more calories and increase your metabolism. Have fun doing it.
Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN
917-882-5033
Call today for a free consultation and to set up your first appointment.
Weight Loss, Diabetes Management, Heart Health,
Allergies/ Intolerances, Adults and Children
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