| If you have diabetes, you have a puzzle to solve every day. When you eat, your blood glucose level goes up. To lower your blood glucose levels, you exercise and you may use diabetes pills or insulin. Then you eat again, and the cycle repeats. But you eat all kinds of food and your blood glucose does not always go up to the same level. Do you have to eat the same foods day after day? Is there a way to predict what your blood glucose is going to do after you have eaten? Yes, there is a way. The key is that the type of food and the amount of food that you eat determine how high and how fast your blood glucose level goes up. Carbohydrate in food affects your blood glucose the most. So, if you know how many carbohydrates you are eating, then you know where your blood glucose level is going. This is why you plan the foods you will eat.
Goals
Your goals for meal planning are the same whether you have type I or type II diabetes:
- The best blood glucose control possible. With normal blood glucose, you will feel better. Plus you lower your chances of getting eye or kidney disease.
Blood fats (cholesterol, triglycerides) in normal ranges. You lower your risk of getting heart disease.
- The proper amount of calories. Based on your age, sex, level of physical activity, and the amount of food that you usually eat, the proper amount of calories will help you maintain, gain or lose weight.
- All of the nutrients that you need. Healthy meals include foods that contain carbohydrate, protein, and fat. For this meal planning system, carbohydrate is most important. If you have type I diabetes, you focus on eating the same amount of carbohydrate at the same meal each day. If you have type II diabetes, you focus on the types of food (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) that you eat, the size of the portions and you eat, and how often you eat during the day. When you use carbohydrate counting, you will need to keep records of the foods you eat to help figure the amount of carbohydrate you are eating. Also, you will need to test your blood glucose levels every day. This is the only way to know wether your plan is working. Your blood glucose tests tell you when and where changes are needed. Ask your health-care team for help in choosing a blood glucose (BG) meter and timing your testing. A team of diabetes experts- your doctor, nurse dietitian, mental health professional, and an exercise specialist- can help you with the pieces to your diabetes puzzle- food, exercise, and medication.
What does it take to learn Level 1 Carbohydrate Counting?
The amount of time you spend learning Carbohydrate Counting will depend quite a bit on how much time and effort you put into it. Usually, to learn basics you would see a registered dietitian (RD) 2 or 3 times for 45 to 90 minutes each time. The visits should be spread out over several months. Keeping clear, accurate food and BG records and bringing them to the visits will speed up the process and help you get the most out of each visit. (A sample daily record for listing food, medication, BG, carbohydrate eaten, and physical activity is located at the back of this booklet.) If you are trying to lose or gain weight, become or are pregnant or breast-feeding, or are the parent of a child with diabetes, you will need nutrition follow up more often to help meet your needs.
What about Sugar?
You can eat sweets and sugar, if you count the carbohydrate they contain. The problem is that sugar and sweets do not contain vitamins or minerals, and they do have a lot of calories, even in small servings.
Where do you get carbohydrate information?
The Nutrition Facts panel on the food label is the best way to get carbohydrate information, but not all foods have labels. Your local bookstore and library have books that list the carbohydrate in restaurant foods, fast foods, convenience foods, and fresh foods. These books list the amount of carbohydrate in one serving of each food. You will still need to weigh or measure the amount you're going to eat and then figure the total grams of carbohydrate in your portion.
How do you know how much carbohydrate to eat?
Your dietitian can help you figure out how much you need at meals and snacks. About half the calories you eat should come from carbohydrate.
When should you eat carbohydrate?
First, you and your dietician decide how much carbohydrate you should eat each day. The key, then, is to space your carbohydrate foods out over the day. You should have some carbohydrate foods in each meal and in any snacks. Even if you do not take insulin or diabetes pills, spacing carbohydrate makes it easier for your body's insulin to work on the glucose that comes from the food you eat. If you do take pills or insulin, eating the same amounts of carbohydrate each day, spaced throughout the day, makes controlling your blood glucose easier. You'll know when your blood glucose levels are going to rise and by how much. It makes sense that if you have a small bowl of cereal at breakfast one day and a large bowl of the same cereal the next day, your blood glucose level will go higher on the second day. But when you eat the same amount of carbohydrate each day, you can then focus on getting the correct dose of insulin or diabetes pills to deal with the rise you expect to see in your blood glucose level.
What about protein and fat?
Protein and fat don't raise your blood glucose level as high as carbohydrate does. That's why you don't actually have to count them. But there are more calories in foods that contain fat than in most carbohydrate foods. Don't eat too much protein and fat or you may gain weight.
How do you know how much protein and fat to eat?
Most people eat more protein and fat than the need. Too much fat increases you risk of heart disease, cancer and weight gain. Your dietitian can help you figure out the right amount of protein and fat for you. It's important for you to know that many foods contain a mixture of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. These foods have been highlighted in the protein and fat lists below. These foods will make your blood glucose go up the same way other carbohydrate-containing foods do.
Protein foods.
Here is a list of foods that contain protein.
*Foods that also contain carbohydrate.
Meat Nuts Milk Eggs
Poultry Seeds Yogurt Peanut butter
Fish Dried beans Cheese Peas
Why count carbohydrate?
Carbohydrate makes your blood glucose level go up. If you know ow much carbohydrate you've eaten, you have a good idea what your blood glucose level is going to do. Eating only small amounts of carbohydrate will make your blood glucose go up. Eating large amounts of carbohydrate will make your blood glucose go up even more. For example, 2 slices of bread will make your blood glucose go higher than 1, and 3 slices of bread will make it go higher than 2 slices.
What foods contain carbohydrate?
Carbohydrate is found in starches and sugars. (Sugars may be added to or be naturally present in food.) These foods contain carbohydrate:
- breads, crackers, and cereals
- pasta, grain, and rice
- vegetables
- milk and yogurt
- fruit and juice
- table sugar, honey, syrup, and molasses
Many foods contain both carbohydrate and fat, including sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, candy, ice cream, and chocolate, and snack foods, such as chips and crackers. Some combination foods contain all three- carbohydrate, protein, and fat- such as pizza, casseroles, stews, and soups.
Meal planning tips for eating protein. Choose Select or choice grade of meat, poultry, or fish. Select grades of meat that are the leanest. Choice grades contain more fat.
Examples of leaner protein foods are:
lean beef, such as loin, round, or extra lean ground,
lean pork, such as loin, leg, chop, or ham,
lean lamb.
fresh or frozen, skinless, unbreaded chicken, turkey, or fish,
water packed fish or poultry
packaged meats with 3 grams fat or less per serving,
reduced-fat or skim milk cheeses with 5 grams fat or less per serving.
Fat foods.
Here is a list of foods containing fat. * Foods that also contain carbohydrate.
Butter
*Salad Dressing Shortening
Margarine Bacon High-Fat Meats
Oils Cream Cheese Cheese
Mayonnaise Nuts Seeds
Sour Cream Whole milk Ice cream
Fried Foods Breaded fish and poultry (with skin on)
*Salad dressings can contain carbohydrate. Check food labels.
Meal planning tips to eat less fat.
1. Use fat in very small amounts.
2. Use more polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats, such as oil, and fewer saturated fats (those in meat and dairy products)
3. Avoid palm kernel and coconut oil.
4. Try low-fat, reduced-fat, or fat-free products.
How do you count carbohydrate?
Carbohydrate is measured in grams (g). A gram is a unit of weight in the metric system. One ounce (oz) is about 30 grams (30g). But don't confuse this with the gram weight of the food. A food may weigh 220g but contain only 15g of carbohydrate.
How do food labels help you?
The Nutrition Facts panel tells you how much carbohydrate is in one serving. You will need to weigh or measure your serving to see whether it is the same size as the serving listed on the package. If it isn't, figure out how much more or less carbohydrate you're eating.
Lets look at a nutrition facts panel.
The parts you need to count carbohydrate are highlighted.
Look at the serving size on the bread label. One serving is one slice. If you make a sandwich with 2 slices of bread, you are having 2 times the amount of carbohydrate on the label.
2 servings x 15g carbohydrate = 30 g carbohydrate
What about exchanges?
The Exchange Lists for Meal Planning is a good reference for learning how to count carbohydrates. In the Exchange Lists, food groups are based on the grams of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in a serving of a food The table below shows how much carbohydrate, protein, and fat is in one serving of each group.
When counting carbohydrates using exchanges, you can round up or down to make your calculations easier:
1 carbohydrate choice = 15 grams carbohydrate
1 carbohydrate choice = 1 starch exchange (15 g)
or 1 fruit exchange (15 g)
or 1 milk exchange (12 g)
The food lists for you to use in the back of this guide are from the Exchange lists for Meal Planning.
Are there any "free" foods?
A free food is any food or drink that contains less than 20 calories and 5 grams or less carbohydrate per serving. These foods do not need to be counted. You may have several servings in a day but spread them out over the day. Check the label to make sure there are less than 5 grams (g) of carbohydrate in the serving you plan to eat. If your serving of a food contains more than 5 g of carbohydrate, count it in your meal plan. Some foods contain small amounts of carbohydrate, such as non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Count these only if you eat a large amount (more than 5 g ) at one time.
For example, 1 1/2 cups of non-starchy vegetables contain the same amount of carbohydrate (15g) as 1/2 cup of starchy vegetables (15g). Remember to include vegetables in your meal plan every day. Check the free foods list in the back of this booklet for foods that contain 5 grams carbohydrate or less, and won't raise your blood glucose level.
How do you know what size portions to eat?
You have to weigh or measure your portions to know how much carbohydrate is in a serving. You will need measuring cups and spoons and a food scale that is easy to read. Some scales are computerized and preprogrammed with carbohydrate information. Your dietitian can help you choose a scale. Measuring cups and spoons measure the volume of foods such as cereal, rice, noodles, soups, casseroles and mixed dishes, vegetables, some fruits, beverages, and condiments. Scales measure the weight of foods such as fruits, breads, baked goods, and meats. Some foods can be figured either by value or by weight, and a food label often gives both. Use the list at the back of this booklet to help you decide which measure to use, or check with you dietitian.
You must practice, practice, practice to learn correct portion sizes. Recheck your measuring at least once a week to be sure your guesses are correct. After you get used to the portion sizes, it will be easier for you to estimate and you won't have to measure everything as often.
How to Get Started
So now you know what carbohydrate counting is and why it's good to use if you have diabetes. It's time to learn how to do it. Work with a registered dietitian (RD) to make a meal plan for you. Taking time to fill out the information below will help you. Your meal plan will tell you how much carbohydrate to eat at meals and snacks. It will be designed to fit the times you eat, your lifestyle, your medication regimen, and changes in your normal routine.
Step 1. Record your usual food intake.
In the spaces below, write down the times and amounts of foods you usually eat at a meal or snack. Include the approximate time of day you eat that meal or snack.
Breakfast I usually eat at _______ o'clock
One of the breakfasts I often eat is ____________________
Another breakfast I sometimes eat is ____________________
I don't eat breakfast. ___
I don't eat breakfast ___ days per week.
Midmorning snack I usually eat at ______ o'clock
A snack I often eat is ____________________
Option: I don't eat a midmorning snack. ___
Another snack I sometimes eat is ____________________
Lunch I usually eat at ______ o'clock
One of the lunches I often eat is ____________________
Afternoon snack I usually eat at _______ o'clock
An afternoon snack I often eat is ____________________
Option: I don't eat an afternoon snack____
Another snack I sometimes eat is ____________________
Evening meal I usually eat at _______ o'clock
One of my favorite evening snacks is ____________________
Option: I don't eat an evening snack ____
Another evening snack I like is ____________________
Your dietitian can help you determine the portion sizes for the foods you have written down.
Step 2. Practice finding portion sizes.
You need to learn what a single portion size is for a variety of foods. The food lists at the back of this booklet give portion sizes to help you. On these lists, a single portion is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate or one carbohydrate choice.If you know exchanges, the Starch, Fruit, Milk, and Other Carbohydrate groups of the Exchange Lists have about 15 grams of carbohydrate in each serving and equal one carbohydrate choice.
The table below can help you learn to count carbohydrate choices.
In general try to stay within 5 grams (plus or minus) of your carbohydrate goal at each meal and snack.
Using the table above and the food lists at the back of this book, fill in the serving size for each of the following foods.
Example: 1/2 cup pasta = 15g carbohydrate
Milk = 15g carbohydrate
Potato = 2 carbohydrate choices
Banana = 15g carbohydrate
Rice = 3 carbohydrate choices
It's tricky to find the carbohydrate content of homemade combination foods, such as casseroles, pizza, and baked goods, when food labels are not available. Write in three combination foods that you eat. With your dietitian, fill in the correct portion size that is equal to one carbohydrate choice.
Example: 1 cup bean soup = 1 carbohydrate choice
1.
2.
3.
Write in three of your favorite foods below, and then with your Rd's help fill in the correct portion size that is equal to one carbohydrate choice.
Example: 1/2 cup oatmeal = 1 carbohydrate choice
1.
2.
3.
Step 3. Figure carbohydrate for your meal plan.
Using information from Step 1, figure out your usual carbohydrate intake at each meal and snack. Write your answers in the usual carbohydrate column in the Figuring Carbohydrate for Your Meal Plan form on page 20.You and your dietitian will decide times and carbohydrate goals and write them in the Carbohydrate goals column.
Step 4. Complete your meal plan.
Now your dietitian will help you complete your meal plan.
You meal plan needs to include the following:
How any carbohydrate choices of grams of carbohydrate you should have at each meal and snack,
what time of day you should eat meals and snacks (and take medication, if you do)
In addition to the carbohydrate choices or carbohydrate grams listed above,
your meal plan should include:.
ounces of lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs or cheese and
Limited amounts of fats and oils (salad dressings, butter, margarine, mayonnaise
Food Lists adapted from
Exchange Lists for Meal Planning
One serving = 1 carbohydrate choice or 15 g carbohydrate.
Bread Bagel........................................................................1/2 (1 oz)
Bread, reduced calorie .........................................................2 slices (1 1/2 oz)
Bread, white, whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye........................1 slice (1 oz)
Bread sticks, crisp, 4 in. Long x 1Û2 in...................................2 (2/3 oz)
English muffin .....................................................................1/2
Hot dog or hamburger bun....................................................1/2 (1 oz)
Pita, 6 in. across..................................................................1/2
Raisin bread, unfrosted.........................................................1 slice (1oz)
Roll, plain, small...................................................................1 (1 oz)
Tortilla, corn, 6 in. across.......................................................1
Tortilla, flour, 6 in. across......................................................1
Waffle, 4 1Û2 in. square, reduced-fat......................................1
Cereals and Grains Bran cereals ............................................1/2 cup
Bulgur (cooked)....................................................................1/2 cup
Cereals (cooked)...................................................................1/2 cup
Cereals, unsweetened, ready to eat.........................................3/4 cup
Cornmeal (dry)......................................................................1/3 cup
Couscous ..............................................................................1/3 cup
Flour (dry) ............................................................................3 Tbsp.
Granola, low-fat ....................................................................1/4 cup
Grape -Nuts ..........................................................................1/2 cup
Grits .....................................................................................1/2 cup
Kasha ...................................................................................1/2 cup
Millet .....................................................................................1/4 cup
Muesli ....................................................................................1/4 cup
Oats ......................................................................................1/2 cup
Pasta .....................................................................................1/2 cup
Puffed cereal ..........................................................................1 1/2 cup
Rice Milk ................................................................................1/2 cup
Rice, white or brown ................................................................1/3 cup
Shredded Wheat .....................................................................1/2 cup
Sugar-frosted cereal ................................................................1/2 cup
Starchy Vegetables Baked Beans..............................................1/3 cup
Corn........................................................................................1/2 cup
Corn on cob, medium..............................................................1 (5 oz)
Mixed vegetables with corn, peas, or pasta...............................1 cup
Peas, green..............................................................................1/2 cup
Plantain...................................................................................1/2 cup
Potato, baked or broiled.........................................................1 small (3 oz)
Potato, mashed........................................................................1/2 cup
Squash, winter (acorn, butternut)..............................................1 cup
Yam, sweet potato, plain...........................................................1/2cup
Crackers and Snacks Animal crackers.........................................8
Graham crackers......................................................................3
Matzoh...............................................................................3/4 oz
Melba Toast.........................................................................4 slices
Oyster crackers......................................................................24
Popcorn (popped, no fat added or low-fat microwave)..............3 cups
Pretzels...............................................................................3/4 oz
Rice cakes, 4 in. across.........................................................2
Saltine-type crackers............................................................ 6
Snack chips, fat free (tortilla, potato)....................................15-20 (3/4 oz)
Whole-wheat crackers, no fat added.....................................2-5 (3/4 oz)
Beans, Peas, and Lentils
Beans and Peas (cooked) (garbanzo, pinto, kidney,
white, split, black eyed).....................................1/2 cup
Lima beans(cooked)......................................................2/3 cup
Lentils (cooked).............................................................1/2cup
Miso..............................................................................3 Tbsp
Starchy Foods Prepared with Fat Biscuit, 2 1Û2 in. across ............1
Chow mein noodles ..........................................................1/2 cup
Corn bread, 2in. cube ......................................................1 (2 oz)
Crackers, round butter type .............................................6
Croutons ....................................................................... ..1 cup
French-fried potatoes ......................................................16-25 (3 oz)
Granola ............................................................................1/4 cup
Muffin, plain, small .........................................................1 ( 1 1/2 oz)
Pancake 4 in. across..........................................................2
Popcorn, microwave .........................................................3 cups
Sandwich crackers, cheese or peanut butter filling ..........3
Stuffing bread (prepared) .................................................1/3 cup
Taco shell, 6 in. across .....................................................2
Waffle, 4 1Û2 in. square ......................................................1
Whole-wheat crackers fat added ......................................4-6 1 oz
Fruit Apple, unpeeled, small .................................................1 (4 oz)
Applesauce, unsweetened ..............................................1/2 cup
Apples, dried ...................................................................4 rings
Apricots, fresh ................................................4 whole (5 1/2 oz)
Apricots, dried ...............................................................8 halves
Apricots, canned .............................................................1/2 cup
Banana, small ..................................................................1 (4 oz)
Blackberries .....................................................................3/4 cup
Blueberries .......................................................................3/4 cup
Cantaloupe, small....................1/3 melon or (11oz) or 1 cup cubes
Cherries, sweet, fresh ......................................................12 (3oz)
Cherries, sweet, canned ....................................................1/2 cup
Dates .........................................................................................3
Figs, fresh ................................1 1/2 large or 2 medium (3 1/2 oz)
Figs, dried ............................................................................1 1/2
Fruit cocktail .....................................................................1/2 cup
Grapefruit, large .....................................................1/2 cup (11 oz)
Grapefruit sections, canned .................................................3/4 cup
Grapes, small ....................................................................17 (3 oz)
Honeydew melon ..............................1 slice (10 oz) or 1 cup cubes
Kiwi .............................................................................1 (3 1/2 oz)
Mandarin oranges, canned ..................................................3/4 cup
Mango, small .....................................1/2 fruit (5 1/2 oz) or 1/2 cup
Nectarine, small .................................................................1 (5 oz )
Orange, small ................................ ...............................1 (6 1Û2 oz)
Papaya ............................................1/2 fruit ( 8 oz) or 1 cup cubes
Peach, medium, fresh ...........................................................1 (6oz)
Peaches, canned ..................................................................1/2cup
Pear, large, fresh ..............................................................1/2 (4 oz)
Pears, canned ......................................................................1/2 cup
Pineapple, fresh ...................................................................3/4 cup
Pineapple, canned ................................................................1/2 cup
Plums, small ..........................................................................2 (5oz)
Plums, canned ......................................................................1/2 cup
Prunes, dried .................................................................................3
Raisins ..................................................................................2 Tbsp
Raspberries .............................................................................1 cup
Strawberries ..................................................1 1/4cup whole berries
Tangerines, small ..................................................................2 ( 8 oz)
Watermelon .............................1 slice (13 1/2 oz) or 1 1/4 cup cubes
Fruit Juice Apple juice / cider..................................................1/2 cup
Cranberry juice cocktail ........................................................1/3 cup
Cranberry juice cocktail, reduced calorie ..................................1 cup
Fruit juice blends, 100% juice ................................................1/3 cup
Grape juice ............................................................................1/3 cup
Grapefruit juice .......................................................................1/2 cup
Orange juice ..........................................................................1/2 cup
Pineapple juice ......................................................................1/2 cup
Prune juice ............................................................................1/3 cup
Milk Skim and low-fat (0-3 g fat per serving)
Skim Milk ...............................................................................1 cup
1Û2%Milk ...............................................................................1 cup
1% Milk .................................................................................1 cup
Non-fat or low-fat buttermilk*Milk .........................................1 cup
Evaporated Skim Milk ..........................................................1/2 cup
Nonfat dry Milk .......................................... .........................1/3 cup
Plain nonfat yogurt..................................................................3/4 cup
Nonfat or low-fat fruit flavored yogurt (sweetened w/ aspartame
or non- nutritive sweetener)...........................................1 cup
Reduced fat ( 5g fat per exchange)
2 % Milk ..................................................................................1 cup
Plain low-fat yogurt................................................................3/4 cup
Sweet acidophilus Milk ..............................................................1 cup
Whole milk ( 8 g fat per exchange)
Whole Milk ..............................................................................1 cup
Evaporated whole Milk ..........................................................1/2 cup
Goat's Milk ..............................................................................1 cup
Kefir Milk .................................................................................1 cup
Other Carbohydrates
1 carb=1 carbohydrate choice (or 15 g carbohydrate)
Angel food cake, unfrosted 1/12th cake 2 carbs
Brownie, small, unfrosted 2 in. Square 1 carb, 1 fat
Cake, unfrosted 2 in. Square 1 carb, 1 fat
Cake, frosted 2 in. Square 2carbs, 1 fat
Cookie, fat free 2 small 1 carb
Cookie or sandwich cookie 2 small 1 carb, 1 fat
Cranberry sauce, jellied 1/4 cup 1 1/2 carbs
Cupcake, frosted 1 small 2 carbs, 1 fat
Doughnut, plain cake 1 medium (1 1/2 oz) 1 1/2 carbs, 2 fats
Doughnut, glazed 1 medium (2 oz) 2 carbs, 2 fats
Fruit juice bars (100% juice) 1 (3 oz) 1 carb
Fruit snacks, chewy 1 roll (3/4 oz) 1 carb
Fruit Spreads, 100% fruit 1 Tbsp 1 carb
Gelatin, regular 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1 carb
Gingersnaps 3 1 carb
Granola bar 1 1 carb, 1 fat
Granola bar, fat free 1 2 carbs
Honey 1 Tbsp 1 carb
Hummus 1/3 cup 1 carb, 1 fat
Ice Cream 1/2 cup 1 carb, 2 fats
Ice cream, light 1/2 cup 1carb, 1 fat
Ice cream, fat free, no sugar 1/2 cup 1 carb
Jam or jelly, regular 1 Tbsp 1 carb
Milk, chocolate, whole 1 cup 2 carbs, 1 fat
Pie, fruit, 2 crusts 1/6 pie 3 carbs, 2 fats
Pie, pumpkin or custard 1/8 pie 2 carbs, 2 fats
Potato chips 12-18 (1 oz) 1 carb, 2 fats
Pudding with low-fat milk 1/2 cup 2 carbs
Pudding, sugar free 1/2 cup 1 carb
Salad dressing, fat free 1/4 cup 1 carb
Sherbet, sorbet 1/2 cup 2 carbs
Spaghetti or pasta sauce 1/2 cup 2 carbs
Sugar 1 Tbsp 1 carb
Sweet roll or danish 1 (2 1/2 oz) 2 1/2 carbs, 2 fats
Syrup, light 2 Tbsp 1 carb
Syrup, regular 1 Tbsp 1 carb
Syrup regular 1/4 cup 4 carbs
Tortilla chips 6-12 (1 oz) 1 carb, 2 fats
Vanilla wafers 5 1 carb, 1 fat
Yogurt, frozen, low fat, fat free 1/3 cup 1 carb, 0-1 fat
Yogurt, frozen, fat free, no sugar added 1/2 cup 1 carb
Vegetables 1/2 cup cooked=1cup raw = 5g carbohydrate
1 1/2 cup cooked = 15 g carbohydrate
Artichoke
Artichoke Hearts
Asparagus
Beans ( green,wax, italian)
Bean sprouts
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green onions or scallions
Greens ( collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Mixed vegetables (without corn, peas, or pasta )
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Pea pods
Peppers ( all varieties)
Radishes
Salad greens (endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach)
Sauerkraut*
Spinach
Summer squash
Tomato
Tomatoes canned*
Tomato/vegetable juice
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Watercress
Zucchini
* 400 mg or more sodium per serving
Free Foods
Drinks
Bouillon or broth
Bouillon, low sodium
carbonated or mineral water
Club soda
Cocoa Powder Unsweetened 1 Tbsp.
Coffee
Diet soft drinks, sugar free
Drink mixes, sugar free
Tea
Tonic water, sugar free
Sugar Free or Low sugar
Candy, hard, sugar free, 1
Gelatin, dessert, sugar free
Gelatin, unflavored
Gum, sugar free
Jam/jelly, low sugar or light, 2 tsp
Sugar substitutes
Syrup, sugar free, 2 Tbsp
Fat Free or Reduced- fat Foods Cream cheese, fat free.............1 Tbsp
Creamers, non dairy, liquid.....................................................1 Tbsp
Creamers non dairy, powdered...............................................2 tsp
Mayonnaise, fat free................................................................1 Tbsp
Mayonnaise, reduced fat..........................................................1tsp
Margarine, fat free....................................................................4 Tbsp
Margarine, reduced fat..............................................................1 tsp
Miracle whip nonfat...................................................................1 Tbsp
Miracle whip reduced fat............................................................1 tsp
Nonstick cooking spray..............................................................N/A
Salad dressing, fat free................................................................1 Tbsp
Salsa.........................................................................................1/4 cup
Sour cream, fat free, reduced fat.................................................1 Tbsp
Whipped topping, regular or light.................................................2 Tbsp
Condiments
Catsup, 1 Tbsp
Horseradish
Lemon or lime juice
Mustard
Pickles, dill* 1 1/2 large
Soy sauce, regular or light*
Taco sauce, 1 Tbsp
Vinegar
Seasonings
Flavoring extracts
Garlic
Herbs, fresh or dried
Pimento
Spices
Tabasco or hot pepper sauce
Wine, used in cooking
Worcestershire sauce
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