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May 27, 2012

Diabetes Decoder: Restaurant Foods To Avoid

Au Gratin

Anything au gratin is usually a big problem. This usually means it's loaded with cheese and cream.

Battered

This means that it's been dredged in flour, eggs, butter, and then fried. No good.


Basted

This usually conjures up images of a piece of meat swimming in a mopping sauce, made with high fructose corn syrup and molasses.


Creamed

Thick, buttery sauces cancel out any of the nutritional benefits of veggies.


Cream-based soups

These pack in fat right at the beginning of the meal. Choose a vegetable-broth-based soup instead. If it doesn't specify, ask your server.


Croutons

Hold the croutons to cut back on refined carbs.

Fat-Free or Gluten Free

These are bad news for diabetics. To cut back on fat and wheat, these products will add more sugar for fat-free products and more fat for gluten-free products.

Tempura

Might as well be Japanese for "unhealthy." This is just another term for fried and breaded. \


Flash-fried , Wok-fried, Skillet-fried

These preceding words mean nothing. Fried equals fried.


Fried Rice

If you are going to indulge in this standard Asian fare, ask the server to swap the white rice for brown rice.


Pasta

As a whole, a lot of starchy food is not good for someone with diabetes, and most restaurants will give you close to 5 servings of pasta on just one plate. Ask for a small side portion, and make sure it's whole grain.


Soy Sauce

I don't like to overload my body with tons of sodium found in soy sauce. As a substitute I use Bragg's.


Duck Sauce

Stay away from this syrupy sauce.

Cocktails

These fancy mixed drinks are sugar sinkholes.


Liquor

Go for transparency. Clear liquor, like vodka or gin, is better in terms of calories. Avoid brown alcohol, dessert wines, cordials, or juice-mixed cocktails.


Soft Drinks

It's better to stay away from soda completely, even the diet kind.


Dessert

When your sweet tooth is calling, ask the restaurant if they can fix a fresh fruit plate, even if it's not on the menu. Some of my favorite fruits for diabetics are apples, oranges, pears, fresh peaches, and strawberries. It's awesome with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese.

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