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Diabetes Management: Carbohydrate Counting When Dining OutDining out or ordering in from restaurants can add special challenges when counting carbs.Each meal may be different.Most restaurants have nutrition information available if you ask.And some restaurants may have the carbohydrate information for a dish listed on the menu or on their website.So you can even plan what to eat before you go out.When this information is not available, you can use websites like calorieking.com and smartphone apps like MyFitnessPal to quickly get the nutritional values of many foods.Even with these tools, you may still find it hard to count carbs.Having an accurate idea of the portion size you are eating is the only way to know if you are following your meal plan and correctly estimating the grams of carbs to stay within your goals.Remember to weigh and measure your foods at home often to help you eyeball a serving size when you are out.This skill is especially helpful when dining out on dishes that include rice or pasta.These items are among the highest in carbs on most menus.Talk with your dietitian about how to estimate portions using your hand. For example, a half-cup serving of starches is what can fit in your cupped hand.You can use these guidelines to get a better idea of how many carbs are in the portion you are eating.And of course, it's always good to eat the correct portion size for you and take the rest home.When dining out or ordering in, you also need to be aware of foods high in calories and fat, like fried foods.Some fried foods are breaded, adding carbs you may not think to count.And some are just not heart healthy, something everyone needs to keep in mind.Plus, some foods high in fat and protein can delay the digestion of carbs, making it hard to accurately predict how much your blood sugar will rise after your meal.You may notice that your blood sugar stays high after eating a higher fat meal.Meet with your diabetes care team to find out more about ways to estimate carbs when dining out or ordering in.Take some menus from your favorite restaurants with you to your next meeting.Together, you can count the carbohydrate values in the dishes you order most often.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.© The Wellness Network
Outpatient Specialty Care
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