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CHINESE FOOD
Chinese food can be full of great vegetables and fresh ingredients, but rice and noodles make most Chinese dishes high in carbs. Skipping the rice, noodles, fried noodles, wontons, breadings, and most of the sauces is a great first step, but also think about hidden carbs when you make an order. Chicken and broccoli without the rice seems like a perfect choice, but the sauce often contains cornstarch.
Here's what to order:
*Soups: Egg drop, chicken broth with scallions, hot-and-sour
*Egg Rolls: Only the inside—no wrapper
*Steamed foods without sauces: Order egg drop or chicken broth on the side, and use the soup as the sauce for a steamed dish.
*Stir-fried dishes: Order without sugar or starch
*Mu shu: Without the wrappers
*Egg foo yong: Without gravy
*Mongolian barbecue (often present at Chinese buffets): Choose your own meats and veggies and request no sauce.
Here's what to order:
*Soups: Egg drop, chicken broth with scallions, hot-and-sour
*Egg Rolls: Only the inside—no wrapper
*Steamed foods without sauces: Order egg drop or chicken broth on the side, and use the soup as the sauce for a steamed dish.
*Stir-fried dishes: Order without sugar or starch
*Mu shu: Without the wrappers
*Egg foo yong: Without gravy
*Mongolian barbecue (often present at Chinese buffets): Choose your own meats and veggies and request no sauce.
ITALIAN FOOD
Mention Italian food and many people envision pasta, pizza, and crusty white bread. But real Italians don't load on the carbs as most Americans think. The pizza in Rome has a paper-thin crust, light tomato sauce, and very little cheese, nothing like the greasy concoction we call pizza in the USA.
Here's what to order:
*Antipasti: A typical antipasti platter (the term means "before the meal") contains an assortment of meats, cheeses, marinated veggies, and olives.
*Soups: Chicken broth with spinach, simple vegetable soup, Italian wedding soup without pasta, or Italian egg drop soup
*Salads: Most contain dark greens, olive oil, and crushed garlic. Feel free to add cheese and tomatoes, but skip the croutons.
*Seafood; Usually great choices, as are chicken and veal entrees with sauce on the side for flavor
*Pizza: If you crave pizza, satisfy that urge by enjoying the topping—cheese, onions, peppers, spinach, broccoli—and leaving the crust behind.
Here's what to order:
*Antipasti: A typical antipasti platter (the term means "before the meal") contains an assortment of meats, cheeses, marinated veggies, and olives.
*Soups: Chicken broth with spinach, simple vegetable soup, Italian wedding soup without pasta, or Italian egg drop soup
*Salads: Most contain dark greens, olive oil, and crushed garlic. Feel free to add cheese and tomatoes, but skip the croutons.
*Seafood; Usually great choices, as are chicken and veal entrees with sauce on the side for flavor
*Pizza: If you crave pizza, satisfy that urge by enjoying the topping—cheese, onions, peppers, spinach, broccoli—and leaving the crust behind.
MEXICAN FOOD
By nature, Mexican food is steeped in carb, with its rice, beans, corn, tortillas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and tamales. But there are plenty of low-carb choices to make in any Mexican restaurant. The trick is to count your carb servings and think about what's inside all of those tacos, tortillas, and other wraps.
Here's what to order:
*Pass the guacamole and cucumber chips: Avocado is a heart-healthy fat, so eat up. Use cucumber slices for dipping, or use a spoon.
*Ensalada, por favor: A salad is a great appetizer choice. Skip the hard tortilla shell of the tostada salad...everything inside is great.
*Grilled proteins and vegetables: Grilled seafood with a light salsa, carne asada (grilled steak with Mexican spices), and chicken dishes with grilled vegetables and salsas make very friendly fare for anyone watching their carb intake.
*Fajitas: Even carb-wary people can enjoy all of the fajita accompaniments (shrimp, steak, chicken, guacamole, cheese, salsa, sour cream, tomato, lettuce, and onion), but skip the soft tortilla shells.
*Machaca: This common breakfast of eggs, beef, and vegetables is a low-carb dream.
Here's what to order:
*Pass the guacamole and cucumber chips: Avocado is a heart-healthy fat, so eat up. Use cucumber slices for dipping, or use a spoon.
*Ensalada, por favor: A salad is a great appetizer choice. Skip the hard tortilla shell of the tostada salad...everything inside is great.
*Grilled proteins and vegetables: Grilled seafood with a light salsa, carne asada (grilled steak with Mexican spices), and chicken dishes with grilled vegetables and salsas make very friendly fare for anyone watching their carb intake.
*Fajitas: Even carb-wary people can enjoy all of the fajita accompaniments (shrimp, steak, chicken, guacamole, cheese, salsa, sour cream, tomato, lettuce, and onion), but skip the soft tortilla shells.
*Machaca: This common breakfast of eggs, beef, and vegetables is a low-carb dream.
FAST FOOD
Fast food is always a dubious choice for anyone on a diet. Follow these tips to make decent choices while ordering a quick bite.
Here's what to order:
*Grilled chicken: Along with cheese, lettuce, and tomato, grilled chicken makes a great meal.
*Grilled burgers: Top a grilled burger with cheese and plenty of lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles. Skip the bun.
*Salads: Many fast-food restaurants now offer salads that feature protein, such as chicken or steak, cheese and eggs. Opt for mayo dressing.
*Shed the shell: The inside of tacos works well as a meal, but toss out the shell.
*McMuffin without the muffin: Order breakfast egg sandwiches without the bread, or toss it out once you open the wrapper.
*Go inside the sub: Skip the roll and turn the interior of a submarine sandwich—the ham, cheese, turkey, roast beef, lettuce, tomato, oil, and vinegar—into a great salad.
Here's what to order:
*Grilled chicken: Along with cheese, lettuce, and tomato, grilled chicken makes a great meal.
*Grilled burgers: Top a grilled burger with cheese and plenty of lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles. Skip the bun.
*Salads: Many fast-food restaurants now offer salads that feature protein, such as chicken or steak, cheese and eggs. Opt for mayo dressing.
*Shed the shell: The inside of tacos works well as a meal, but toss out the shell.
*McMuffin without the muffin: Order breakfast egg sandwiches without the bread, or toss it out once you open the wrapper.
*Go inside the sub: Skip the roll and turn the interior of a submarine sandwich—the ham, cheese, turkey, roast beef, lettuce, tomato, oil, and vinegar—into a great salad.
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