6 Food you Never Knew Were Loaded with Carbs

·         BAKED BEANS

The more you eat, the more you…load up on carbs? Sure, if they are premade baked beans. In their natural state, beans are naturally high in carbs, but much of those are complex carbs and beneficial fiber. Plus, they are high in protein. But many popular varieties of canned baked beans have a lot of added sugar. About 12 grams per half-cup serving. “The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than 24 grams a day of sugar”.

So that’s half a day’s sugar in one side dish. Don’t write off beans altogether, though just baked beans...

·         FIGS

No doubt about it, figs are a super food. Full of fiber, they are also a great source of copper, potassium, manganese, and pantothenic acid. But when you take water out of a fig, you are left with tiny, toothsome nuggets dense in nutrients, fiber and carbs. Mindlessly pop half a dozen dried figs and you have just consumed more than 30 grams of carbohydrates!

Still, according to Lori Zanini, R.D with HealthCare Partners and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, dried figs have plenty of pros. “They are fat and cholesterol-free and a great whole food snack option on the go because they don’t require refrigeration. Just be mindful of portion size.

·         PRUNE JUICE

It’s not often (if ever) that we wake up craving a glass of prune juice. But it is healthy packed with fiber and sorbitol; it’s also a good source of vitamins C, K, B6, riboflavin, niacin. All that and nearly 45 grams of carbs per eight ounce serving. The good news is that the naturally occurring sugar in prune juice is preferable to the stuff you find in sugar sweetened beverages. But if you are carving for some juice and watching you crabs intake, opt for  glass of orange juice freshly squeezed that is, (26 grams of carbs) or grape fruit juice (23 grams).

·         COOKIES

If you think sugar-free cookies are a carb-free pass, think again. Many actually pack almost as many carbs as those baked with sugar. “Three sugar-free commercially prepared chocolate chip cookies will average around 20 grams of carbohydrates while three regular commercially prepared chocolate chip cookies will average around 28 grams of carbohydrates”, enough said!

·         BBQ SAUCE

This non-fat condiment is no innocent. Studies show that most bottled sauce contains four to ten grams of sugar per serving. Portion control is key here, especially when it’s easy to underestimate. For example, a piece of (four rib) spare rib is made with a single two-tablespoon serving, so go easy on the sauce people!

·         CHESTNUT

Whether they’re eaten raw or roasted over an open fire, you may think that all nuts are both calorie and protein dense, but the chestnut is the exception to the rule. This little carb capsule is a starchy oddball amongst its nutty brethren. A single ounce serving has 15 grams of carbs and less than a gram of protein; the same serving of peanuts or almonds have around six grams of carbs, while walnuts have less than four.

On the flip side, chestnuts only pack about one-third the calories as the same amount of other popular nuts, so moderation is key.

-Teri Mendes         

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About TRENDY

Shift from the Memorization of Facts to the Understanding of Principles.