Each month our clients receive a nutrition education handout in addition to their meal. The goal of these handouts is to improve your nutrition knowledge and empower you to make the best dietary choices for yourself. It's important for everyone to have healthy eating habits and make sure they havet he correct dietary facts about essential nutrients. The information clients received this month is included below.
Click here for a handout in both English and Spanish.
CARBOHYDRATES: The macronutrient that is your friend and not your foe.
By Marycela Barron, RDN, LD
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates or carbs are a class of macronutrients that provide 4 calories per gram.
A macronutrient is a component of food that gives you energy. There are three types of macronutrients: carbs, protein, and fat. A healthy diet consists of a good balance between the three macronutrients.
Carbs are further broken down into different types of carbs: the starches, the sugars, and fiber.
How much carbohydrates should I eat?
Your brain loves carbs. Carbs are the preferred source of energy for the brain and to keep your brain happy you should eat at least 130g of carbs per day with the goal of carbs being 45-65% of your daily caloric intake.
Added sugars should be less than 10% of your daily caloric intake.
To keep your gut happy and healthy you should aim for 28 grams of fiber per day. Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber absorbs water and turns into a gel. Soluble fiber slows down digestion and may help lower cholesterol. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool and promotes motility along the digestive tract.
What if I have diabetes?
Diabetes is a complicated metabolic disease and you do need to monitor your carb intake to control your blood glucose, or BG.
A healthy meal pattern to help you control your BG would be 3 meals per day with 2 snacks. Half of your plate would be filled with non-starchy vegetables (the starchy vegetables are corn, peas, legumes, and squash) and controlling your carb intake by using carb counts.
1 carb count consists of 15 grams of carbs and to help regulate your BG you should eat 3 to 4 carb counts per meal and 1 to 2 carb counts per snack.
Examples of one carb count are:
- 1 slice of bread
- 1 6” flour tortilla
- 1 8 oz glass of milk
- 1/2 of a medium banana
- 1 small apple
- 1/3 cup cooked rice
- 1/2 mashed potato
- 3 cups popped corn
- 1/2 medium potato
- 1/2 cup of corn
- 2 small cookies
Reference/Referencia: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines.
CARBOHIDRATOS: El macronutriente que es tu amigo y no el enemigo.
Por Marycela Barron, RDN, LD
¿Qué son los carbohidratos?
Los carbohidratos son una clase de macronutrientes que tienen 4 calorías por gramo.
Los macronutrientes forman parte de los alimentos que dan energía. Hay tres tipos de macronutrientes: carbohidratos, proteínas y grasas.
Una dieta saludable mantiene el equilibrio entre los tres macronutrientes.
Los carbohidratos se dividen en diferentes clases: los almidones, la azúcar y la fibra.
¿Cuántos carbohidratos debo comer?
Tu cerebro ama los carbohidratos. Los carbohidratos son la fuente preferida de energía para el cerebro.
Para mantenerlo feliz debe de comer 130 g o mas de carbohidratos por día con el objetivo de que los carbohidratos sean el 45-65% de su calorías diaria.
La azúcar agregada deben ser menos del 10% de su calorías diaria.
Para mantener su intestino feliz y saludable, debes apuntar a 28 g de fibra por día. La fibra viene en dos formas: soluble y insoluble. La fibra soluble absorbe agua y se convierte en gel. La fibra soluble reduce la velocidad de la digestión y puede ayudar a reducir el colesterol. La fibra insoluble agrega volumen y promueve la motilidad del tracto digestivo.
¿Qué tal si tengo diabetes?
La diabetes es una enfermedad complicada en que se necesita controlar los de carbohidratos para controlar su glucosa en sangre. Para controlar su glucemia coma 3 comidas y 2 botanas por día. La mitad de su plato estaría lleno de vegetales sin almidón (los vegetales con almidón son maíz, guisantes, legumbres y calabaza) y controlando su consumo de carbohidratos mediante el uso de conteos de carbohidratos.
1 recuento de carbohidratos consiste en 15 gramos de carbohidratos y para ayudar a regular su glucemia debe comer 3 a 4 recuentos de carbohidratos por comida y 1 a 2 recuentos de carbohidratos por refrigerio.
Ejemplos de un conteo de carbohidratos son:
- 1 rebanada de pan
- 1 tortilla de harina de 6 pulgadas
- 1 vaso de leche de 8 oz
- 1/2 de un plátano mediano
- 1 manzana pequeña
- 1/3 taza de arroz cocido
- 1/2 puré de papa
- 3 tazas de palomitas
- 1/2 papa mediana
- 1/2 taza de maíz
- 2 galletas pequeñas
Reference/Referencia: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines.