Smart Food Choices on the Go
You don't walk into a fast-food restaurant, stroll up to the counter, and plan to order a full day's worth of calories. You wouldn't ask for a mound of saturated fat sprinkled with more salt than any human should eat in a week, housed between a carbohydrate-packed bun and accompanied by a jumbo-sized liquid with enough simple sugar to double your blood sugar levels. Yet, that's exactly what you may get when you order popular fast food.
"If you don't pay attention, the calories, fat, carbs, and sodium can all add up," says Jolene Sloat, RD, a diabetes educator with the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.
A jumbo soda alone contains more carbs than most people with diabetes should eat during 2 meals combined, adds Amy Campbell, RD, education program manager at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Add up the nutritional stats on typical fast-food items, and you have a recipe for excess tummy fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood cholesterol.
Yet, fast food is a vice that most people would find difficult to completely give up. And you don't have to, as long you make it an occasional meal—not an everyday indulgence. Truth be told, fast food is convenient, tasty, family-friendly, and easy on the wallet. With smart choices, these benefits don't need to come at the price of higher blood sugar, a bigger waistline, and an increased risk of heart disease, says Campbell. Just follow these 3 simple steps, and you can have your fast food and stay healthy, too.
Step 1: Know Your Numbers
Step 2: Know When to Walk
Step 3: Stick to Smart Options
Learn more about the importance of incorporating a proper diet into your lifestyle.
Step 1: Know Your Numbers
Nearly all fast-food establishments publish nutritional information on their Web sites. Most also supply the information at the counter on request. Focus on:
- Total calories: It's hard to prevent weight gain when 1 daily meal contains an entire day's worth of calories. Choose menu items that add up to no more than 750 calories per meal.
- Total fat: Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease. So pay attention to the amount of saturated and trans fats in your diet. Make sure your fast-food meal contains no more than 20 g total fat.
- Sodium: Because diabetes also increases your risk of high blood pressure, it's smart to watch your sodium intake. Try to limit your fast-food meal to no more than 800 mg sodium. (Finding low-sodium choices may be difficult.)
- Carbohydrates: As you might know, carbs raise blood sugar levels like a monsoon raises river levels. Make sure your entire meal contains no more than 60 g carbs.
Step 2: Know When to Walk
Usually, the largest burgers with the works—cheese, bacon, special sauce—are bad choices. So is any supersized, large, or medium regular (nondiet) soft drink or fried item (onion rings, fries). Same goes for any sandwich that calls itself "crispy"—it's been dipped in a carbohydrate-rich batter, then deep-fried.
Step 3: Stick to Smart Options
So what can you eat? Enjoy what you crave in moderation, including fries, burgers, and nuggets. But pass on the supersized, jumbo, or large servings, and watch the add-ons.
So when ordering a burger, choose the regular or junior option. Ask for no sauce, and smear mustard on the bun when you get to your table. Round out your meal with a side salad. Instead of a regular (nondiet) soft drink, choose water, low-fat milk, or a diet soft drink. If you want fries, order the small size, and pair them with a salad or grilled chicken sandwich with no sauce or cheese.
Other healthful options include grilled fish sandwiches, fresh fruit with low-fat yogurt, a slice of thin-crust cheese pizza topped with veggies, a bowl of broth-based soup, a sandwich on a small roll with mustard, or roasted or grilled chicken pieces (remove the skin).
To make it even easier for you, we've compiled some smart options from some popular fast-food restaurants. All of these options contain fewer than 350 calories, 20 g fat, 900 mg sodium, and 40 g carbs:
BURGER KING
Cheeseburger:
330 cal, 16 g fat, 780 mg sodium, 31 g carb
6-piece Chicken Tenders:
250 cal, 15 g fat, 720 mg sodium, 16 g carb
SUBWAY
Deli Roast Beef Sandwich:
220 cal, 4.5 g fat, 660 mg sodium, 35 g carb
Deli Turkey Breast Sandwich:
210 cal, 3.5 g fat, 730 mg sodium, 36 g carb
McDONALD'S
Breakfast Burrito:
300 cal, 16 g fat, 760 mg sodium, 26 g carb
Scrambled Eggs:
190 cal, 12 g fat, 200 mg sodium, 5 g carb
6-piece Chicken McNuggets:
250 cal, 15 g fat, 670 mg sodium, 15 g carb
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (without dressing):
220 cal, 6 g fat, 890 mg sodium, 12 g carb
TACO BELL
Soft Chicken Taco:
190 cal, 6 g fat, 610 mg sodium, 21 g carb
Double Decker Taco:
340 cal, 14 g fat, 810 mg sodium, 39 g carb
PIZZA HUT
Fit 'n Delicious (1 slice):
140 cal, 3.5 g fat, 330 mg sodium, 22 g carb
Thin 'n Crispy Veggie Lovers (1 slice):
170 cal, 7 g fat, 450 mg sodium, 21 g carb
WENDY'S
Junior Hamburger:
280 cal, 9 g fat, 600 mg sodium, 34 g carb
Spinach Chicken Salad:
260 cal, 12 g fat, 730 mg sodium, 9 g carb
Small Chili:
220 cal, 6 g fat, 780 mg sodium, 23 g carb
If You Slip
What if, despite your best intentions, your resolve crumbles at the counter and you order the largest, gooiest burger on the menu along with (gasp!) supersized fries and a soft drink?
Don't panic. After eating, check your blood sugar, take additional medication if needed (following your doctor's instructions), and try these tips:
Go for a long walk after your meal.
The exercise encourages your muscles to absorb and burn some of the excess blood sugar resulting from your meal, says Campbell. It can also help prevent excess calories from settling on your waistline and thighs.
Make the rest of the day's meals and snacks as healthful as possible.
That means high in fiber, with lots of veggies and lean protein, and low in fat, sodium, and carbohydrates. For instance, have a salad with beans and roasted chicken for dinner or an egg white–and–spinach omelet for breakfast.
Drink more water.
It helps flush the sodium through your kidneys. Note: If you have kidney or heart disease, consult your doctor first.
By the Numbers
- Typical specialty burger: 1,000 cal, 50 g fat, 1,000 mg sodium, 50 g carb
- Large fries: 500 cal, 25 g fat, 500 mg sodium, 63 g carb
- Jumbo soda: 400 cal, 108 g carb
YOUR DAILY COACH
Stick With the Window. For once, we're going to recommend using the drive-through. The reason: You'll be less tempted by the sights and smells of fried foods, increasing the likelihood that you'll order a healthier option. And if you then take your meal back home or to the office to eat, you won't be tempted to walk back to the counter and order dessert. If you eat at home, you can even round out your meal with a glass of low-fat milk and a piece of fruit or a salad.
Watch for Hidden Carbs
You may expect to find carbs in your soda or your hamburger bun, but what about these sources?
- On your fried chicken. All fried foods are dipped in a carbohydrate-rich batter.
- In your salad. Croutons, crunchy Asian noodles, fried chicken strips, and low-fat salad dressings can add up to more carbs than you may expect.
- On your hamburger bun. Ketchup and special sauces all contain carbohydrates.
- With your nuggets. Dipping sauces tend to contain more carbs than many diners realize.
Patient Tools
-
Daily Glucose Tracker
Use this handy grid to record glucose levels quickly and easily. -
Exercise Journal
People with diabetes say that they are more likely to remain motivated when they keep track of their physical activity. This simple, easy-to-use tool can help. - View More Patient Tools >>>