5 Smart Carb Swaps
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BBQ Baked Beans
GOOD Beans. Full of fiber.
BAD Lots of sugar in the sauce—13g for a total of 32g carbs.
BETTER Black beans with sautéed red bell pepper, jalapeño, lime, and fresh cilantro. 10g fewer carbs and an additional 1.5g fiber.
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Salad Dressings
GOOD You're eating salad.
BAD Dressing choices like honey mustard and raspberry vinaigrette contain about 7g refined carbs per 2 tablespoons, all from sugar. And most light or fat-free dressings add sugar to make up for fat.
BETTER Opt for oil and vinegar-based dressings instead; you'll get zero carbs and lots of heart-healthy fats.
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Apples with Low-Fat Caramel Dip
GOOD You're eating apples—25g balanced carbs and 4g fiber.
BAD That caramel sauce has 26g carbs in just 2 tablespoons, all from sugar.
BETTER Swap caramel for 1 tablespoon peanut butter. You'll add 4g filling protein.
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Cracker Jacks
GOOD Whole grains and nuts.
BAD The caramel adds 30g refined-sugar carbs per cup.
BETTER Lightly salted oil-popped popcorn and nuts.
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Mashed Potatoes
GOOD More veggies.
BAD No skin = 2g less fiber.
BETTER Mashed butternut squash has just 47 calories, 12g carbs, and 4g fiber per ½ cup. Add a teaspoon of butter for 34 calories and 2.4g sat fat.