WOW - Low Carbers! Look Out for Those Spices...

[BethR]

...they REALLY add up.

Turned my 1/2 pound of "free" ground beef into 3 carb taco meat. YIKES! I used chili powder (.53 per tsp - and I used 3 ), onion powder (1.12 per tsp - and I used about 3/4 of a tsp), cumin (did not look up) and garlic salt (I did not look up but counted a few tenths of a carb.

But GOSH! That taco salad tasted GREAT though - but it was over 5 carbs for the whole thing!

 

[glo]

yikes I never ever count the spices, maybe I should start. Thanks for the heads up Beth.

 

[BethR]

You have done so well, glo! I don't think that I would worry about it TOO much. But I guess you would want to count every speck when you are trying to get rid of that last pound or two.

 

[nativetxn]

I need to start counting my spices too. Are there carbs in vanilla?

 

[Jomrog]

I was wondering about vanilla/almond extract, too. Does anybody know? Cinnamon?

 

[dizneegirl]

Here's a good place to check carb counts: USDA Nutrient Database

Spices, cinnamon, ground
Carbohydrate, by difference g 1.837
Fiber, total dietary g 1.249


Vanilla extract
Carbohydrate, by difference g 0.531
Fiber, total dietary g 0.000


You have to watch out for vanilla extract... many brands (McCormick included) add corn syrup. I would imagine that's what's listed above. You don't want to use imitation vanilla extract (horrible stuff for you!)... you want to use real vanilla extract, and find a brand that has no added sugar or corn syrup. You can often find it in health food stores.

You can also make your own vanilla extract fairly easily. Split two vanilla beans, and put them in a bottle of vodka, in an out of the way place. Every so often, give it a shake. In about 6 weeks (or longer) you'll have vanilla extract. You can pour fresh vodka in to replace whatever extract you use, and keep the same bottle going for up to seven years. Pretty cool trick! And no preservatives, additives, sugar...

 

[BethR]

I got my information here: http://www.lowcarb.ca/

Make sure that you get the right measurement. The initial one that you see is for 100 grams. But there is a drop down list to get it converted to different measurements ie: tsp, tbsp, cups, etc.

Hope that this helps.

 

[BethR]

I've been looking at it and yours is a great reference TOO Dizneegirl! THANKS!