Kitchen Raid Intro & The 20% rule:

Check the Total Carbohydrates then check the total amount of sugar in the item. The total amount of sugar (or sugar alcohols) should not exceed 20% of the total carbs. 

Watch the Video Below … Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

If the item has 5 total grams of carbs then the sugars should not exceed: 1 gram

10 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 2 grams
15 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 3 grams
20 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 4 grams
25 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 5 grams
30 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 6 grams
35 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 7 grams
45 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 9 grams
50 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 10 grams
60 grams of carbs sugars should not exceed: 12 grams

The Twenty Percent Rule!
by

Lucho Crisalle, R.D.

We all know not to go shopping when we are hungry; make sure to eat something before you go or even a Twinkie will look good if you are ravenous. Most people know to shop the perimeter of the store — that is where most of the unprocessed foods are located (think vegetables, meat, cheese,
etc.). However, how many of you know the 20% Rule?

Setting your sites on the unprocessed foods will help you make better choices when it comes to carbohydrates. Unfortunately, we often choose to eat some processed foods as most of us realize that they are not all that bad. So, how do we determine if a carbohydrate is deemed "fit for consumption?" The 20% Rule is your answer.

Since not all carbohydrates cause blood glucose levels to rise in the same way, it is recommended to avoid eating anything where sugar is greater than 20% of the total carbohydrates. DO NOT look at the percent daily values (% Daily Value) listed on labels (usually the column of numbers on the far right) as these only illustrate what percentage of a 2000-calorie diet a particular food represents. If you are not on a 2000-calorie meal plan , (and most of us ARE NOT), those values do not apply.  

To follow the 20% Rule, all you need to do is look at the line listing the Total Carbohydrates and see how many grams are listed. This is easy to find as it usually is listed in bold black letters.
You then figure out twenty percent of that number and check it against the grams of sugar. If the grams of sugar are greater than the number you just calculated, this is a food to be avoided.

As an example, let's look at an English muffin where the Total Carbohydrates are 31grams. The easiest way to calculate 20% is to first calculate 10% (very easy because all you have to do is move the decimal point one space to the left) and double that number. In our English muffin example, ten percent of 31 would be 3.1, and twenty percent would be 6.2. When we read our English muffin label and find out it has 2 grams of sugar, since 2 is less than or smaller than 6.2, the English muffin would be a great food choice. It’s that simple!

So, the next time you go grocery shopping, be prepared to read the labels and use the 20% Rule. Just wait until you go down the cereal aisle, and you will really see the wonders of Cheerios!

©2010 Lucho Crisalle, R.D., Exercise & Nutrition Works, Inc.