Slow Food Fast

This is a quick list of nutrition info and substitutes for basic ingredients I use the most. It’s there to  give me an idea of just how much trouble I’m getting into and whether my recipe revisions are really making a difference or not. I’ll add to it as I go. If you want to check the entire nutrient profile for any food, check the USDA National Nutrient Database.

NEW! Carb Counts, Ratios and Rules-of-Thumb Page

(For common whole foods and baking ingredients, not for brand-name frozen pizzas or restaurant food)

Baking–Calories and Carbs per Cup

• granulated sugar  (200 g or 1 cup) – 774 cal; 200 g carbohydrate
• brown sugar, packed (220 g or 1 cup) – 836 cal, 220 g carb
• all-purpose flour (125 g or 1 cup) – 455 cal; 88 g carb
• whole-wheat flour (120 g or 1 cup) – 407 cal; 92 g carb
• almond meal (1 cup) – (120 g or 1 cup) – 720 cal; 20 g carb

Eggs (large, whole) – 70 cal/ea, 40 cal and 4.5 g total from fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 215 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 6 g protein

Egg whites – about 30 cal ea, no cholesterol or fat, most of the protein

Sodium (NOTE: RDA=2300 mg for younger adults; 1500 mg for adults over 40, kids, and anyone with hypertension, heart disease or kidney disease)

• table salt –  2300 mg/teaspoon, 6900 mg/tablespoon
• baking soda – 160 mg per 1/8 t

Sodium in dairy foods

• hard cheeses – ~180-200 mg per 28 g (1 oz.)  is typical–watch out for low-fat cheeses with exaggerated sodium
• milk (skim or whole) 120 mg/cup
• buttermilk – 250 mg/cup
• yogurt (plain nonfat milk-and-cultures-only) 150-180 mg/cup
• cottage cheese – 490 mg/cup (youch!)

Sodium in canned/jarred/boxed goods

NOTE: “Low Sodium” = less than 140 mg/svg; “High-sodium” = more than 500 mg/svg

• canned beans – 400 mg/svg; reduced-sodium ~ 200 mg/svg
• dried beans – 8-10 mg/svg if you don’t add salt
• canned tomatoes – 200-250 mg/svg
• no-salt canned tomatoes – 10-30 mg/svg
• jarred tomato sauce – 400-750 mg/svg
• homemade 5-minute marinara – 25 mg/svg

Fiber (RDA for adults 25-30 g)

• Cruciferous vegetables  and carrots- 3-5 g/half-cup
• apples, oranges (whole), bananas – 3-4 g/piece of fruit
• baked potato – 4 g
• potato chips — are you kidding?
• dried beans, cooked up – 10-15 g/svg
• lettuces, celery, cucumbers etc (watery vegetables) – 1 g or less per serving
• oatmeal (plain unprocessed) – 4 g/half-cup svg
• all-purpose flour – 1 g/ quarter-cup svg
• whole-wheat flour – 4 g/svg