August 25, 2023 Get ready for burger time

For a speedy lunch or dinner, you can’t beat a grilled burger. But the patty you choose and the toppings you pile on can turn your meal from nutritionally okay to uh-oh.

Nothing beats making a burger from scratch—after all, you need only a handful of ingredients. But, if you don’t have the time or patience to cook from scratch, make like a detective in the grocery store,

says Jennifer Buccino, people affected by diabetes (PAD) knowledge & connection executive director at Diabetes Canada.

Where’s the protein?

“Read the labels carefully and make sure the first ingredient listed is some kind of protein, such as beef, chicken, fish, or soy,” she says.

How much sodium is there?

Double-check the sodium content of frozen burgers. “Ready-made burgers are extremely high in sodium—a certain brand of shrimp burger contains 770 mg of sodium per patty—but 400 mg of sodium per patty should be your absolute upper limit,” Buccino says.

What’s your carb limit?

She also recommends reviewing the carbohydrate content of your burgers if you are aiming for a specific amount of carbs in your meals. “If you’re trying to maintain a consistent carb intake, only have half a bun or skip it entirely if the bun increases the carb amount to a higher level than what is on your meal plan.”

Choose small patties that fit on burger buns. The patties should weigh around four ounces (113 grams) each. Since few are this small, consider trimming the larger ones after grilling.

What should you know about grilling?

And, speaking of grilling, reduce the temperature of your barbecue so the burgers cook thoroughly without charring. Blackened bits of grilled food contain advanced glycation end-products (or AGEs), which contribute to chronic diseases such as diabetes. For more information on AGEs, see “Did You Know?” below.

Are you having veggies with that?

“The amount of fresh vegetables you add to a burger should match the size of the burger itself,” says Buccino. And when it comes to toppings, she offers this advice: “Go for crunch and flavour with red onions, sweet peppers, fresh herbs and greens. Put the toppings on first, along with freshly ground black pepper, and you may find you don’t need high-sodium condiments like ketchup or relish. You can also opt for low-fat mayonnaise, mustard or horseradish.”

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Goat Cheese

Portobello mushrooms caps are so meaty-tasting, you’ll find these low-fat veggie burgers truly satisfying. This recipe has been adapted from The Diabetes Prevention & Management Cookbook by Johanna Burkhard and Barbara Allan.

2 tbsp (25 mL) balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp (15 mL) honey-Dijon mustard

1½ tsp (7 mL) chopped fresh thyme

¼ tsp (1 mL) black pepper

4 large portobello mushrooms caps

4 thin whole-grain buns, split

4 oz. (125 g) soft goat cheese

2 cups (500 mL) arugula

2 tomatoes, sliced

In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper, then brush mixture on both sides of mushroom caps.

On a grill preheated to medium, cook mushroom caps for about 6 minutes, turning once, until softened. Lightly toast buns.

Spread cut sides of buns with goat cheese. Layer mushroom caps, arugula and tomatoes on bottom half of bun, and top with the other half.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional breakdown per serving: 42 g carbohydrate, 15 g protein, 10 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 8 g fibre, 479 mg sodium, 305 calories

© robertrose.ca

Looking for another delicious made-from-scratch recipe? Try our Falafel Burgers with Creamy Sesame Sauce.

Did you know?

High-heat cooking methods like roasting and frying increase the blackened bits of grilled food that contain advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) that contribute to chronic diseases such as diabetes. You can reduce the amount you eat with a few simple steps. For more tips about eating well, visit Healthy Eating.

This updated article originally appeared in Diabetes Dialogue.