Many people come to the Minnesota State Fair with empty stomachs and a craving for their deep-fried favorites, but those with special diet needs can now use a list of food facts that can help steer fairgoers to healthier fare.
No one really wants to think about the fat, calories and carbohydrates in classics like deep fried cheese curds, but it's important information for people who have conditions like diabetes. That's why dieticians at Park Nicollet's International Diabetes Center put together the Fair Food Fact Sheet to help navigate people to healthy cuisine.
Some of the details on the fact sheet are eye-opening. For instance, the blooming onion packs 1,500 calories, 186 grams of carbohydrates and 84 grams of fat.
"It's equivalent to about 12 slices of bread, and most people don't' think about it because it's an onion and it's got a little batter on it -- but it really could derail your diet," explained Mary Ziotas-Zacharatos.
Ziotas-Zacharatos explains that most of the fair favorites are foods to watch out for. Mini donuts are one of the worst offenders. Though 15 come in a bag, a serving size is just five. Even then, that's 270 calories and 38 grams of carbohydrates.
It may not be at all surprising to hear that those fried cheese curds are a caloric bomb, with 533 in that carry-away caddy -- and 34 grams of carbohydrates too.
"People don't think anything of them," Ziotas-Zacharatos said of the cheese curds. "They do have breading on them."
Still, here are some surprising options out there. Corn dogs, for example, clock in at just 148 calories and 33 grams of carbohydrates, and those have a good balance of protein and fat. The turkey legs are also a great source of protein, and there are no carbohydrates at all. With 363 calories, they're what diabetics might call a "free food."
Tuesday, June 18 2013 8:34 PM EDT2013-06-19 00:34:07 GMT
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around.
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around. Now New York City has teamed up with AT&T to install 25 solar powered charging stations over the summer.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 4:55 PM EDT2013-06-18 20:55:38 GMT
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village pleaded not guilty.
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village afterward claimed that he opened fire because the victim "thought he was tough in front of his bitch," prosecutors said in court papers Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:46 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:46:32 GMT
Photo courtesy of @N42_21_W71_04)
Riders should anticipate cancellations and delays on the Long Island Rail Road for the Tuesday evening rush. The railroad has canceled 21 trains that normally leave Penn Station between 3:27 and 7:01 p.m.
Riders should anticipate cancellations and delays on the Long Island Rail Road for the Tuesday evening rush. The railroad has canceled 21 trains that normally leave Penn Station between 3:27 and 7:01 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:32:12 GMT
NYC
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, officials said last month, the number of zones would double and encompass about 600,000 more residents.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:05 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:05:09 GMT
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 12:20 PM EDT2013-06-18 16:20:04 GMT
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
