I find it absolutely amazing and scary how many things have added sugars snuck into them. Take taco seasoning for example, a seemingly innocent mix of seasonings and spices right? Wrong! at least for prepacked store bought…and don’t even get me started on bullion bases! Look at the added sugar and carb amount in this Old Elpaso seasoning:
While 3 carbs may not seem like a lot that is for 2 tsps and you use roughly 3 tbsp for a batch of taco meat which would be 27g of carbs(roughly 4.5 per serving) yikes! If you are diabetic and trying to have tight control of your blood sugars this sneaky sugar could lead to higher sugar readings and a need for more insulin which can equal more weight gain. Even if you’re not diabetic who needs this extra sugar? I sure don’t. Trying to control your weight means keeping your insulin low. I have been learning to always watch for hidden sugars and they come under so many names. At least if you know it’s there you can make an informed decision on whether you want to consume it or not. So what is one to do? Well mix up your own! It’s easy and actually less expensive than buying prepackaged seasoning.
I have found I like this recipe from Kim at Low Carb Maven:
- 3 tbsp ground chile powder
- 4 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated onion
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, rubbed
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
I also added just a little dash of granulated monk fruit, this is optional and just to help take some sharpness away from the chile powder which works nice for my kids. If you like spicy add some cayenne pepper to the mix. The seasoning works out to about 1 carb per serving which is way better than 4.5g of carb per serving!
Use 2-4 tbsp of seasoning per 1 pound of ground beef along with 2 tbsp tomato paste and 1/2 cup beef broth. Simmer until most liquid has evaporated. Serve on your cheese taco shells or your favorite low carb soft shell and enjoy with no guilt!
