Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made with tripe, hominy, and various seasonings. It’s a hearty and flavorful dish that is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. However, many people wonder just how many carbs are contained in a serving of menudo, especially when it’s made with hominy.
What Is Menudo?
Menudo is a soup that originated in Mexico and is popular throughout Latin America. Some of the main ingredients in menudo include:
- Tripe – Cleaned and cooked cow’s stomach
- Hominy – Dried corn kernels that have been treated with lime
- Chiles – Such as guajillo, pasilla, or ancho chiles
- Onion, garlic, oregano, cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salty pork rind or bacon
- Beef feet are also sometimes added
The tripe imparts a unique flavor to the broth while the hominy provides texture and corn flavor. Menudo is often served with condiments like chopped onion, lime wedges, oregano, and hot sauce on the side to allow people to customize their bowls.
Nutritional Profile of Hominy
One of the main sources of carbohydrates in a menudo dish comes from the hominy. Hominy is made from dried corn kernels that have been treated with an alkali solution like limewater, causing the hull and germ to separate from the kernel.
This process, known as nixtamalization, not only improves the nutritional value of the corn but also allows it to soften and swell when cooked. Here is an overview of the nutrient content in a 1/2 cup serving of canned hominy, drained (104 grams):
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 79 |
| Protein | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 19.5 g |
| Fiber | 2.9 g |
| Sugars | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 17 mg |
| Iron | 1.1 mg |
| Potassium | 127 mg |
| Sodium | 418 mg |
As you can see, a 1/2 cup of canned hominy contains about 20 grams of total carbohydrates. Only a small part comes from natural sugars, while the majority comes from starch.
Carb Count of Menudo
Now that we know the carb content of hominy, we can estimate the total carb count in a bowl of menudo.
A typical serving size of menudo is around 1 1/2 – 2 cups. This usually contains about 1/2 – 1 cup of hominy along with tripe and broth.
Going with 1 cup of hominy per serving, that would contribute around 40 grams of carbs from the hominy alone. The other ingredients like tripe, onion, and seasonings add minimal carbs.
So in total, a 1 3/4 – 2 cup serving of menudo made with hominy would contain approximately:
- Total Carbohydrates: 40-50g
- Fiber: 6-8g
- Net Carbs: 34-42g
The exact amounts can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portions used. But on average, a bowl of hominy menudo will provide around 40 grams of carbs.
Menudo Nutrition Facts
Here is the full nutrition information for a 2 cup serving of menudo with hominy, according to the USDA:
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 262 | 13% |
| Protein | 21.4g | 43% |
| Carbohydrates | 48.4g | 19% |
| Fiber | 7.2g | 29% |
| Sugar | 3.5g | 4% |
| Fat | 3.4g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.2g | 6% |
| Sodium | 537mg | 23% |
| Calcium | 138mg | 10% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 730mg | 21% |
% Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
As you can see, menudo is high in protein from all the tripe and provides a significant amount of fiber. It’s relatively low in fat and contains important vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium.
Tips for Reducing Carbs in Menudo
If you are trying to cut back on carbohydrates, here are some tips for reducing the carbs when making or ordering menudo:
- Use less hominy – Cut back to around 1/2 cup per serving instead of 1 cup.
- Substitute low-carb veggies – Replace some of the hominy with cauliflower rice or riced broccoli.
- Skip the tortillas – Menudo is often served with tortillas, so skip them to remove those carbs.
- Increase veggie garnishes – Load up on extra servings of chopped onions, cilantro, cabbage, radishes instead of hominy.
- Request corn-free – Ask if they can make the menudo without the hominy if dining out.
- Avoid sugary drinks – Skip horchata, aguas frescas, or soda and stick to water or unsweetened iced tea.
Making these simple modifications allows you to enjoy menudo while reducing the total carb content by around 10-20 grams per serving.
Menudo vs Pozole Nutrition
Pozole is another traditional Mexican hominy soup very similar to menudo. However, instead of tripe, it’s made with pork and sometimes chicken.
Pozole also includes hominy along with chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, cabbage, radish, and lime. Here’s a comparison of the nutrition facts in one bowl of menudo versus pozole:
| Nutrient | Menudo (2 cups) | Pozole (2 cups) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 262 | 249 |
| Carbs | 48g | 45g |
| Fiber | 7g | 5g |
| Protein | 21g | 21g |
| Fat | 3g | 6g |
As you can see, both soups are relatively high in carbohydrates due to the hominy. Pozole contains slightly fewer carbs and more fat since it’s made with pork.
However, they are both excellent sources of protein. Menudo may be a slightly better choice if you’re watching your fat intake.
Low Carb Alternatives to Hominy
For an even lower carb menudo or pozole option, you can replace the hominy with one of these alternatives:
- Cauliflower rice – Riced or finely chopped cauliflower adds fiber and vitamin C.
- Broccoli rice – Finely chopped raw broccoli mimics the texture of hominy.
- Turnips – Diced turnips have a mild flavor and crunchy texture.
- Radishes – Sliced radishes provide a peppery crunch.
- Jicama – Cut into small cubes, it’s crunchy and slightly sweet.
- Zucchini – Small diced or spiralized raw zucchini works well.
Swapping out 3/4 – 1 cup of the hominy for an equal amount of one of these low carb veggies can reduce the total carbs per bowl.
Other Ways to Reduce Carbs in Menudo
In addition to modifying the hominy content, here are some other ways to reduce carbs in menudo:
- Use a low-carb tortilla or lettuce wraps instead of regular tortillas on the side.
- Skip rice and beans as side dishes and opt for salad or grilled veggies instead.
- Choose tomatillo salsa or pico de gallo instead of higher sugar tomato-based salsas.
- Flavor with cilantro, lime, jalapeno, and chopped onion rather than sugary sauces.
- Avoid drinking sugary aguas frescas, horchata or soda.
- Boost fat content by topping with avocado slices to help balance carb ratio.
Is Menudo Keto-Friendly?
The ketogenic diet involves restricting carbs to achieve ketosis for weight loss or health benefits. To stay in ketosis, carbs should be limited to around 20-50 grams per day.
Given a 2 cup bowl of menudo contains around 48 grams carbs, it would be difficult to fit it into a strict keto diet. However, there are some ways to modify menudo to make it more keto-friendly:
- Use only 1/2 cup hominy per serving
- Replace 1/2 of the hominy with low carb veggies
- Use chicken or beef feet instead of tripe for more fat/protein
- Add extra fats like avocado, cheese, sour cream as topping
- Avoid tortillas and rice/beans as sides
- Stick to very small portion sizes, around 1 cup
With these changes, you may be able to fit a 1 cup serving of menudo into a keto diet, with a carb count around 15-20 grams.
Net Carbs in Menudo
Net carbs refer to the total carbs minus fiber. On keto, aiming for 25-50g of net carbs allows for more flexibility with fiber-rich foods.
A 2 cup serving of menudo has 48g total carbs and 7g fiber. So the net carb count comes out to 41g.
To make it fit into a 50g net carb limit, you’d need to reduce portion sizes, swap hominy for low carb veggies, and boost fiber with additional veggies.
Menudo for Diabetics
People with diabetes also need to carefully monitor carbohydrate intake to manage blood sugar levels.
As a higher carb dish, menudo would need to be incorporated into the diet plan carefully by diabetics. Here are some tips for enjoying menudo if you have diabetes:
- Discuss with your doctor recommended carb limits for meals
- Control portion sizes based on medical nutrition therapy guidelines
- Substitute some hominy with non-starchy veggies
- Avoid rice, beans, tortillas to balance carb totals
- Check blood sugar before and 2 hours after eating to see response
- Take insulin to cover carb intake as recommended
- Select lower carb side dishes and limit added sauces/salsas
With proper meal planning and carb counting, people with diabetes can still enjoy menudo in moderation while keeping blood sugar in check.
Menudo for Weight Loss
Menudo can also be incorporated into a weight loss diet with some modifications.
Tripe is low in fat and calories, plus the dish is rich in protein which helps with satiety. However, the carb content may be higher than ideal for some weight loss plans.
Here are some tips for enjoying menudo on a weight loss diet:
- Limit portion size to 1 – 1 1/2 cups
- Choose menudo with extra vegetables instead of hominy
- Avoid rice, flour tortillas and chips/salsa
- Fill up on salad, grilled veggies or broth-based soup first
- Swap in riced cauliflower or shredded zucchini for some hominy
- Skip sugary drinks like horchata, stick to water
Menudo can absolutely be part of a healthy weight loss plan when appropriate portions and substitutions are made to reduce carbs, fat, and calories.
Conclusion
Menudo with hominy contains around 40-50 grams of carbohydrates per 2 cup serving. While it is higher in carbs, there are many ways to tweak the traditional recipe to reduce the carbs and make it fit into low-carb, keto, diabetic, or weight loss diets.
With modifications to the hominy content, portion sizes, and side dishes, menudo can be an occasional part of many different diet plans. Just be mindful of limiting carb counts and enjoy this delicious soup in moderation.
