In many American cities, Mexican restaurants are becoming as common as Italian pizzerias and classic diners, and for good reason. Mexican cuisine is truly delicioso, with its wonderful mix of grilled meats, amazing salsas, and classic burritos, tacos and enchiladas.

But like any restaurant, there are good menu choices and not-so-good ones, particularly for people with diabetes. First off, portions are often huge at Mexican restaurants. Plus lots of choices are fried, topped with full-fat cheese, or loaded with white rice (definitely a blood-sugar problem). We want you to enjoy life and enjoy eating, so go ahead and grab a table—but follow our guidance. We’ve decoded a typical Mexican menu to help you spot heart-healthy meals that won’t compromise your blood sugar.

Start off healthfully.Immediately tell the waitperson NOT to bring you fried tortilla chips, but rather soft corn tortillas to go with your salsa. You want soft because crisp tortilla chips are fried, meaning they’re filled with oil that you won’t find in soft tortillas. You want corn because it’s lower in calories and carbs than flour. A six-inch corn tortilla, not fried, is 50 calories and 11 grams of carbs; the same size flour version is 110 calories and 21 grams of carbs; meanwhile, 12 fried tortilla chips total 139 calories and 19 grams of carbs.

As to what to eat with tortillas, limit it to salsa.No cheese-laden nachos or quesadillas. In fact, pass on the high-calorie guacamole as an appetizer; if you are going to indulge, do so with your entrée. Otherwise, you’ll eat too much as you wait for your main meal to arrive. Even better, skip the tortillas entirely and get a healthier starter. Look for ceviches (marinated seafood dishes), gazpacho, tortilla soup, or a salad with avocado and tomato slices.

Watch the taco salad.The Mexican ‘salad’ trap leads many people astray. Taco salads are served in a deep fried tortilla bowl and covered in cheese and sour cream—a calorie, carb, and fat nightmare. Ask for the salad to be served on a regular plate, and nix the tortilla strips, sour cream, and cheese. It’ll still be a scrumptious salad if you add extra lean chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, black olives, onions and veggies.

Go with the sizzle.Fajitas are one of the best options at a Mexican restaurant. They’re a fairly healthy dish, but you’ll still feel like you’re indulging. Beef and chicken (or even better, veggie) fajitas are roasted and seasoned without fat to make them flavorful and light. Better yet, they come with a load of tasty bell peppers and onions. Fajitas are also served with a mound of tortillas, with the idea that you’ll put the meat and veggies on them and eat them like a soft taco. Do that for one or two tortillas (ONLY if you skipped the tortillas as appetizer), then eat the remaining meat and veggies with a fork. You’ll get all the flavor with fewer carbs.

A few more do-withouts.You really don’t need sour cream with your dinner; nor do you need a thick layer of melted cheese. We suggest you add salsa instead; in fact, ask for salsa verde (green salsa) in addition to the traditional salsa bowl they bring you. Green salsa, often made from peppers and tomatillos, has a wonderful—and much different—flavor that adds depth to any dish.

Make a few swaps.One of the most important is to swap out black beans for refried beans, which contain 39 carbs per cup and are usually made which artery-clogging lard. Also, trade seasoned white rice for pico de gallo (a mixture of onions and tomatoes in a zesty sauce) and you’ll cut out almost 21 grams of carbohydrates!