Month: October 2012

Avoiding the Temptation of the Girl Scout Cookies

It’s that time of year again. In the past, this temptation could be avoided until January, when our willpower is still holding strong after New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, the system has been revamped and we are now being tempted in late October/early November, a time during which the holiday stresses may have already begun and our willpower is possibly at its weakest point. What is this yearly temptation? Girl Scout cookies. The cute little girls in their cute little uniforms looking so innocent and sweet and trying to win a bike or some other award for selling the most cookies can be quite tempting. The cookies themselves, with the mint chocolate and other varieties, are a temptation all on their own. Read on to garner some strength to prevent this fundraiser from ruining your low carb or other diet. 


If Possible, Avoid Ordering
The easiest way to avoid binging on these great-tasting cookies is to not order them at all. But for those without daughters, nieces, granddaughters, or other young female family members, this may be easier to accomplish. In the past, even for those with young relatives, it was much easier to skip ordering them, since orders would be taken well in advance of receiving the cookies. Now, however, they have changed things up for us, and the cookies are available in a very short time – this is great for those who don’t count carbs, but for those of us who do, it makes the temptation that much greater to order. Limit the Amount Ordered, Or Choose a Variety You Don’t Enjoy

For those who do have young family members selling Girl Scout cookies, you can limit yourself to purchasing only one box, or only a variety you don’t like. It may seem like a waste to order a type of cookie you won’t eat, but this way you can help your young relative reach her goal without being so tempted to ravenously ingest all the calories that come with a box of Girl Scout cookies you love and ruining your low carb or sugar free diet. Plus, you will have a nice treat on hand to offer guests. 

Provide Yourself a Replacement
If it seems impossible for you to skip buying Girl Scout cookies, and it looks as though your low carb diet may truly be ruined by the temptation that is the once-a-year cookie offering, you will want to have replacements on hand. We all know that there is no actual substitute for the real Girl Scout cookie, but if you order versions you don’t really love, and you also have a low carb version in your cabinets, you will be less likely to give in to temptation. 
Are you ready to stock up on great low carb or sugar-free cookies to help you withstand the temptation of Girl Scout Cookies? Visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites to find a replacement cookie that will taste great and give you the willpower you need!
 


Cows Eat Candy – How Does This Affect Your Sugar-Free Diet?

With the drought this year, the cost of many types of foods has risen, with corn being one of them. Because of this, farm animal feed costs have gotten higher, which translates into higher-priced meat such as bacon. For some farmers and ranchers, however, it leads to alternative feeding methods to reduce costs. Some cows are now being fed a variety of different types of alternative feed, one of which includes candy. So how does the increased sugar intake of cows affect them? For those on a low-sugar diet, will the cow’s milk or meat be affected? Read on to find out.  

According to CNN Money, farmers have been mixing candy in with the feed for cows for a long time, as it is cheaper than other types of feed and can save some money. With the increased cost of corn over this last year, the cost for cattle feed has increased exponentially, causing many farmers to increase the amount of sugar-filled candy they feed to the cows.The first question, of course, is how this affects the cows – is it harmful to their health? According to livestock nutritionists, it is not harmful to the cows to feed them candy, including such items as ice cream sprinkles and hot chocolate mix. This doesn’t mean that the diet of the cows is completely overhauled, and to keep the cows in good health farmers are limiting the amount of candy in the cow’s diet to 3% of their overall food intake.

The benefit seen for the farmers is not only the upfront monetary savings, but it seems to have had beneficial side effects on the cows physically as well. Unlike humans, who typically like to adhere to a low-sugar; diet to keep weight in check, it is a good thing when a cow gains weight without additional cost of feed. Another side effect that seems to be caused in the cows that consume this amount of sugar – increased milk production. According to the CNN Money article, one farmer has seen an increase of approximately three pounds per cow per day, which he attributes solely to the sugar in the ice cream sprinkles he has fed his cows.

So it’s good for the cows, but what about humans? If you are on a low sugar diet, what happens when a cow eats candy containing sugar? Does it make it into the meat and milk? According to reports, it has no effect on any part of the animal for human consumption, so there is no need for those on a low sugar diet to be concerned with farmers feeding cows candy.

Since a diet laden with sugar-filled candy is not optimal for humans in the way it is for cows, visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites. There you can find sugar-free candy and a variety of other foods items to help you maintain your sugar free lifestyle.

Halloween Candy Temptations – Stick with Sugar-Free

It’s officially October, the month of Halloween, which not only means ghouls and goblins and costumes and parties, but it also means lots of sugary candy. If you dread this time of year simply because the candy availability makes it difficult to stick to your low carb or low sugar diet, read on to learn about the many options available now that can allow you to get through Halloween without taking in any unnecessary sugar.

Well-Known Candy Companies Now Offering Sugar-Free Candy

There have always been a few types of sugar free candy available throughout the year, but these types of candies weren’t always very tasty or they simply weren’t the type of candy you would want for Halloween. This year, however, you can enjoy more candy than ever before – many well-known candy companies have finally begun offering great tasting sugar free candies that are perfect for the upcoming holiday.

Peanut Brittle – Is this a staple holiday favorite for you, but you haven’t had it in a while because of sugar content? You no longer have to go without this great-tasting treat, as you can find sugar-free peanut brittle that will taste great and curb that craving.

Chocolate and Mint – This mixture is a staple candy item for many, but the sugar content is too high to ever indulge in it. This is no longer the case, however, since Hershey’s offers a York Peppermint Patty that is sugar free. Your Halloween can be as tasty as it was before you began your low sugar diet.

Sour Candy – If your favorite type of candy is sour gummy worms or some other sour candy, you may have been missing out on Halloween to avoid the sugar content. This holiday can be different, however, not that Jelly Belly offers sugar free jelly beans in many varieties – including sour.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – For those who love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, there is no better choice than the famed Reese’s. This Halloween, however, you can enjoy this great flavor combination without ruining your diet. Hershey’s now offers a sugar free variety that comes in individually-wrapped pieces, making them a great choice for eating or for giving out to trick-or-treaters.

 

Thanks for reading our article! Shop our wide selection of great sugar-free candies at Linda’s Diet Delites to get all the candy you need for Halloween.