low carb diet – Linda's Diet Delites Blog

Low Carb, High Fat Diets Are Not Bad for Your Heart

Recent research has found that low carbohydrate/high fat diets will not lead to hardening of the arteries in patients.

Dr. Kerry Stewart of Johns Hopkins reported that those who lost 10 pounds after undertaking a low carb/high fat diet had no more hardening of the arteries than a dieter on a traditional low fat diet.

Presenting to the American College of Sports Medicine in Denver he said “Losing weight may be more important to health than the diet you’re on, counter to what the public has been told for the last 20 or so years,”

There has been much opposition to low carb/high fat diets over the years, with researchers often raising concerns about adverse effects on heart health and blood vessels in dieters who go on low carb diets such as the Atkins diet.

These latest studies show that low carb diets can actually have a positive effect on heart health including, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. They also show that the diets may reduce the risk of artery diseases such as atherosclerosis, so therefore reduce the risk of heart disease.

Stewart enrolled 55 obese or overweight, but relatively healthy, patients aged between 30 and 65 to take part in a lifestyle modification program. None of the patients had heart disease, or any markers of risk to cardiovascular health.

The patients were split into two groups with one set being given a low carb diet to follow for six months and the other a low fat diet. They also had to undertake an hour of supervised exercise three days a week. Researchers then monitored the patients for arterial stiffness and various other blood vessel health measures.

The findings showed that the same number of people in each group lost 10 pounds, but those on the low carb diet lost the weight quicker; in 45 days as opposed to the 70 days it took the low fat dieters to lose 10 pounds.

Tests on the patients revealed that there were no changes in arterial stiffness in either of the diet groups, nor was there any change in endothelial functions. Even with adjustments made to take into account the different lengths of time it took to lose the weight, the results of each group were the same.

In an interview with MedPage Dr. Stewart said: “My theory is that if people can achieve weight loss, it will benefit vasculature in every other system of body. Weight loss, in the long run, will count more than the specific content of the diet.”

The research also showed that there weren’t any acute effects on vascular function after a single high fat meal. A companion study with 66 patients revealed that there were no changes in endothelial function after consuming a meal at MacDonalds that contained 900 calories and 50 grams of fat. Conversely, it was discovered that arterial stiffness improved by 16% after consuming the meal. Of this finding Steward remarked: “It really seemed to make the arteries relax more, but we’re not entirely sure how. We’ll have to look more deeply into that.”

Other researchers have asked for longer-term follow up research, and for analysis to be included of the effects of different types of fat.

Steward promised that he would look at future analysis breaking down the types of fat consumed and assured people that the dieticians involved in the initial study had advised patients to stick to healthier fats such as monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids

He also added that this research should help put aside doctors and dieters concerns about low carb diets.

Michael Nace is a low carb blogger for Linda’s Diet Delites, a leading online retailer of the finest low carb foods!

Hidden Carbs in Foods

We all know that low carb diets are excellent ways of losing weight. By restricting the amount of carbohydrates we eat, the body produces less glucose which in turn means our body burn more fat. However, whilst we know that we need to avoid breads, pastas, baked goods etc, are we really aware of just how many carbs are found in other foods? Foods that we consider to be carb free can actually be harboring a lot of hidden carbs.

Processed Carbs

Lots of processed condiments and salad dressing have either sugar added, or if it’s a low fat equivalent, then artificial sweeteners such as maltodextrin, dextrose and corn syrup solids. These additives are all carbohydrates and have exactly the same glycemix index as glucose. As well as being sweetened with these chemicals, processed foods are quite often thickened with wheat or corn starches as well.

Blended spices such as Chinese 5 spice, garam masala and chilli powder can surprisingly contain up to a gram per teaspoon. Spices made from roots, bark or seeds such as coriander, cinnamon and black pepper also contain a gram per teaspoon. Stock cubes usually contain sugar and corn syrup and have about a gram per ½ cube.

Processed meats in particular tend to have hidden carbs; ham, corned beef, meatloaf, bacon and sausages all contain either sugar or starch fillers added, and in some cases both. Products labelled low or non-fat are more likely to have starches added. Canned fish products also have sugars and starches added to their sauces or brine. Imitation crab meat is particularly high in added carbs with 12-15 grams of carbs for every 4 ounces.

Natural Carbs

It’s not just processed foods that have hidden carbohydrates, natural foods such as cream, cheese, eggs, fish and meats in their natural states. Liver scores high in naturally found carbohydrates with beef having almost 9 grams per 4 oz serving and veal or calf liver having 3.1 grams. Even seafood has hidden carbs – clams, mussels and oysters being the worst offenders with 5.8 grams, 8.4 grams and 8 grams respectively for a 4 oz cooked serving.

Food labelling can be misleading, in the US for example food manufacturers are allowed to round up (or down) the numbers, so a carton of heavy cream could have the label showing as zero carbohydrates when in actual fact it contains 0.6 grams per ounce. Cheddar cheese has 0.5 grams per ounce and Swiss cheese 0.9 grams. Half a cup of ricotta has 6 grams of carbs and fat-free plain yogurt has 8 grams per ½ cup.

Beverages

We know that alcoholic beverages contain carbs, with beer and wine being the worse culprits. We are also aware that the way that they are absorb by the liver rather than being used directly for fuel means that they stall weight loss but did you know that other beverages are also hiding carbs?

Coffee, both regular and decaffeinated, contains 0.8 grams per 6 fluid ounces. Herbal teas can contain up to 0.5 grams with fruit-teas having even more.

Low Carb Diets in the News This Week

Once again low carb diets have been much talked about in the news this week, two main stories have emerged about the benefits that can be achieved by undertaking a diet low in carbs but high in protein.

Ketogenic Diet Proves Successful in Completely Reversing Kidney Failure in Mice

First, extensive research on laboratory mice has shown that a ketogenic diet may be the answer to kidney dialysis in the future. Mice predisposed to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes were permitted to develop kidney failure, once this had been established the mice were then split into 2 groups, the first group were fed a low carb – high fat diet and the second a normal high carb diet. Within just 8 weeks all signs of kidney failure had been completely reversed in the first group of mice on the low carb diet whilst the second group saw no change.

Scientists now believe that this may be the solution for resetting the gene that causes kidney failure in diabetes patients and hopefully lead to an end to kidney dialysis, although testing in humans with later stage kidney failure is a long way off as more studies need to be completed on mice first. However for those in the early stages of kidney disease this is a very important finding.

The ketogenic diet has also been proved efficient in dealing with drug resistant epilepsy in children, with sufferers of acute epilepsy seeing their seizures drops from dozens a day to virtually zero within a few weeks of being on the diet.

Banning High Carb Foods from Your Diet Actually Stops You from Craving Them

Elsewhere in the news, a 2 year research project has found that banning certain foods does not lead to cravings as previous thought, but for the person to actually have much fewer cravings. 270 men and women were split into 2 groups; half were put onto a low fat/low protein diet and the other half onto a low carb/high protein diet. The findings after 2 years showed that the low carb/high protein dieters saw much bigger decreases in foods high in carbs than the low fat group.

Low Carb Diets are the Fastest Way to Reduce Liver Fat

Lowering your carb intake has found to be an effective and fast way to reduce liver fat a recent research program has proven. A sample of 18 participants with non-alcohol fatty liver disease took part in the study and half were assigned a low carb and the second a low calorie diet. The low carb dieters were only allowed 20g of carbs in their first week and were then assessed and giving specially prepared meals that had been worked out for their individual needs of proteins and carbohydrates, the second were kept on a calories restrictive diet of 1200 calories for women and 1500 calories a day for men.

After 2 weeks the participants underwent advanced imaging techniques to determine how much liver fat they had lost. Both groups showed losses in liver fat however the low carb groups showed much greater losses with some of the participants losing almost half of their liver fat.

As a side note, the research also showed that although the study was not about actually weight loss both the low calorie group and the low carb group both lost an average of 10lbs each in the two week trial.

Linda’s Diet Delights has an extensive range of low carb foods to choose from.

Dining Out On a Low Carb Diet

Dining out when you’re on any diet can be a minefield, and a low carb diet is no exception. Restaurants and fast food joints seem to have their menus filled with deliciously tempting high carb foods which are strictly no-go. It’s all too easy to turn down offers of dinner dates and evenings out with friends because you don’t want to be tempted and fall off the diet wagon. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Yes, there will be a lot of items on the menu that are out of bounds for you, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fantastically delicious meal and enjoy a night out.

If possible check the restaurant’s website, a lot of restaurants will have their menu on their websites so you can study the menu at your leisure and decide what you can and can’t choose from. If you feel that there really isn’t anything that suits your diet plan you could ring them to see what specials they may be serving up that night.

Some restaurants are going to be less low carb friendly than others, maybe leave the pasta and Indian restaurants until you feel more confident in making the correct diet choices.

A lot of fast food restaurant chains now serve up low carb options; Burger King for instance, will sell their burgers without a bun and provide cutlery for you. Most will happily serve you your food without the bread if you ask, and all will have salad options that you can chose over fries. Remember to stay clear of those sodas and milkshakes though.

Ask for extra vegetables or side salad in place of potatoes, fries or rice with your meal. Your waiter or waitress will be used to special dietary requests and won’t bat an eye.

Do fill up at the salad bar, a lot of restaurant chains have excellent salad bars with a huge amount of choice, although do remember which vegetables your particular diet permits.

If you find the salad choices on the menu a bit bland, why not ask if the kitchen can put a sandwich filling that you like the look of on top of a plain salad for you.

When the bread basket arrives, make sure it’s as far away as possible from you, it’s all too easy to subconsciously start nibbling on something in front of you. Likewise with the breadsticks.

In the unlikely event that a restaurant won’t swap your fries for extra vegetables, you’re bound to find an eager fellow diner in your party who will be more than willing to gain some extra fries in exchange for his broccoli.

You will probably have to forego a dessert unless there’s a sorbet or fruit option. However, you can always reward yourself with a low carb dessert when you get home.

Watch the sauces and salad dressings as these can be laden with hidden carbs. If in doubt take your own low carb dressing and ask for your salad without any dressing.

Consider ordering two starters instead of a main course if the starter menu looks more low carb friendly.

If you’re going around to a friend’s house for dinner warn them in advance of your low carb eating regime so that they can cook you some tasty alternatives.

Above all, have fun. After eating out a few times you’ll become a seasoned professional at picking low carb choices and it will be second nature to you.

The Lowdown on Celiac Disease and Gluten Free Diets

Take a stroll through your local supermarket, and you’ll notice a ton of new gluten free foods. Find out what a gluten free diet is all about, and whether eating gluten free might be a good dietary decision for you and your family.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a type of protein that is commonly found in most types of grain, in particular wheat, rye and barley. Because gluten is found in most cereal grains then foods such as breads, cakes, breakfast cereals and many types of processed food where gluten is as a thickener need to be avoided by those who are sensitive to gluten. Gluten can also pop up in other unexpected places such as medicines, cosmetics, lip-balm, and vitamin tablets where it’s used as a binding or bulking agent.

Why go Gluten-free?

Sufferers of the digestive disorder Celiac disease need to undertake a gluten free diet as gluten can cause severe damage to the small intestine. This damage prevents the body from absorbing the vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed from food, without these nutrients the body becomes prone to illness and fatigue.

Symptoms of Celiac disease include diarrhea, abdominal pains, weight loss, general weakness and even malnutrition. Those with Celiac disease are also more likely to suffer malabsorption problems with internal organs such as the liver and gall bladder, as well as osteoporosis, infertility, anemia, tooth enamel loss and internal bleeding. Untreated Celiac disease can be life threatening.

Who is Affected by Celiac Disease?

It’s thought that almost 1 in 133 Americans suffer from Celiac disease, although 97% of sufferers are unaware they have the disease. Celiac is a hereditary disease that usually presents itself in early infancy. However more and more adults are being diagnosed with Celiac disease, in particular people between the ages of 30 and 45.

It is prudent to get yourself checked out by your doctor if you think you have a wheat intolerance, as many people have been found to have undetected Celiac disease this way. A simple blood test can detect whether a patient is likely to have Celiac disease with a follow up biopsy of the small intestine taken. Celiac Disease affects both men and women equally and you are more likely to have it if a close member of your family is affected by it.

Studies show that those of Northern European descent are more likely to have Celiac disease, along with those from parts of India, Pakistan, North Africa and the Middle East.

How to Treat Celiac Disease

As yet there is no known cure for Celiac disease. The only way to manage it is to eat a gluten free diet.

Other Reasons to be Gluten Free

Many people now believe that gluten free diets for children can be beneficial for those on the Autism spectrum. While no clinical trials have taken place to confirm or deny this there is a definite growing trend for a gluten free diet to treat a number of ailments. From Parkinson’s disease to diabetes, multiple sclerosis to arthritis, research is showing that an improved digestive system leads to better overall health and sufferers of these, and many other diseases, are showing less symptoms and faster recovery times.

Gluten-free for Weight Loss

A gluten free diet will be low in net carbs and low GI. It will also, by default, be high in protein which in turn makes it a very good diet plan for losing weight, providing that you’re not trading in your gluten for high sugar content food instead.

Gluten-free Alternatives

Thankfully there are lots of gluten free alternatives on the market, including chips, bagels, cookies, brownies, breads, cereals and pizza crusts. We at Linda’s Diet Delights are online leaders in the Gluten-free market and stock a large range of gluten-free foods.

Thanks for reading our article! Did you know that there are many great-tasting gluten free food products on the market today that can make sticking to your gluten free diet a breeze? Linda’s Diet Delites is a leading online supplier of low carb food products, offering a wide selection at affordable prices. Take a look!

Michael Nace is a low carb blogger for Linda’s Diet Delites. He is not a Doctor, and his article does not represent the view and opinions of Linda’s Diet Delites, nor are his articles meant to be construed as medical advice.

Low Carb Diet 101: What You Need To Know About Atkins, Net Carbs & GI

Both Low Carb and Low GI (glycemic index) diets have taken the world by storm. Both have been proven to be highly efficient at reducing weight and improving health, and both concentrate of how much glucose the body produces. Whilst both diets centre around restricting carbohydrate intake there are some significant differences between the two.

Low Carb Diet

The Low Carb diet was pioneered by US Cardiologist Dr. Robert C. Atkins in 1972 and uses a process called ketosis to burn fat as fuel instead of glucose. To achieve this, the overall intake of carbohydrate, which the body turns into glucose, needs to be severely restricted. The initial stage of the New Atkins diet only allows for 20g of net carbs per day (an average slice of white bread contains 15g of net carbs). Along with all grain based carbohydrates, many vegetables are also banned for the initial stages of the diet as they contain high levels of starch. The bulk of the diet is made up from protein in the form of meat, fish and eggs, low carbohydrate vegetables such as salad vegetables, fruit, and dairy.

A low carb diet is very good for rapid weight reduction and is ideal for people who are very overweight. Because of its quick results, it’s considered a good diet plan for motivation as people can see the effects of the Low Carb plan rapidly while not struggling with hunger. The Low Carb diet is often used to treat ailments such as diabetes, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and even extreme epilepsy.

Some of the proven positive effects of a low carb diet are:

Weight loss
Reduced blood glucose for diabetics
Increased HDL (good) cholesterol
Improved insulin sensitivity
Lowered blood pressure
Lower blood insulin level
Increased energy
Sugar cravings reduced
Improved concentration
Less mood swings

Low GI Diet

Low GI diets such as the South Beach diet and Zone diet concentrate on the Glycemic Index, which rates all foods on its index with a number between 1 and 100 with foods numbered 55 or less as low GI, 56-69 as medium GI, and above 70 as high GI. Food are categorized as low, medium or high GI by looking at a number of elements.

1. Does a food contain carbohydrates?

Any foods that don’t contain carbohydrates such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy and fats have zero effect on the body’s ability to product glucose so are considered low GI.

2. How much starch does a food contain?

Raw foods that contain starch are usually in a compact form that the body will be unable to break down easily, so they are therefore low GI. However, starchy foods such as grains that have been processed have had this compact form altered so that the body can more easily digest them and turn into glucose.

3. How much fiber does a food contain?

The more fiber a food contains, the slower the body can break it down and turn it into glucose. Therefore most grains and beans are either low or medium GI.

4. What kind of sugar does a food contain?

Along with glucose, there are another 3 types of sugar. Fructose found in fruit, and lactose found in dairy are both slow to break down and convert into glucose so are low GI. Sucrose has a medium GI.

5. Does the food contain fat?

Fat does not effect glucose, but it does slow down the speed of food in your system so therefore has an overall slowing effect in the production of glucose in your body.

6. How acidic is a food?

Acidity also slows a food down through the digestive tract, thus helping to slow the rate at which it is converted to glucose.

The basis of a low GI diet is to ensure that you eat only foods that have low or medium GI ratings and that you avoid high GI foods. Although, if you do eat high GI foods they should be small portions and be eaten alongside low GI foods that will decrease the overall GI rating of the meal.

Benefits of a low GI diet include:

Appetite control
Lowered risk of diabetes type 2
Better physical endurance
Lowered risk of heart disease
Increase of body’s sensitivity to insulin
Weight loss & maintenance of healthy body weight
Doesn’t ban any foods
High in fiber
Lowers blood lipids
Lessen fatigues and enhances moods

As you can see, both diet plans have many similarities, and both have been proven to be exceptional aids for weight loss. Both plans are to be treated as lifestyle changes rather than short fix diets and the long term effects of reducing your overall processed, starchy carbohydrates has proven healthy benefits that more and more people are realizing.

The Old Atkins Versus the New Atkins: A Guide To Low Carb Induction

The Atkins Diet Revolution has undergone a radical change over the post 40 years. Read about whether the “new Atkins” approach to induction is as effective as the original induction phase developed by the good Doctor himself back in the ’60s.

The Atkins Diet is immediately thought of as the original low carb diet that all other low carb diet variants are based on. And more recently, the Atkins company has been making a comeback, offering a wide range of low carb bars, low carb shakes, and now even low carb pasta to help people add some sweets and starches back into their low carb lifestyle without breaking their diet. But the fact is, the new Atkins Diet is quite different from Dr. Atkins’ original Diet Revolution — especially in the “induction” phase.

Years ago, when I first decided to investigate low carb diets, I picked up Atkins’ original Diet Revolution book in paperback. Not knowing that he had in fact published a new addition of his diet, I digested his book carefully, committing to memory the science, rationale, and philosophy behind Dr. Atkins’ proven methods for helping people lose weight without being hungry.

Recently, however, I happened across some of the new literature that Atkins’ brand and company has published about “The New Atkins” Diet. I was incredibly surprised to see how the diet has changed from Dr. Atkin’s original low carb diet plan from the late 1960s! The following article acts as a guide for low carb dieters to understand the difference between the new Atkins versus the old Atkins Diet Revolution in the induction phase.

The Atkins Induction Phase: What You Cannot Eat

Continue reading The Old Atkins Versus the New Atkins: A Guide To Low Carb Induction

The Fat Farce: Low Carb Dieting & The Myth About Eating Fat

News Flash: the fat you eat on a low carb diet doesn’t end up on your thighs.

Of all the diet foods you’ll find in your local supermarket, none is more popular than the “low fat” variety. From soups and snacks to decadent desserts, nearly every food staple has a high profile, low fat variant. Shoppers in search of a quick and seemingly easy entrance in to the world of dieting figure that the most obvious approach is to simply change out all of their usual food products with low fat varieties. After all, fat is what we’re all looking to burn, so removing it from our diets would be the most obvious approach.

Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Since the dawn on the low carb diet in the 1960s, dieters have been consuming hefty amounts of dietary fat along with protein while restricting their carbs — and dropping fat and pounds by the cartload!

The fact of the matter is, the idea that the fat we eat in our diet becomes the same substance that leads to love handles, spare tires, and flabby thighs is a scientific misnomer, trotted out by countless diet-guru charlatans and carpet baggers. Even recognized institutions, such as the AMA and the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office have spread the misinformation about dietary fat. For decades, the low fat farce has been ingrained into the U.S. mainstream, so that a majority of Americans believe that the fat on their bacon strips gets eaten and becomes the stuff that makes our bodies jiggle.

How Carbs and Sugar Become Body Fat

If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of flipping through the cable channels and witnessing someone getting their fanny liposuctioned on reality T.V., then you know that, even by mere sight, there’s a big difference between dietary fat and body fat. It is true that the body stores fat in a way of stockpiling reserve nutrition and energy. But body fat is not created by eating dietary fat — it is manufactured by converting carbohydrates and sugar into body fat.

In this way, a dieter can go to the grocery store, stock up on every low fat product on the market today, and still gain weight. This is because any carbohydrates that you eat over your own personal Critical Carbohydrate Level — or CCL — is not purged by your body, but rather is retained as dietary fat. This is metabolism 101.

Of course, if you restrict your calories in a day to 1200 or less and exercise like a fiend, you can eat as many grams of carbohydrates as you want. The problem is, millions of Americans have found that the hunger and convenience associated with low calorie diets and daily exercising just doesn’t fit their lifestyle. Simply put, Americans want to eat more and exercise less while still losing losing weight.

That’s why the low carb diet is a perfect option.

Why Low Carb is Healthy and Low Fat is Dangerous

As Dr. Atkins outlined in his groundbreaking Diet Revolution, we humans aren’t built to eat copious amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. While we are indeed omnivores, our diet is meant to be comprised mainly of protein and fat, with carbs, sugars, and starches being added in sparingly. This comes as a surprise to many Americans, especially considering that we all learned about the food pyramid in school — the carbs and starches at the bottom of the pyramid were the most abundant, and low carb staples, such as proteins, meats, cheese, oil, anf at, are all meant to be eaten in small quantities.

The low carb diet basically turns the food pyramid on its head.

On the other hand, restricting dietary fat has been shown to be a dangerous game in the world of dieting. The fact, our bodies need dietary fat in order to create the good kind of cholesterol that keeps our cardio system functioning properly. A lack of fat in our diet has actually been proven to raise bad cholesterol levels in many people, all while doing absolutely nothing to help lose weight.

Low carb diets can be tough for people to sign on to, given the fact that the science behind low carb dieting flies in the face of what the mainstream medical community has told us for years. But when you consider the fact that nearly two-thirds of the American population is currently overweight, one has to start questioning the validity of the traditional food pyramid and the myths about fat, meat, and carbohydrates.

Thanks for reading our article! Did you know that there are many great-tasting low carb food products on the market today that can make sticking to your low carb diet a breeze? Linda’s Diet Delites is a leading online supplier of low carb food products, offering a wide selection at affordable prices. Take a look!

Michael Nace is a low carb blogger for Linda’s Diet Delites.

The Top 3 Reasons Why Low Carb Diets Fail & Why They Shouldn’t

It isn’t even a question — no diet plan helps people lose weight faster and easier than the low carb variety. But even with a wide range of low carb food on the market, people still revert back to their carby lifestyle. Here are the top three low carb pitfalls — and how to avoid them!

Anyone who has ever committed themselves to a low carb lifestyle knows that cutting down daily carbs helps drop weight quickly and easily. It is virtually the only diet in the world that can help you lose weight without starving. On top of that, the metabolic state induced by a low carb diet — known commonly by dieters as ketosis — does more than just release “water weight.” With a low carb diet, you are always burning body fat, which not only helps you lose poundage, but also inches.

Given all of the benefits of a low carb diet, why do so many people revert back to their old ways of eating, thus regaining the weight?

Here are three top reasons why low carb diets fail, and what you can do to avoid them:

Reason #1: Holidays and Birthdays

High carbohydrate foods have become not just a mainstay in American cuisine, but also are a cultural phenomenon as well. This is especially true when it comes to celebrating with food in the U.S.: pumpkin and apple pie, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, breads, cookies, and other sweets are all seen as crucial to the holiday season beginning with Thanksgiving and ending on New Year’s Day. The same is true with birthdays: many of us imagine a birthday bash with a birthday cake to be a downright depressing thought.

Because of this, even the most committed low carb dieters plan on taking vacations from their low carb lifestyle around birthdays and the holidays.

If you’re someone who cannot imagine a Thanksgiving turkey stuffed with bread stuffing or a birthday devoid of a decadent dessert, then plan ahead by mapping out some alternatives using low carb food products and some innovative recipes. There are plenty of low carb bread products that can take the place of your standard loaf, and low carb, sugar free cheesecakes work wonders as an alternative to the traditional birthday cake. If you feel you must have high carb goodies represented at your favorite celebrations, make sure they are made with low carb food.

low carb bread — Julian Bakery’s “Manna from Heaven” Low Carb Bread is a Low Carb Diet-saver!

Reason #2: Lunch

The weak spot in a low carb diet is lunchtime. Whereas eggs and breakfast meats are easy and obvious choices for the first meal of the day, and low carb dinners are essentially very similar to traditional American meals sans the potatoes, rice, or pasta, lunch is the hardest meal for Americans to imagine without eating carbs. Sandwiches dominate the American lunch, and many people feel uninspired by the prospect of eating a burger or sandwich without the bun or bread.

Again, low carb bread can do wonders for those of us who struggle with a low carb lunch. While not recommended for the first phases of a low carb diet, most low carb bread products are low enough in net carbs that the seasoned low carb dieter can handle a slice or two at lunch. Rather than having those low carb bread slices with breakfast, making them work for a low carb sandwich at lunch can be the difference in the long-term success of your diet.

Reason #3: Refined Sugar & Carbohydrates Are An Addictive “Drug”

Back in the 1960s when Dr. Atkins began his low carb Diet Revolution, he identified the fact that refined sugar and high carbohydrate foods have an addictive quality that is very similar to the addictions that drug abusers struggle with. He pointed out the fact that the process of refining sugar is almost identical to the process of refining cocaine, and that as we eat more and more carbs, we crave them more and more exponentially. This is because carbohydrates tax our blood sugar to the point that our body wants us to keep throwing sugar “on the fire” to keep our energy levels up, thus leading to alarming weight gain.

This is why Atkins advocated for warning labels on sugary foods and implored low carb dieters to not fall off the low carb wagon.

Invariably, however, low carb dieters do fall off the wagon, and usually it is a result of sweets. The reintroduction of sweets leads to a slippery slope of more and more carbohydrates that gets people right back to bad eating habits.

If you have a penchant for craving sweets — even after months of “sugar detox” — then it’s time to connect with some low carb food products that can really satisfy your sweet tooth. There are so many low carb desserts on the market today that you’re bound to find something that will work with you. As we’ve reviewed in another article, the Atkins Advantage bars are legitimately sweet with very little aftertaste and ultra-low net carbs — perfect for an after dinner dessert!

Of course, the best way to avoid these low carb dieting pitfalls is to simply know they exist and take the necessary steps to avoid falling into them. You’ve taken your first steps toward a low carb lifestyle — don’t let yourself get derailed by the “cheap thrills” of fattening carbs and sugar!

Thanks for reading our article! Linda’s Diet Delites is a leading online retailer of low carb food, including some of the best low carb bread products on the market today! Be sure to visit our website and join our free newsletter for access to the latest updates from Linda’s Diet Delites, including store discounts, new articles, and more!

Will You Miss the Carbs? Your First Week on a Low Carb Diet.

A long-time low carb dieter prepares you for the difficulties and results you’ll experience in week one of a low carb diet.

If you’re about to embark on a low carb diet, be ready to experience a new level of eating, living, and losing that you’ve never experienced with fad diets and the hungry torture known as “the low calorie diet.” The fact is, low carb dieting flies in the face of everything that the traditional weight loss and medical community will tell you: you have to cut out calories and fat and add in tons of exercise in order to lose any weight.

If this traditional system of weight loss is so effective, then why are two-thirds of the U.S. population overweight? The answer is simple: while cutting calories will help you lose weight, it’ll also leave you starving and much more likely to fall off the weight loss wagon before you reach your goals.

The low carb diet turns these traditional dieting rules on their head. And even though the medical community has tried to disparage Dr. Robert Atkins’ groundbreaking popularization of his famed low carb Diet Revolution, the fact remains that you can indeed eat as much fat and protein as you want on a low carb diet and still lose weight!

Millions of Americans have done it successfully, and so can you.

How Will I live Without Carbs?

Atkins’ books describe refined sugar as being tantamount to illegal drugs: it is highly addictive and highly destructive to the body. Because of this, the first phase of Atkins’ original low carb Diet Revolution plan reads more like a detox from heroin than the first week of a healthy diet. In a nutshell, he calls for a cold-turkey drop of no more than a few carbs a day.

Newer low carb diet models are more liberal in the first week of carb counting, allowing for as many as 12 grams of net carbs a day. But even a low carb diet such as this one will be a radical departure from what you are normally used to eating: most Americans eat between 250 and 750 grams of carbohydrates a day, many of which take the form of simple carbs and refined sugars. Even dropping down to 12 grams of complex carbs a day will be a radical departure from what you’re used to.

How will you feel?

From my own experiences (and I am not a licensed physician nor am I giving you medical advice here), within the first 24 to 48 hours, you will indeed experience a kind of detox from eating carbohydrates. This is particularly true if you use Atkins’ method of cutting out almost all carbs in the first week of your low carb diet.

Because your body is used to pumping out so much insulin to maintain a blood sugar for a high carb diet, the sudden drop may make you feel lethargic, hungry, and craving sweets. This is the true “danger zone” of a low carb diet, and the time that many people give up. Little do they know that holding out for the first day or two leads to a steady decrease in hunger and increase in weight loss!

What To Expect After Week One of Your Low Carb Diet

Provided you have stuck to your low carb diet and maintained a high level of ketosis, you’ll be amazed at the weight you’ve dropped. I tried the Atkins diet three separate times in my life, and all three times I averaged a loss of seven pounds in the first week! If you’re eating closer to 12 carbs a day in the first week, then you’ll probably lose less, but all in all, you’re bound to see a higher weight loss than you’ve even gotten from a low calorie diet.

Also, you’ll begin to notice that you aren’t nearly as hungry as you were on day one of the diet – or for your entire life before starting the diet! Hunger has everything to do with blood sugar, and because eating high protein and low carbohydrates puts your blood sugar into perfect balance, your body simply will not need as much food in order to satisfy your hunger.

Over time, you’ll find that the allure of sweets, sugar, and high carbohydrate foods will leave you; as you put more and more distance between yourself and the high carb eating lifestyle you left behind, you’ll look forward to meals that are more savory than sweet, and are helping you to reach your long-term weight goals.

Thanks for reading our article! Are you thinking about starting a low carb diet? If so, Linda’s Diet Delites is a leading online retailer of low carb foods. You’ll find hundreds of low carb products that are nowhere to be found in your local supermarket!