May 9, 2010

Low Carb Pasta: Does it exist?

Is there such thing as a low-carb pasta? The answer is yes ... and no. Most pasta is made wholemeal flour, and it is not possible to remove the carbs. However, some producers say, modify, or coats to the carbohydrates that most of them are not digested.

Whether you buy regular pasta made from refined wheat flour or whole wheat pasta, or a special gluten-free pasta made from corn, or even expensive health food varieties made the old-fashioned eyes, as he wrote that there will always be a high-carbohydrate, most calculations. Here are some examples.

Regular spaghetti: 71g net carbs per 100 g (3.5 oz) of dry, crude product.

Chinese-style egg noodles: 68g net carbs per 100g.

Maize dough: 68g net carbs per 100g.

Whole wheat spaghetti: 62g net carbs per 100g.

Low-carb pasta, such as Dreamfields: 63g net carbs per 100 g (9g digestible).

According Dreamfields website, only about 9g of carbohydrates per 100g of dry their low-carbohydrate product (5 g / 2 oz serving) can digest. This means that the majority of people in low-carbohydrate diet is a bit of dough into your diet. This is great news for all fans of the dough!

There's also a type of pasta that is not only low in carbohydrates, but a zero carb. These so-called miracle shirataki pasta or noodles. You will find them in Asian markets and online stores.

These are the carbohydrate-free dough is no bearing at all. They are made from konjac root, and in almost every thread. An Asian konjac plant, grown in Japan. The main component of water-soluble dietary fiber called glucomannan. As you probably know, fiber fills the stomach without being digested. There is therefore no calories and no carbohydrates.

Some varieties shirataki pasta is made to the form of soya bean curd, and this includes some types of carbohydrates. Check the label, but almost certainly still count as a kind of low-carb diet of pasta.

Konjac Shirataki noodles and other root products are often used in slimming diets. In Japan, they are also used as a remedy intestinal troubles. Studies have appeared in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, which suggest that lower cholesterol and reduce glucose levels in diabetics.

These 'miracle noodles' there is no way you will want a strong flavor of their sauce. There is also a mucous tissue, that some people do not like, and the fish smell when you open the package. However, the smell of the water belongs to the remaining, not the noodles themselves, get rid of it by rinsing the noodles in boiling water before you use them.

Shirataki noodles do not taste the Italian pasta, but many people love them, and they are certainly worth trying for anyone in the weight loss diet. These are best served with Asian-style fish recipes or low carb pasta, meatballs and sauce.

May 7, 2010

Atkins Diet Foods

Atkins diet foods are easy to find and available everywhere. There are many varieties to choose from, whether you pick prepackaged low-carb diet foods or make your own meals. No matter how you want to do the Atkins plan, there is a solution out there for you.

You’ll need to keep the Atkins food pyramid in mind when you make food choices. The Atkins pyramid looks much different than the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The base of the pyramid consists of protein sources such as eggs, fish, beef, chicken and tofu. On a daily basis, your diet should consist primarily of these foods. The second tier has low glycemic vegetables like salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and spinach.

The third tier is made up of berries and avocado. Fruits should be used on an occasional basis after the initial stages of the Atkins diet. Vegetable and seed oils, cheese, dairy, nuts and legumes are used sparingly and in appropriate portions. While the FDA pyramid has oils and fats at the top peak, the Atkins pyramid places whole grain foods in this spot. Whole grain foods should be used very occasionally and don’t make up the mainstay of the Atkins diet.

When you start the Atkins plan, you’ll need to make sure you understand which foods are acceptable for your stage of the program. The Induction phase is the most restrictive, but it only lasts two weeks.

You owe it to your dieting success to stay within the acceptable foods list. One of the best ways to do this is to follow the Atkins menu plans that are printed within the New Diet Revolution book. There are also Atkins cookbooks and cookbooks that are geared toward other low carb diets that are helpful in formulating meal plans.

It’s a helpful idea to use a cheat sheet of acceptable Atkins foods wherever you go. If you are out and about and hungry, the last thing you want to do is to try to think back in your memory to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Carrying a list of acceptable foods with you will make finding a snack or meal while out on the run easy. You can’t always rely on “low carb” labels to tell you whether or not something is diet friendly. Ever since low carb became the new diet craze, manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon to attract Atkins dieters. They label items low carb to sell products and don’t have your health in mind. Relying on foods from your own personal list is the best way to stay on the plan.

Another good resource for keeping track of the appropriate Atkins foods is an online diet program. There are several available. Some are free and some have a small monthly fee. The programs require you to register and then they provide you with personal weekly menu plans based on your needs and your carbohydrate gram level. There are normally printable weekly shopping lists that make picking up your Atkins diet foods from the grocery store easy and quick.

Atkins diet food is easy to find once you know what you are looking for. The books, food pyramid and online resources can help you make better food choices and stay on the diet for the long term.

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May 5, 2010

Planning for Atkins

When it comes to the Atkins diet, your success will lie in your planning. Making sure you have the proper foods on hand when you begin your diet will go a long way toward your ongoing weight loss. There are many suggestions for Atkins diet meals in the Atkins books, and there are plenty of resources online for Atkins and low-carb recipes.

Planning your meals and snacks will be an important part of your life when you are on this diet. That advice really goes for any diet. When you eat whatever you like, you gain weight. Your current weight and health problems are a direct result of letting your eating habits go unchecked for so long.

As with all diet plans, becoming used to the Atkins way of eating is going to take some time and adjustment. The standard American diet relies heavily on carbohydrates and other restricted foods. Many people grew up on carbohydrate heavy favorites like spaghetti and meatballs, meat and potatoes and pasta casserole. It is going to take some effort and patience to get used to eating in an entirely new way.

There are two different approaches you can take in adjusting your diet. You can find replacements for your favorite foods with “mock” carbohydrates. For example, lasagna made with eggplant or zucchini instead of pasta is much more carb-friendly than the regular variety. Spaghetti squash noodles make a good substitute for spaghetti noodles. There are also many low-carb or carb-free replacements for bread, pasta and sugar products.

The second approach is to find out how to make new recipes that center around meats and other low-carb foods. There are a wide variety of meats that are acceptable on the Atkins plan. If you are used to just eating ground beef or chicken on a weekly basis, you’ll be surprised by the variety of meats that are out there. Try incorporating pork, lamb and ham into your weekly routine. You can also experiment with game fowl like Cornish hen, quail and pheasant. If you’ve never been a fan of fish, try a different variety. Some people who don’t like trout find they have a love of salmon or another fish. Don’t forget shellfish like mussels, clams and shrimp. These foods are all acceptable and can add variety to your diet.

Make sure to have some easy to prepare foods on hand for snacks and quick meals. For example, thin sliced cucumbers, radishes and celery mixed with lemon mayonnaise makes a great low-carb meal or dinner salad. Fried peppers, mushrooms and garlic served on arugula with feta cheese is another good option.

Research and try out different low-carb recipes so you have a good base of knowledge of what to prepare for meals. The most important step you can take in losing weight is planning. Getting a good arsenal of easy to prepare meals will prevent you from hitting the drive through or going to a restaurant and breaking your diet.

If you have delicious food to look forward to everyday, you’ll be less bored with your diet. Even during the restrictive induction phase, there are many food combinations that you can use. At first glance, the vegetable and meat options may seem restrictive. But this is only in comparison to what you have been used to eating. With a little planning and creativity, you can find something interesting to eat everyday.

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May 2, 2010

Looking for a healthy low-carb diet?

Your search for a healthy low carbohydrate diet is not as difficult as many believe. Some low-carb diet plans (Atkins, in particular) had a bad press in recent decades, but much of the criticism is based on people's prejudices and myths rather than fact.

The myth of Dr. Atkins and fats

For example, many people believe that Dr. Robert Atkins died of a heart attack caused by eating too much saturated fat. This is not true. Dr. Atkins died at age 72 head injuries in a fall on the sidewalk outside the clinic. He had suffered heart problems before, but there is no evidence that these are diet related.

People love pointing out that Dr. Atkins' weight is 258 pounds of death would make him overweight, even obese, and his 6 feet. However, medical records show that the hospital after his fall, he weighed only 195 pounds was in a coma for about 10 days before his death and his body has suffered a lot of fluid retention time.

It is true that the Atkins diet does not allow large amounts of saturated fat. Dr Atkins's theory, explained in detail in his book that the fat is not dangerous, unless you're still consuming large amounts of carbohydrates. This combination of fats, sugars and refined grain products, such as a donut ingredients that can cause clogged arteries, heart disease, and many other serious diseases. Therefore, the claim that a healthy low-carb Atkins diet.

Many people following the Atkins diet that actually drops in cholesterol levels after 4-6 months of the diet. However, if the amount of saturated fat is a cause for concern for you, you could try South Beach. This is a low-carbohydrate diet, but limiting how much saturated fat.

The Protein Myth

Another common belief is that the low-carb diet high protein diet. Diet that is high in protein can be harmful to the kidneys. The low-carbohydrate diets are not recommended for those with existing kidney disease who require special diets following medical advice. However, the low-carb does not necessarily imply a very high protein like the acai berry pure which is very healthy and popular .

There are four sources of calories in food: proteins, carbohydrates, alcohol and fat. Most low-carb diet is not particularly high in protein. Frequently recommends about 30% of calories from protein, carbohydrates and a little from the majority from fat.

When you start a low carbohydrate diet is a good idea to keep track of food intake. It helps to watch the carbs and make sure that not too much protein. It should be 15% and 30% of caloric intake, that is about 0,35-0,7 grams of protein per pound of body weight, about 60g to 120g of protein daily for a person weighing 170 pounds is about 20 grams of protein in a 4 oz steak 6g and about an egg.

Myths of Vegetables

Many people believe that you do not eat vegetables, low-carbohydrate diet. This is absolutely true. All the low-carbohydrate diets require you to eat a certain amount of vegetables. Many low-carb, and important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are essential for our health.

The amount of carbohydrates in vegetables are generally limited to just that. So I can eat something like that a lot of celery (2.4G net 100 g carbohydrate portion), but less broccoli (4g net carbs per 100 g serving).

Many people find that the amount of vegetables you eat a low-carb diet is actually more than they used to. So long as you choose a well-established low-carbohydrate diet, and follow the instructions carefully, then there is no trouble maintaining a healthy low-carb diet.