The Best and Worst Low Carb Foods

When it comes to a low carb diet, you'll see that there are
different types of diets AND more importantly, different
types of carbs!

Check out the article below to see which fruits you may
want to include in your low carb diet plan.
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The Best and Worst Low Carb Foods

Some low carb diets depend on glycemic index or glycemic
load while other low carb diets depend more upon total carbs.
Some low carb diets restrict healthy foods such as fruits all
together. Your safest bet is to check carb counts which are
arranged by sugar content while taking volume and weight
into account.

The great news is that the fruits that are the lowest in sugar
are the ones with the most nutritional value including
powerful antioxidants and other phytonutrients. The fruits
that are low in sugar include papayas, apples, cherries,
pears, guava, plums, peaches, melons, apricots, grapefruit,
blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and
cranberries. Consume as many of these fruits in as big of
a variety as your diet will allow you to eat each day.

The fruits that are high in sugar and carbs and should be
avoided are bananas, mangos, dried fruits, kiwi, pineapple,
oranges, tangerines, and grapes.

When it comes to low carb diets most vegetables are
encouraged though they still may be limited. The vegetables
that are all non starchy and are usually low in carbs includes
cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, celery, lettuce,
spinach, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, eggplant, tomatoes,
green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, peppers, cucumber,
pickles without added sugar, avocado, onions, okra, pumpkin,
turnip, carrots, squash, and sprouts.

There are some vegetables that should be avoided because
they are starchy and high in carbs such as all types of
potatoes, plantains, peas, corn, carrots, and beets.

Check your specific diet to see how many calories and carbs
you are allowed to consume every day. Make sure you count
all carbs such as organ meats, limited consumption to 4 oz.
per day. Also limit your consumption of hot dogs, bacon, and
processed meats. All diets can benefit from limited the foods
that have high saturated fats.
Posted in: Weight Loss : 02.24.07









low carb

A Good Low Carb Diet May Be Heart Healthy

Here's a little (low carb!) food for thought when considering
whether a low carb diet may be right for you!
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Study: Low-Carb Diet May Not Up Heart Risk



MIAMI -- There's no question low-carb diets can knock
off the pounds, but there have been many questions and
claims about the eating plan's long-term effects on heart
health.

Now, new research is weighing in on that debate.

"It's the diet that defies conventional weight loss logic,"
Dr. Yvonne Braver, Women's Health Specialist from the
Cleveland Clinic Internal Medicine said. "Low-carb plans
often give the green light to generous portions of high-fat
foods."

Advocates and some short-term studies suggest the diet
may even help ward off heart disease, but the first long-term
study finds the answer may be somewhere in the middle.

"The high-protein, high-fat diets are helpful for a lot of
people," Braver said. "They do help a lot of people lose weight."

Harvard researchers said they analyzed 20 years of eating
habits of more than 80,000 women and found no increase or
decrease in the risk of heart disease among the low-carb eaters.

Researchers said they did find one exception -- women who
chose fat and protein from vegetable sources had a 30 percent
lower risk of heart disease.

They noted that the findings point to the importance of choosing
healthy fats and complex carbohydrates when dieting.

Braver said she stresses to her patients that even with trendy
diets, balance is still key.

"For people to find the best diet, they need to get on a sensible
plan," Braver said. "Basically, eating normal food normally,
incorporating lots of healthy fruits veggies and limiting portion
sizes along with incorporating exercise into routine helps."

Researchers said the study is certainly not the final word on
low-carb diets, but does add weight to the evidence that picking
the right foods, even fats, can make a difference.

Short-term studies have suggested that low-carb diets may
improve cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease.

The study appeared in the Nov. 9, 2006, issue of The New
England Journal of Medicine.
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low carb diet

Is Fruit A No-No On A Low Carb Diet?

Is fruit a no-no on a low carb diet?

Many seem to think so because of the high sugar
content of most fruits. Personally, I like to eat fruit
as a part of a well balanced food plan.

The high protein shakes I drink at the gym (which
are truly fabulous!) are made with a banana and
pineapple juice. This goes back to including
excercise along with your low carb diet.

One of the top low carbers on the net, Jimmy Moore,
seems to agree that fruit IS an acceptable part of the
plan.

Here's an excerpt from one of his posts:

This Fredericksburg, VA-based Free-Lance Star column
about how important exercise is for the sake of brain
function included some rather lamebrained information
perpetuating the myths about fruit consumption when
you are livin' la vida low-carb that are obviously NOT
based on any low-carb program I am familiar with.

Here's the quote from the article:

Low-carb diets are all wrong. "It makes me crazy," the
medical expert in the story said, when his patients tell
him they can't eat fruit and vegetables because they're
on a low-carb diet. "Almost all the anti-aging nutrients
come from carbohydrates."

If somebody is telling their doctor they can't eat any
fruit at all because they are on a low-carb diet, then
apparently they haven't read any of the same low-carb
diet books that I have. Certainly, there are a few
high-sugar fruits that are not recommended for
low-carbers to consume, including bananas, raisins,
and even orange juice, especially during the weight
loss phases because they will kick you out of ketosis
just as fast as a sugary candy bar will.

I have blogged about some of my favorite low-glycemic
fruits such as yummy blueberries and strawberries as
well as melons and cantaloupes that have been and still
are an essential part of my Atkins low-carb lifestyle. It
makes me scratch my head in bewilderment whenever
people ask me if I eat fruit now that I've lost weight.
Um, I've been eating fruit throughout my low-carb
journey, so DUH!

Read the rest here.

As I've said many times before, a well balanced low
carb diet along with excercise and drinking
plenty of water is the key to sustained weight
loss!

BTW, I've been slacking at the gym lately but I'm getting
ready to return so I'll have some new updates soon.

Good luck to all!