Low carb ideas and hacks

[EastWest Gal]

I found a new product for the keto/low carb diet. Miracle noodles, and Miracle rice. All made from powdered konjac root, which is essentially 100% fiber. I've used it in stir-fry and yesterday with beef stroganoff. It works!

I am looking forward to noodles that behave like noodles, and not zoodles. Because of all the fiber, it is very filling-it takes less to satisfy hunger.

 

[Time2]

I'm a beginner on Keto.
My breakfast this morning was 1/2 avocoado, 1 egg cooked in 1-1/4 tablespoons of butter with 3.5 grams of ground ham* with a little garlic mixed in.
I cut up the avcado in a bowl, fried the egg in the butter and 3/8"cubed
the ham, and mixed it a little bit. Was good for me! I'm still a little too full an hour later.

I'm open to any advice.



--------------Protein------Fat--------Carb

Avacado------ 3g-------- 12g------- 6g
Egg----------- 7g-------- 8g--------- 1g
Butter---------0g------- 11g-------- 0g
Ham---------- 7g------- 1g--------- 0g
Garlic-------- 0g-------- 0g--------- 1g
-----------------------------------------------------
---------------17g------- 32g-------- 8g


I'll add, Chick peas and avocado go good together, but limit the chick peas, the carbs add up, I need to count chick peas next time I open a can, I haven't got a good number on chick peas per 1/3 cup.

 

[harley]

I don't know. If I ate a bunch of fiber filled spaghetti (in the quantities I used to eat regular pasta), I suspect I'd have to install a tv in the bathroom.

 

[Chuckanut]

I'll add, Chick peas and avocado go good together, but limit the chick peas, the carbs add up, I need to count chick peas next time I open a can, I haven't got a good number on chick peas per 1/3 cup.

FWIW, I've been told chickpeas have some 'resistant' carbs that we don't digest. Instead our gut microbes feast on them. They certainly are less carby than wheat, rice, etc. I use chickpea waffles to add a small amount of carbs to my lower/slower carb diet.

 

[audreyh1]

I don't know. If I ate a bunch of fiber filled spaghetti (in the quantities I used to eat regular pasta), I suspect I'd have to install a tv in the bathroom.

Yep - totally unappealing to me. DH and I have been really enjoying shredded cabbage sautéed in butter as a noodle/rice substitute. It works well with pasta sauce/ragu and any kind of stew.

 

[Time2]

I don't know. If I ate a bunch of fiber filled spaghetti (in the quantities I used to eat regular pasta), I suspect I'd have to install a tv in the bathroom.

FWIW, I've been told chickpeas have some 'resistant' carbs that we don't digest. Instead our gut microbes feast on them. They certainly are less carby than wheat, rice, etc. I use chickpea waffles to add a small amount of carbs to my lower/slower carb diet.

I'd like to hear more on that, I do like Garbonzo Beans!

 

[Chuckanut]

I'd like to hear more on that, I do like Garbonzo Beans!

Legumes are 4-5% resistant starch after being cooked. Apparently cooking breaks them down into unresistant starch. The article explains it better than I can.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/16/ask-the-expert-legumes-and-resistant-starch/

Legumes are one of the best sources of resistant starch. Raw, dried legumes contain about 20-30% resistant starch by weight (7). That means almost half of the starch in raw legumes is resistant to digestion.

This may not seem like much resistant starch, but it is still 4-5 times higher than other starchy foods such as white bread and potatoes (see table below). This is certainly enough to have a significant impact on the formation of SCFA, glycemic index, reduced insulin response, satiety and caloric content (11). In sum, legumes are a healthy choice not only for their high content of protein and other nutrients, but also because they contain some of the highest levels of resistant starch of any food.

 

[DRC726]

Yep - totally unappealing to me. DH and I have been really enjoying shredded cabbage sautéed in butter as a noodle/rice substitute. It works well with pasta sauce/ragu and any kind of stew.

I actually made something similar...sauteed cabbage in butter with garlic, onion, olive oil, ground beef, and some tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Oh yeah, and cheese. It was a very acceptable substitute for Pasta Bolognese. Which I love. With chianti.

 

[Time2]

Legumes are 4-5% resistant starch after being cooked. Apparently cooking breaks them down into unresistant starch. The article explains it better than I can.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/16/ask-the-expert-legumes-and-resistant-starch/

That's interesting and useful, but, now I still need a number, If I eat a serving of garbonzo beans that the label says is 10 carbs, do I multiply that by .9, .8, .5?

Or is it .95, per your first line?

 

[TromboneAl]

Folks on facebook raving about this bread https://www.facebook.com/franzbakery/posts/10159494738504152

Seems new-ish and appears to be distributed across most of the country...several stores mentioned, including Walmart in places.

Fulfills "dirty keto" (whatever that is).

Doesn't appear to be gluten-free, fwiw.

omni

We found that we have a Franz Bakery Outlet about twenty-five miles away (that never happens. Usually when I put in a zip code to find a nearby store, the computer laughs at me).

So we made a special trip to pick up a loaf (okay, okay, also an excuse to drive the Tesla), and they were sold out. They had had fifteen a few hours earlier.

 

[Chuckanut]

That's interesting and useful, but, now I still need a number, If I eat a serving of garbonzo beans that the label says is 10 carbs, do I multiply that by .9, .8, .5?

Or is it .95, per your first line?

You'll have to read the article and answer that question for yourself. I only know what I read on the Internet.

 

[Chuckanut]

Franz Keto White Bread.

Below is just my opinion. YMMV.

I thought I would give a quick review of this bread as it has become quite the rage in the low/lower/slower/ carb community as well as the keto community. I bought a loaf and have gone through about half of it. My conclusion is that it will never replace a good loaf of homemade bread or one made by a truly artisan bakery. Besides the missing flavor, it found the loaf I bought to be on the dry side of what is normal for bread. In my opinion, it gets a D for taste and texture.


The bread claims zero net carbs: 12 total carbs - 12 fiber carbs = 0 net carbs. Some Keto friends of mine claim it isn't truly Keto. I don't know as I don't do Keto. So, I don't really care if it is or isn't Keto. It has a lot of wheat products in it and they make no claim about being glutton free. So, an A for being low-carb assuming you buy into subtracting the fiber carbs.

In its favor, there is a tofu like quality to it. That is, while rather tasteless it goes well with things that have a good flavor. If you take two slices and put something good between them, you will get a decent sandwich. I haven't tried it for French Toast, but, I think it would work because it would soak of the flavors of the eggs, butter, milk and the little bit of maple syrup we get to use from time to time. I would give it a C for use with sandwiches, simply because it is better than wrapping good sandwich ingrediants in damp lettuce leaves. Just my opinion of course.

Price is an issue for me. $6 for an 18 oz loaf. Ouch! And my loaf had a big air bubble in it that put a large hole of about 1 sq inch in about 1/3rd the slices. It gets an F on price.

Ingrediants:
MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, WATER, WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT PROTEIN ISOLATE, (CHICORY) VEGETABLE FIBER, OAT FIBER, SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: YEAST, VINEGAR, SALT, ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), PRESERVATIVES (CALCIUM PROPIONATE, SORBIC ACID).

CONTAINS: WHEAT.

Not exactly JERF - Just Eat Real Food.

Me? I won't be buying much of it for normal daily use at home, but I can see times when it would be convenient. If it helps keep a person on a way of eating that is healthy for them overall, then who am I to criticize them if it doesn't past the purist's tests.

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah, that’s why I avoid all but the simplest keto products.

Salad instead of a sandwich. Lettuce wraps for tacos. Cooked shredded cabbage for pasta. Cauliflower as a base for curries or whatever - I don’t even bother to chop it up.

 

[TromboneAl]

We went on a mission to find Franz Keto bread today, and we succeeded. We found it for $4.99/loaf, and it's $3.99 when it's in stock at the bakery outlet.

I like the flavor fine—reminds me of good-old white bread (which is what it is).

Today, I had the best turkey sandwich that I've had since 2010 (when we went low carb):

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
* 1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz)
* 14 drops liquid splenda
* .75 cup erythritol
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:


1. Put cranberries in a pot on the stove, and pick through to remove soft and/or brown ones.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.

3. Stir frequently. The cranberries will pop, and then release their "gel" -- and the sauce will come together like magic. Cook until the sauce is the consistency you want, 6.5 minutes (start with hot water).

It will thicken more after cooking, so don't overdo it.


​

Then I had a piece with just (lots of) butter on it with dinner.

 

[misshathaway]

Discovered something that resembles the experience of cereal. Put a cup of frozen blueberries in a pyrex bowl. I like Wyman's frozen wild blueberries. They remind me of the ones we used to pick. Store brand are way to sweet. Pour almond milk in about halfway up (Califia coconut / almond). Microwave for a minute or so just to thaw the blueberries. You can add Stevia and cinnamon but it might not even need it.

The blueberries bleed into the milk and eating the result is like eating cereal. Even down to the slurping up of any leftover sweet milk at the end. And we wonder why I live alone.

 

[TromboneAl]

Here's the cereal that I have often. I put 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream in a bowl, add the cereal, and sprinkle it with granulated erythritol.

Toast the nuts first for best flavor.

Nut Power Granola – Double Batch
Yield: 20 servings
Serving Size: Approx. 1/2 cup

Use big bowl

Ingredients
3 cups almonds
3 cups pecans
2 cups flax seed meal (I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Golden Flax Seed Meal) OR 1 cup almond meal
.5 cup sunflower seeds
.67 cup toasted sesame seeds
.25 cup vanilla whey protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

chop, mix IN BIG SS BOWL, eat.
​

 

[misshathaway]

Your cereal looks GOOD. I've learned that keeping nuts around, for me, just leads to mindless grazing because they are hyper-palatable and don't require prep to eat.

 

[audreyh1]

Yep it’s so easy for me to overdo nuts, that I general weigh them out to not eat more than 1 ounce at a time. I can usually eyeball it as I use these tiny glass dishes.

 

[TromboneAl]

I've learned that keeping nuts around, for me, just leads to mindless grazing because they are hyper-palatable and don't require prep to eat.

Very true. Nuts are a big part of my diet. More tips:

Macadamias are the best because they have lots of fat and few net carbs. We get them at Costco. Store them in the fridge.

Pecans are amazing if you do this: Start with raw pecans. Toast them in the toaster over until they are almost burned. Then wait 30-60 minutes for them to cool off. At that point, the taste will be incredible. Almost sweet. Hours later, they won't taste as good.

 

[misshathaway]

Pecans are amazing if you do this: Start with raw pecans. Toast them in the toaster over until they are almost burned. Then wait 30-60 minutes for them to cool off. At that point, the taste will be incredible. Almost sweet. Hours later, they won't taste as good.

That's what I need - the best part of a pecan pie coming out of the oven. Thanks Al.

He's right though. I did this for a supposed garnish to a vegetable dish over the holidays. Nom nom. I had to chop up what was left to stretch them, and still I'm not sure anyone noticed the nut dust.

 

[TromboneAl]

Tried these this morning:

Quite good. Very fluffy with an unusual-but-not-bad flavor.

I recommend this syrup:

 

[tmm99]

Thanks, Al. I've just ordered the Keto pancake mix. I bought the Paleo version of this a while back at Costo as I tasted the sample and it was good, but its main ingredient is cassava flour which supposedly has a low glycemic index, but my body reacts badly, so I hope I'll enjoy the Keto version. I've also ordered the Protein version as it was half price...

 

[sengsational]

Why Low Carb Works - No Fructose?

I listened to a podcast about fructose metabolism:
https://peterattiamd.com/rickjohnson/

The discussion was detailed, walking through various metabolic pathways, and although they never talked about ketogenic dieting, it sounded like the way our bodies use fructose is central to adiposity and many diseases.

What I took away was that eating foods with fructose is the most efficient way to store fat, and is a genetic adaptation that hibernating animals use. Avoiding fructose in the diet is not enough, though, because your body makes fructose when it has lots of starch and especially starch with salt at the same time (yeah, I'm talking to you, potato chips).

I'm more interested in health than losing weight, and fructose is a favorite food of low oxygen metabolism (yeah, I'm talking to you, cancer).

Rarely would I listen twice to the same thing, but I think I'm going to listen again and see if I can get this to sink in more. The guy Attia is interviewing is a kidney doctor, and I was going to skip this one, but I'm glad I listened to it. I think this guy might be on to something.

 

[audreyh1]

I listened to that too. Very informative! Dr. Lustig, expert in childhood obesity, agrees very much with Dr. Johnson about avoiding fructose intake.

I also found it fascinating that once you cross a certain threshold (of metabolic disease?) your body easily makes fructose from carbs. Not an issue for everyone.

Kidney specialists know a great deal about metabolic disease. Look at Dr. Fung who also is a nephrologist.

 

[misshathaway]

Do you ever wonder, as I do all the time, if you are only listening to whatever bias you already have about diet? I was ultra low carb - 20mg carb, measured, not net, for years. My dr for those years sort of brushed off my elevated BP and elevated LDL, gave me a pat on the back, and that was it. New doc does not care if I like him - more like a car mechanic. Start monitoring your BP. Do something about the LDL.

So, after I finished shooting the messenger (in my head - too polite to do it in person), I decided to listen. I added way more vegetables and changed most sat fat to EVOO. I added blueberries, an occasional apple, and avocados. I got rid of processed food/salt. Bye bye beloved pepperoni and especially pork rinds. Do you know how many brands of pork rinds they have in Florida? I still don't think I have tried them all.

So after a couple of months of this - my blood pressure is normal. I haven't retested yet for LDL. Are we kidding ourselves that LDL for most people is not a proxy for small artery wall-embedding LDL? Yeah, ratios, have read that too. My ratios were stellar.

This is an n of 1. It doesn't prove anything.