Sugar is finally getting some media attention as the ultimate diet demon.
Dieticians now agree that refined sugar has no nutritional benefits. Everyone would be better off cutting it out completely.
Low-carb dieters knew about this for a long time. White sugar is pure carb. There is no place for it whatsoever on a low-carb diet.
So does this mean you will never eat anything sweet again? Of course not!
Sugar substitutes and sweeteners are now widely available, both online and in the High Street supermarkets, shops and cafes.
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Category: Low Carb Cooking Basics
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Low-carb sugar substitutes
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Low-Carb Snacks
What can you snack on when on a low-carb diet?Certainly not the stuff other people usually eat – like pastries, fruit or sweets. Don’t despair though. Many low-carb snack options are available – you just need to get used to them.
Below are some ideas for different situations, for example, when you are out and about, or when at home but don’t have time to cook.
Net carb counts and recipes are included.
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Low-carb food shopping (UK)
Switching to a low-carb diet is a major lifestyle change. Getting used to shopping the low-carb way is essential to your diet’s success.Most of us perform regular tasks such as shopping without thinking. We just act out of habit, buying similar things over and over again.
If you are used to structuring your meals around pasta and potatoes, you need to learn new habits. (more…)
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15 Ways to Cook Zucchinis (aka Courgettes)
Zucchini – also known as courgettes or summer squash – are very low in carbs. They clock up only 2g net carbs per 100g (3.5oz).
Zucchinis are very versatile. They make a perfect side dish for low-carb meals.
They also make a great sub for some high-carb ingredients. For example, you can use grated zucchinis in low-carb baking, or make zoodles instead of pasta.
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Best low-carb high-fat foods
All weight-loss diets include restrictions. On a low-carb diet, we say goodbye to carbs.
But ketogenic low-carb diets, like Atkins Induction and Keto, are also very high in fat. You MUST eat lots of fat in order for the diet to work.
How great is that? You can have the most indulgent and hedonistic meals – while losing weight!
This post lists the most scrumptious low-carb high-fat (LCHF) foods. Let’s count our blessings and rejoice.
Vegetarians and low-fat dieters – please don’t read this. It might be a traumatic experience for you. You have been warned! (more…) -
Low-carb gluten-free bread
Which food do you miss the most after going low-carb? For me, it’s definitely bread. There are some companies out there that claim to make low-crab bread, but in reality (as this recent post on DietDoctor shows), you just never know whether their claims are true. The best solution to this problem is to make your own.
Making low-carb bread is actually easier than making traditional bread with wheat and yeast. (There are many benefits to avoiding wheat – carb content is just one of the reasons.) (more…) -
7 ways to cook Atkins Induction vegetables
Atkins Induction means goodbye to carb-rich side dishes such as rice or potatoes.
Instead, you can have vegetables – up to 20g of net carbs a day.
As vegetables are the main source of permitted carbs, you might actually eat more of them on Atkins than before.
If you are one of these people who never used to eat anything green, here are some tips on cooking Atkins Induction vegetables. (more…) -
Chocolate on a low-carb diet – oh yes, you can!
Do you think chocolate is the enemy of your low-carb diet? Do you crave it desperately anyway?You don’t have to suffer. You can enjoy chocolate and stay low-carb.
On just one condition.
Chocolate itself is not high in carbs. It just gets laden with lots of sugar for mass-market products.
If you can avoid the sugar, you can have the chocolate.
How?
By getting sugar-free chocolate, sweetened with Stevia, erythritol, or another low-carb sweetener. Or making your own from scratch – it’s actually fun for chocolate lovers!
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Cauliflower: Low-carb answer to potatoes
Most Western meals tend to come with a starchy side dish such as fries, rice or pasta. Finding suitable low-carb alternatives can be a challenge.
This post is about cauliflower – the best way to help you get over potatoes!
I included five classical recipes for low-carb main meals and side dishes using cauliflower. (more…) -
5 ways to cook low-carb food in a slow cooker
Do you wish you had more time for cooking?
You keep collecting great low-carb recipes. But you rarely get to actually make anything. Because life is hectic. There isn’t always the time to experiment.
I found that the best time-saver when cooking is – ironically – the slow-cooker (also known as crock pot in USA).
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Artificial Sweeteners: OK But Not Great
Sugar is the low-carb dieter’s enemy number one.
Unfortunately, most of us became addicted to it during our pre-low-carb lives, so cravings for sweet foods can be a big challenge.
Many alternatives to sugar are available. However, this doesn’t mean you can just keep consuming heaps of artificially sweetened treats. (more…) -
Low carb side dishes – Is there a life after pasta?
Traditional Western main meals tend to include a starchy side dish that is full or carbohydrates – potatoes, rice or pasta. Flour is used extensively in cooking, for sauces, batter and pastry cases. All these foods are loaded with carbs and so would have to go on a low-carb diet.
Avoiding these foods might seem impossible at first, but in reality it is just a matter of habit – you crave these foods not because your body needs them, but because you are used to them.
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