LOW CARB DIET TIPS TO STAY ON TRACK



Are you having trouble staying away from high carb foods? Here’s some low carb diet tips and tricks that should help keep you on track.

Belly bloating? Check. Itchy skin? Check. Sore and achy joints? Check. Brain fog? Check. Weight gain? Check mate.

Have carbs finally got the best of you? Are you thinking of going on a low carb diet? Here are some tips for a low carb lifestyle to keep you on track.

Many people experiment with low-carb diets. But relatively few are able to stick with one and end up giving back in to high-carb indulgences.



Belly bloating? Check. Itchy skin? Check. Sore and achy joints? Check. Brain fog? Check. Weight gain? Check mate.

Have carbs finally got the best of you? Are you thinking of going on a low carb diet? Here are some tips for a low carb lifestyle to keep you on track.

Many people experiment with low-carb diets. But relatively few are able to stick with one and end up giving back in to high-carb indulgences.

Want to eat low carb because you desperately want to lose weight? Or your blood-sugar levels are too high? Maybe you suffer from allergies? Whatever the reason, here’s some low carb diet tips and advice for staying with the program for years to come….

THINK OF THE BIG PICTURE

One of the biggest reasons people are not able to stick to a low-carb diet is this: you ever hear the expression “learn to walk before you run?” Think of this maxim often when you’re switching over to a low-carb diet.

Here’s a practical application: suppose you’re used to eating a huge bowl of pasta or rice with dinner. Some people are able to quit bad habits cold turkey. But for many people, the better approach is gradual.

Are you a carboholic at dinner? Are  you used to eating 100 grams of carbs (approximately two servings of pasta) in one sitting? If so, the better approach may be to reduce your pasta to one serving in the beginning instead of cutting it out completely.

If you quit high-starch foods cold turkey, you might experience intense cravings for them later. Or, you might have a strong desire for sugary snacks.

Cutting carbs quickly can also cause you to experience what’s called “the low-carb flu.” The low carb flu is not a real illness. But you may feel like it is. That’s because your body is intensely craving sugar.

If you’re not feeding your body what it’s addicted to, you might feel sick. That’s one reason why this low-carb diet tip to think of the big picture and gradually ease into it is may be the right approach for some.

Visualize how you want to look and feel in one year from now. And in two years from now. Does it seem impossibly far-off?

Are you impatient to get weight loss results fast? Can you not wait to feel more energetic and other positive outcomes that are associated with safe low-carb diets?

If the above describes you, think about this: when your birthday approaches, doesn’t it seem like the past year has flown by?

Think of your health goals through with a similar view. One year is going to fly by. But, if you stick to a low carb diet with this tip to think of the big picture, you’re going to look and feel great in no time at all….

DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAT!

Many people are fat-phobic when it comes to food. And some people who go low-carb end up eating high protein diets without eating enough dietary fat. Here’s the problem with this: out of the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat), only fat does not cause a release of insulin from the pancreas.

Granted, protein sources release much less insulin than carbs. However, if your goal is getting leaner and managing blood sugar, you’ll want to eat plenty of natural fats such as avocado, walnuts, grass-fed butter, olive oil, coconut oil, flax seeds and chia seeds and other smart fats.

Fats give your belly the sense of fullness it needs. Eating enough fat will prevent you from binging after a meal. This is perhaps one of the most important low carb diet tips to remember.

You will feel full for several hours if you get eat enough fat at every meal. You’ll be able to go 5-6 hours in between meals, which will help reset your metabolism. You won’t even think about food if you eat enough dietary fat.

The best way to make sure you start your day with healthy fats is to eat 1 or 2 whole eggs for breakfast. If you don’t have time to make eggs, make yourself a green drink in a blender.

A green drink takes just a minute or two to prepare. Grab a handful of spinach, pour in some low carb almond or coconut milk. Add a handful of berries for the antioxidants. And pour in some flax oil for your healthy fats.

Eat lots of monounsaturated fat sources such as olive oil, as well as healthy saturated fatty sources such as coconut oil. If you eat fish, salmon is a source of a healthy polyunsaturated fatty Omega-3 acid.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT CHOLESTEROL (AND SATURATED FAT)

If you’re wondering about the above low carb diet tips and how healthy they are, don’t worry. Especially do not worry about dietary cholesterol and saturated fat.

No matter how many times you hear in the mainstream media’s gospel about the importance of eating a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat, ignore it. The federal government even now says cholesterol is no longer a nutrient of concern. Researchers also have disproven the long-believed link between saturated fat intake and heart disease.

If you want to avoid heart disease, America’s #1 killer, don’t eat starchy carbs (also manage your stress and don’t smoke). Instead, stick to a low-starch, high-fat diet. Despite the federal government’s top nutrition experts reversing their concern about cholesterol, there’s still a lot of people out there who believe the anti-cholesterol and anti-saturated fat propaganda.



Cholesterol and saturated fat found in natural foods are in fact very important for your health. Cholesterol gives structure to your cells and nerve fibers. It produces sex hormones and plays other vital roles in the body. Many mainstream medical institutions recommend limiting your saturated fat intake to less than 10% of total calories and instead replacing those calories with vegetable oils.

DON’T REPLACE CARBS WITH VEGETABLE OILS

Here’s the problem with vegetable oils: they spoil. Very easily. Most vegetable oils have low smoke points, meaning, they oxidize and turn carcinogenic at lower temperatures than saturated fats like butter and lard. And, vegetable oils are pro-inflammatory.

Don’t cook with vegetable oils, ever! Even if the advice to ditch saturated fat and replace it with lots of vegetable oils comes from prestigious learning institutions or celebrity nutritionists, ignore the advice!

Cooking with saturated fat is, on the contrary, good for you. Saturated fats will help you feel full longer and are more chemically stable when exposed to heat.

EAT THE MOST NUTRIENT-DENSE CARBS

Remember: low-carb does not mean no carb! At every meal, do try and eat some carbs, especially those sources that contain the most nutrients in the fewest amount of calories and starches. This would include any cruciferous veggie or leafy green veggie.  There’s tons of low carb vegetables.

If you love fruit, you don’t have to give it up completely. Just don’t go overboard and order a fruit bowl for dessert. Stick with a quarter cup of berries, such as strawberries. And, stay away from high starch fruits like bananas.

If you do need to snack, eat some nuts and seeds with your serving of fruit. The fat and protein from the nuts and seeds helps to prevent cravings later on. In general, your best carb friends are veggies that grow above ground (no tubers, especially not ordinary baked potatoes; half a sweet potato is ok from time to time, especially on cold, winter nights.)

BONE BROTH

If you can’t stomach eating meat, even if it’s from non-toxic sourced meat (i.e. grass-fed, pasture-raised, non-factory farmed) try incorporating bone broth into your low carb lifestyle. Bone broth is rich in protein and vitamins and minerals.

Incorporating healthy broth is one of the easiest low carb diet tips to follow. You don’t even need to make your own bone broth if you don’t have the time. Health food stores carry it and many farmer’s markets will have a vendor who sells it.

LOW CARB DIET TIPS: CONCLUSION

The human body was designed to use energy from our body’s fat storage. Rather than supply your body with more fat storage by eating starchy carbs, follow some of these tips above to start drawing on your fat storage reserves for energy.

Over time, if you follow these low carb diet tips, you’ll no longer crave starches. And, you’ll look and feel great in a relatively short amount of time.
source:http://allnaturalideas.com/low-carb-diet-tips/

7 of the Best Fruits for Diabetics (Based On Sugar and Nutrients)



Fruits are the perfect snack.

They are loaded with nutrients and fiber, relatively low in calories, and easy to bring to work.

However, they do contain naturally occurring sugars, sometimes in large amounts. This can be a concern for those who struggle to manage their blood sugars.

This article takes a science-based look at the most suitable fruits for diabetics.

1. Blueberries

 BlueberriesBlueberries are quite low in sugar, with 10 grams per 100 grams of fruit (1).

But that sugar is also accompanied by 2 grams of fiber. This is important because when sugar and fiber are eaten together, blood sugar levels don’t spike as quickly (2, 3).

It’s the reason 10 grams of sugar from fresh fruits will not have the same effect on blood sugar levels as 10 grams of sugar from a candy bar.


In addition, blueberries provide loads of other beneficial nutrients and antioxidants that protect our cells from damage.

Interestingly, a study on over 187,000 people tracked over two decades found those who ate the most blueberries had more than a 25% lower risk of getting diabetes than those who ate the fewest (4).

Blueberries are great for a snack, and you can even enjoy them in salads. Although they can be particularly expensive, know that frozen blueberries are still nutritious and often much more affordable.



2. Strawberries

strawberriesStrawberries contain even less sugar than blueberries, with only 5 grams per 100 grams of fruit (5).

This makes them a great choice for diabetics.

They also provide fiber, manganese, folate, and a lot of vitamin C. In fact, 100 grams of strawberries (5-6 large strawberries) provides 98% of our daily vitamin C requirements.

Strawberries are a great addition to breakfast foods like oats or yogurt, but they are also delicious on their own.

3. Blackberries

blackberriesBlackberries stand out as not only the best berry, but perhaps the best fruit for diabetics.

Per 100 grams of fruit, they contain only 5 grams of sugar and an impressive 5 grams of fiber (6).

High fiber diets help with glucose (sugar) metabolism, and can improve insulin sensitivity too (7).

More fiber also improves other health issues related to type 2 diabetes, such as high LDL cholesterol and weight management (8, 9).

Blackberries are slightly tarter than the other berries, but are typically eaten in the same way.

4. Grapes

grapesGrapes contain 16 grams of sugar per 100 grams of fruit, which is more than other in this list (10).

However, research has found that those who ate the most grapes had 12% less chance of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the fewest (4).

Of course this is only observational research (does not prove cause and effect), but many scientists genuinely believe there is something special about grapes.

It may have something to do with the polyphenols in grapes, which have been shown to have positive effects on blood sugar levels (11, 12).

Grapes make an easy snack, but are not low in sugar. So they should definitely be eaten in place of, rather than in addition to, another less-healthy snack.

For example, replacing a flavoured yogurt or bag of chips would be a healthy step up.



5. Apples

applesAn apple contains about 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams, equal to one very small apple (13).

It also has about 2 grams of fiber, most of which is in the peel.

Like blueberries and grapes, apples are linked with a reduced risk of diabetes. But they’re also linked with a lower risk of stroke, which is a huge risk factor for those with type 2 diabetes (4).

One study that tracked almost 75,000 people for over 10 years found those who ate the most apples and pears had an 11% reduced risk of stroke (14).

The main takeaway is that apples are a healthful addition to your diet, with or without blood sugar issues. The fact they are affordable, convenient and delicious is just a bonus.

6. Watermelon

watermelonWatermelon seems high in sugar, but only has 6 grams of sugar per 100 grams (15).

This is because of its high water content, which also keeps it low in calories.

Watermelon is also a great source of lycopene. This phytochemical has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar and lower risk of type 2 diabetes (16).

Just be mindful of the amount you eat at each serving because it’s easy to over-indulge.

Not only does the sugar content can add up, but watermelon is high in FODMAPs that can cause digestive stress (especially those with IBS).

7. Avocado

avocadoNot a fruit in the culinary sense, but avocados are a great choice for people with diabetes.

They contain zero sugar and a whopping 7 grams of fiber per 100 grams (17).

Even better, they are high in healthy monounsaturated fats. Research shows diets low in poor quality carbohydrates and high in monounsaturated fats can improve insulin sensitivity (18).

Avocados are great in a salad or as a dip. They are even delicious on their own; just add a pinch of salt to taste.
source:https://www.dietvsdisease.org/best-fruits-diabetics/



Sugar-Free Low Carb Butterscotch Cheesecake Mousse




This Low Carb Butterscotch Cheesecake Mousse is a no bake recipe that contains no added sugar and is quick and easy!

Afternoon snacks when everyone is done with school is something my family really looks forward to. They want a little something sweet and I want something easy. The butterscotch flavor is one they  have loved forever.
I actually had started a new recipe that I was thinking would have been great as truffles, but they just didn’t form or set as I had hoped. Fortunately the flavor was so much like butterscotch I new I had a winner and had set out to make more of a pudding consistency. But after the kids had tried it, they actually said they preferred a thicker consistency, more like mousse. So I changed a few ingredients to make this a favorite new treat!



It truly blesses me when my kids love my no sugar added treats and ask when I will make them again. It makes me even happier when they come out even better than I expected!

Using Sukrin Fiber Gold Syrup is why this recipe tastes so much like butterscotch. If you’ve not tried it, I highly recommend it. It pours like maple syrup. It’s fabulous on pancakes, waffles, a little drizzle for fruit, and great to sub maple syrup in recipes.

If you love scrumptious, creamy, no bake recipes as much as I do, you will love this recipe just as much as the kids!

Brenda’s Notes:

The Sukrin Fiber Gold Syrup is really what makes the butterscotch flavor. If you have some thing else you know of that pours like maple syrup and is sugar free, please let me know. Otherwise I highly recommend buying the Sukrin syrup, it is delicious!
If you are not sugar free, then go ahead and use maple syrup or honey to replace the Sukrin I used, also remove the vanilla stevia as it won’t be needed.
The protein powder is needed and can not be eliminated. It is what helps this mixture thicken without the use of gelatin.
I drizzled more Sukrin syrup over the top for the pictures.
There are natural sugars in the dairy products.


Prep time:  10 mins
Total time:  10 mins

Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
2 tsp maple extract
1 tsp vanilla stevia
1/3 cup Sukrin fiber gold syrup
pinch salt
1 cup vanilla protein powder (I used Jay Robs)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Order Ingredients
Instructions
Place all ingredients into a stand mixer except heavy whipping cream.
Blend on high, scrape down sides, until smooth.
Change to whisk attachment and pour in heavy cream.
Blend on high 5 minutes or until thickened and whipped in texture. (mixture will also thicken as it sets in the fridge).
Spoon into a pastry bag to swirl into glasses.
Place in the refrigerator 2-3 hours or overnight.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
Net Carbs: 3g
source:http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/sugar-free-low-carb-butterscotch-cheesecake-mousse/

NO-FAIL LOW CARB CREPES (SAVORY)



Prep Time 10 mins    Cook Time   20 mins   Total Time   30 mins

These no-fail low carb crepes are not only easy to prepare but result in perfect, thin pancakes. Fill them with sweet or savory low carb fillings for the perfect breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert!


Servings: 8   Calories: 120 kcal

Ingredients
Crepe Recipe
6 ounces cream cheese softened in the microwave (170 g)
6 large eggs
1/3 cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese grated (45 g)
1 1/2 tablespoon coconut flour optional but improves texture (23 ml)
1 teaspoon erythritol optional (5 ml)
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 pinches
Have Near the Stove and Ready
1 tablespoon butter or ghee, melted
a pastry brush
1/4 cup measuring cup (60 ml)
a thin wide, spatula
a dinner plate on which to stack the cooked crepes
Instructions
Blender: Place the eggs, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and erythritol in the blender. Blend on low until the ingredients are completely combined. With the blender running, sprinkle the coconut flour and the xanthan gum over the batter and continue blending until thick, scraping the sides down at least once. Finish with the blender on medium speed for a few seconds. Let the batter sit for a few minutes.

Prep the Pan: Put a non-stick pan over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles and jumps across the surface, it is ready. Turn the heat down just a tiny bit and lightly brush the pan with butter. Lightly brush the spatula, too.
Tilt and Swirl: Stir the batter. Pour the batter into a 1/4 cup measure and then into the middle of the pan. Resist the urge to scrape the measuring cup out with your finger. Grasp the pan by the handle and begin tilting it in a circular motion to spread the batter into a circle. It won't be perfect and that's okay. I can get the batter to go around the pan 3 times, ever increasing the size of my circle before it stops, resulting in a 6-7 inch crepe.
Cook, Shimmy and Flip: Let the crepe cook for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the top of the crepe looks dull and the edge browns. You can touch it with your finger to see if it's still wet or just about set. Now, gently work the spatula under the edge of the crepe by shimmying it and lift the edge. With the fingers of your other hand, gently grasp the crepe and lift it a little higher while sliding the spatula under the crepe further. Flip the crepe and let it cook for about 15-20 seconds more.
Stack: Remove the crepe to the plate and begin the process again making sure to lightly butter the pan and the spatula after each crepe. Stack the crepes one on top of the other. Let cool and refrigerate or use right away. To freeze, place a piece of waxed paper between each crepe before putting into a zip-loc bag and placing into the freezer. Makes 8-10 crepes.
Recipe Notes
The heat may need to be adjusted up and down just a little while cooking the crepes. I have a gas stove and I find that heating the pan at medium and then turning the heat down just a touch is perfect. With an electric burner, one may need to watch the heat a little more closely as the rate at which it heats up and cools down is a little slower.
source:https://www.lowcarbmaven.com/no-fail-low-carb-crepes/

CINNAMON ROLLS



INGREDIENTS
1½ cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
4 T salted butter
¾ cup Briana's Baking Mix
2½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. THM Super Sweet Blend
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
-
4 T butter, softened
5 tsp. THM Super Sweet Blend, divided
½ tsp. Grandma's molasses
Cinnamon
Cream cheese frosting:
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 T salted butter, softened
½ tsp. vanilla extract (maple would be good too)
3 doonks THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder (a doonk is 1/32 tsp.), or more to taste


INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the cheese and butter together in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat until melty and stringy. Meanwhile, whisk together the baking mix, baking powder, and Sweet Blend. When the cheese is melted, turn the heat to low and stir in the dry ingredients, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Knead it a few times with your hands if needed to fully combine everything.
Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper (or two pieces of wax paper taped together). Using a rolling pin and making as few strokes as possible, roll the dough out to 14 inches wide by 11 inches long. Spread with the melted butter. Mix 1 T THM Sweet Blend with the molasses to make a "brown sugar". Sprinkle over the dough (this can be kind of hard to do evenly because it tends to clump together, but just give it your best shot. It's not an exact science.) Sprinkle the remaining two teaspoons of THM Sweet Blend over the dough evenly. Sprinkle the dough with plenty of cinnamon (enough so you can barely see the dough-we like lots of cinnamon), then roll it up from top to bottom (or bottom to top) into a long log (14 inches long, to be precise).
Use a piece of sewing thread (this is my mom's foolproof method of getting a nice clean cut-see the Notes section for an explanation) to cut the log into 12 sections and place the sections into a greased 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-21 minutes or until lightly brown on top.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting by beating the ingredients together until smooth.


The cinnamon rolls are best fresh and warm out of the oven, so let them set for a few minutes to slightly cool, then top the ones you're going to eat with frosting and devour! Store leftovers in the fridge. Chilling makes the dough stiffer and un-cinnamon roll-like, so heat the leftover cinnamon rolls (in the microwave, or covered in the oven) before eating. Store the frosting in the refrigerator so you can frost the cinnamon rolls as you're ready to eat them (you don't want to frost them all, then have to heat the leftovers and have your frosting run down all over the place. I mean, that's what I did, and they were still very good, but they'd be better the proper way...haha.). This makes more frosting than you'll need for the cinnamon rolls, but that means you have a few tablespoons left to use on mug muffins throughout the week. Yields 12 cinnamon rolls.
NOTES
To slice cinnamon rolls with a piece of sewing thread, cut a piece of thread about a foot long, slide it underneath the log of rolled-up dough, and cross the ends of the thread over the top in a scissor-like fashion to pinch off the dough.
If using THM Baking Blend instead of my baking mix, I recommend using about a cup of THM Baking Blend since it's not as dry as my baking mix. Please note that THM Baking Blend is not nut free.
I personally have never made these in the evening and waited to bake them until morning, but I know that some people have done that and had success with it. I don't recommend making them very far ahead and waiting to bake them because I'm sure the baking powder loses some of its potency and the rolls won't rise as much.
source:http://www.briana-thomas.com/cinnamon-rolls/

LOW CARB CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE



I have two favorite foods, pizza, and enchiladas.


If they were the only food available, I could eat them both every day and be happy. But when you follow a low carb diet, those are two types of foods that are notoriously full of carbs. I’ve managed to find a delicious low carb pizza recipe, and now I’ve come up with a low carb chicken enchilada casserole that will satisfy my cravings for enchiladas.


This recipe is based on the America’s Test Kitchen Chicken Enchiladas recipe. They test their recipes 30-70 times and have at-home testers that make sure the recipes are easy to follow and understand. So you know their recipes are foolproof. For the low carb chicken enchilada casserole, I removed the tortillas and added some extra cheese. You can add additional ingredients depending on what you like in your enchiladas, like avocado, green onions, lettuce, tomato, whatever your little heart desires.

Prep time:  30 mins Cook time:  15 mins Total time:  45 mins
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed & pounded if necessary
Salt & pepper
1½ cups of enchilada sauce (store bought or from scratch)
1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
1 (4 oz.) can of green chiles
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
Olive oil spray (or you can use olive oil in a little bowl with a brush)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Lime wedges (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
Combine the chicken and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan & simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat. Then flip the chicken over, cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until chicken reaches 160-165 degrees with an instant-read thermometer.
Remove chicken from pan and shred into bite-sized pieces. Combine shredded chicken, the enchilada sauce, queso fresco, chiles and cilantro in a bowl. Add salt and pepper if desired.
Spray a square casserole dish with olive oil (or use a brush) and coat the entire bottom and sides.
Evenly spread 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on the bottom of the dish. Add the chicken mixture, then add the other cup of cheddar cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Serve with optional lime wedges and optional sour cream.



This recipe is based on the America’s Test Kitchen Chicken Enchiladas recipe. They test their recipes 30-70 times and have at-home testers that make sure the recipes are easy to follow and understand. So you know their recipes are foolproof. For the low carb chicken enchilada casserole, I removed the tortillas and added some extra cheese. You can add additional ingredients depending on what you like in your enchiladas, like avocado, green onions, lettuce, tomato, whatever your little heart desires.
source:https://www.730sagestreet.com/low-carb-chicken-enchilada-casserole/

Light Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe




Total Time: 20 minutes   Yield: 6 stuffed tomatoes  Serving Size: 1 stuffed tomato



Ingredients

1/4 c. light mayonnaise
1/4 c. non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp ranch seasoning
1.5 c. cubed and cooked chicken
1/3 c. cooked and crumbled bacon
1 Tbsp chopped green onions
6 Bushel Boy Vine-On Tomatoes
Instructions

 please support us by pining this post and shearing it with your friends.
After i lost my official pinterest page which was so special because of your all 
                Participations, i decided not to give up and start over,


In a medium sized bowl whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon and ranch seasoning until well combined. Add the chicken, tomatoes, bacon and green onion to mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Refrigerate for 1-2 hours for flavors to combine.
Take tomatoes and cut the top off. Core the the middle to remove the seeds. Stuff tomatoes with chicken salad mixture.
Garnish with green onions and serve.
source:http://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/bacon-ranch-chicken-salad-stuffed-tomatoes-recipe/