Carbohydrates And Losing Weight

Posted on December 30th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

In simple terms, carbohydrates are broken down by various enzymes into simple sugars then glucose so they can be absorbed into the blood. Digestive enzymes are like biological scissors - they chop long starch molecules into simpler ones.

According to experts, if we cannot burn all the fat we consume, the remainder is stored as fat tissue. This fat-burning ability is determined by the amount of insulin in our bloodstream. [Note: a major factor in insulin release is the glycemic index (GI) value of the carb-foods or meal consumed.] When insulin levels are low, we burn mainly fat. When they are high, we burn mainly carbs. But a problem arises when insulin levels remain constantly high, as in the case of individuals suffering from insulin insensitivity. In such cases, the constant need to burn carbs reduces our fat-burning ability. Result? More fat is stored as fatty (adipose) tissue.

Generally speaking, the speed of digestion is determined by the chemical nature of the carb itself, and thus how “resistant” it is to the activity of the enzymes. A simple sugar is usually much less resistant than a starch, and is digested or metabilized much faster. Things that slow down digestion include: the presence of acid (from gastric juices or the food itself), and the presence of soluble fiber.

High Insulin Levels May Increase Risk of Obesity

This is why experts are linking high insulin levels, together with a reduced ability to burn fat, with obesity. And as you can see, high insulin levels are typically determined by the type of carbs we eat. High GI foods or meals trigger higher levels of insulin than intermediate or low GI foods. This is why the Glycemic Index is considered to be so important in assessing carb eating habits.

As we have seen, the human body is fuelled by glucose. Therefore all foods must be converted into glucose before they can be used as fuel. Carbohydrates are more easily converted into glucose than protein or fat, and are considered to be the body’s “preferred” source of energy, and the brain’s essential source of energy.

Simple carbs (excepting fruit sugar) are more easily converted into glucose because their molecular structure breaks down faster in the stomach and small intestine. Therefore these carbs raise glucose levels in the bloodstream quite rapidly (less than 30 minutes). This explains why diabetics, who occasionally suffer from an excessively low blood-glucose level, can quickly restore their balance by eating simple carb-foods, like sweets.

About the Author:

Which Diet Pill works? That is a million dollar question! Find out about Diet Pill at http://www.smartreviewguide.com

Written By: Daniel J.Fox

Facts You Need To Know About A Low Carb Diet

Posted on December 27th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

What is low carb?

Weve all heard about the Atkins diet either good or bad, low carb eating is a weight loss program popularized by diet plans like Atkins, The Zone and South Beach Diet to name a few.

They all have the same basic premise, lower carbs eating will result in weight loss and help to make you healthier. Some studies have even found that eating from low carbohydrate menus may actually help to raise your good cholesterol.

If you decide that a lower carb way of life is for you, you are allowed to eat:

High fat Steak but not the Baked Potato

Hamburger but not the Bun

Hot Dog but not the Fries

Find the right low carb diet that suits you

Which is best for you? As we already said there are several diets that utilize low carbohydrate foods as the base of their plan. Getting an understanding of low carb diet plans and their various approaches will help you choose the diet that best fits your tastes and meal schedule. Remember all the popular lower carbohydrate diets are similar but have subtle differences.

Whats the difference?

Eating the low carb way can vary from one plan to another, for instance the South Beach diet is much more liberal about adding fruits

During the first two weeks of a low carb diet like Atkins you are limited to a very low carbohydrate intake.

The Zone diet works by balancing protein, carb, and fat in every meal and snack. So if you prefer several small meals throughout the day, this may be the low carb diet for you.

There can be dramatic weight loss during this period. After the introductory , or induction phase you can gradually add some higher carb foods to your menu.

How to I avoid eating high carb foods

Eating out while on a low carb diet is not as difficult as you may imagine. Order the entre only and if it comes with a forbidden carb rich food, ask the waiter to remove it before serving.

Also request that the breadbasket not even be brought to the table, thus avoiding another tempting higher carb food item. Dont eat the crackers with the soup, and only use oil and vinegar dressing on your salad. Lower carb eating can be delicious, easy and healthful.

About The Author

(c) www.atkins-diet-plan-n-books.com

Reprint Rights feel free to publish this article on your website but you must agree to leave all active links contained within ‘About The Author’ intact and “as is” and NOT hidden behind a java or redirect script.

Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice on a variety of subjects. For more information on Atkins diet plan or Low carb diet plans, drop by the website. His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information. Visit http://www.atkins-diet-plan-n-books.com.

Written By: Martin Smith

Low Carb Ice Cream

Posted on December 22nd, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

As the low carb diet continues to create a booming impact to its dieters, the low carb diet arena then began to produce after the exciting six-part series of frozen desserts, and included in this food trend is the making of the reduced sugar and low carb ice creams.

Speaking of low carb ice cream, there are some low carb ice creams that can not be technically called low carb ice cream due to their cream contents, however, they are still low carb ice cream alike. Fortunately, the ice cream companies are now working hard to provide the ice cream consumers with frozen desserts that have reduced sugar contents, which ultimately reduce the products calorie and carbohydrate contents.

And one of the good news that accompanied the production of the low carb ice cream is that most of the reduced sugar desserts really taste yummy. However, there are some studies which noted that reduced sugar does not eventually mean the treat is low in fat. But despite that possibility for the low carb ice cream, there are still some frozen desserts that are both low in fat and carbohydrates.

It is as well interesting to know that many studies about the low carb ice cream have considered that only half a cup of the low carb ice cream is a reasonable serving. However, it is still considerable that even if an ice cream carton trumpets that has low sugar or calorie levels, or has no added sugar, or even has low carbohydrates, they might have probably fat contents that would contribute a bad effect.

So if you are one of those who love low carb ice creams, following are several low carb ice creams that are best recommended for family preference.

One of the noted best recommended low carb ice cream is the Edys No Sugar Added Triple Chocolate low carb ice cream. Many who have tasted this low carb frozen dessert have considered it as low in fat, low in sugar, and tastes so yummy. And in fact, there are fudge sauce swirls in this chocolate ice cream.

And also of great interest is the Vanilla Ice Cream that can really be considered as a low carb ice cream for the fact that it contains a lower carbohydrates count for two carbohydrates per serving. This particular low carb frozen dessert is made by these ingredients: five egg yolks, a cup of Splenda, 1 and cups of heavy cream that is whipped.

All of these mentioned low carb ice creams are really considered as nice favorite treats. So you can keep yourself and slim down with these low carb frozen desserts.

About the Author:

Joan Winthorp is a fitness and nutrition expert. If you ever wanted to know if the Low-Carb-Diet works or does not - than the website at http://www.low-carb-diet-secrets.com was written just for you.

Written By: Joan Winthorp

Complex Carbs For Rookies

Posted on December 18th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

If you are looking to improve your physique and keep your energy levels high, a diet with an adequate supply of carbohydrates is crucial. Forget about these diets that are low carb, like Atkins and Keto, they DO NOT work in the long run and should be avoided at all costs. Complex carbs should be of equal importance to protein while trying to achieve your fitness goals.

Complex carbs are just thousands of sugar molecules joined together into one molecule. The Glycemic Index is useful for determining which types of carbs are simple or complex. It is very hard to determine what foods are classified as simple or complex without prior nutrition experience. You have to do your homework and research which carb sources will be best for your diet. Most of your healthy carb choice are basically oatmeal, whole-grain wheat, fruits, vegetables, and pasta. There are others certainly, but these will give you an idea of the carb sources you need to consume. There are many health benefits to complex carbs. They contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals that a trainee`s body needs. Most of these carbs also contain large amounts of fiber, which are slow burning and keeps your energy levels at its peak. When your diet consists of high amounts of simple, sugary carbs, you tend to eat more than what your body can metabolize. Hence, fat gain. To avoid the overeating fallacy, a diet with complex carbs is imperative. So what happens if you don`t eat enough of these complex carb thingies? You will suffer periods of low energy on top of having unwanted fat gain. This could also lead to severe health problems such as obesity or even diabetes. You don`t want to be injecting insulin into your body everyday so make sure that you are eating your complex carbs. The only time to avoid complex carbs is post workout when your body`s glycogen stores need replenished. This is where an “insulin spike” becomes useful because you cells absorb these carbs like a sponge. The debate of whether to have simple or complex carbs post workout has been debated for years and there is still no answer to which carb source is best. You will have determine which carb works best for your body post workout, but your best bet is to start with an insulin spike and see how your body responds. In my next article, “Simple Carbs for Rookies,” I will discuss the basics of this controversial carbohydrate and try educating you on the “how to`s” of simple carbohydrates.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MY SITES: WWW.CLUBBODYBUILDING.COM AND WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/BASHORE69/BODYBUILDINGARTICLES.HTML
MY BOOK “BODYBUILDING FOR ROOKIES” WILL BE RELEASED AUGUST 12.

Written By: Zach Bashore

Low Carb Chicken Recipes Made Easy

Posted on December 14th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Do you have an interest in cooking? Or, are you interested for some of the low carb chicken recipes? If so, then you have found the right page for your need. Why? Obviously, it is for the main reason that in this article you will find two of the favorite low carb chicken recipes that you can add to your low carb chicken recipe collection. It is also interesting to know that these provided low carb chicken recipes are taken from the most trusted resources on low carb chicken recipes. So read on for your great advantage.

So here is one of the great low carb chicken recipes that will give you a sense of satisfaction before and after preparing it. Well, this low carb chicken recipe is named as Crunchy Pecan Chicken. Generally, this low carb chicken recipe is a skillet chicken recipe that has a coating of ground pecans and Parmesan cheese. This is basically composed of one cup of ground pecans, cup of grated parmesan cheese, teaspoon of garlic salt, teaspoon of dried leaf basil that is crumbled, lemon juice for dipping, 4 boneless chicken breast halves that are also pounded to make flat and even in thickness, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

In terms of the procedures involved in this low carb chicken recipe, all you need to do is to combine the pecans, cheese, garlic salt and basil in a huge low dish. Then put the lemon juice in another low dish; dip the chicken in juice and then coat with pecan mixture. After that, you heat oil until moderately hot, and then add the chicken. The average period for each piece of chicken to be cooked is 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden. As simple as that!

The other notable low carb chicken recipe is what is known as Smacking Wings. Accordingly, this low carb chicken recipe is about wings that are tangy and sweet version of Buffalo wings. This is basically composed of 16 chicken wings, cup of salad oil, cup of balsamic vinegar, cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of cane syrup or dark corn syrup, 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, teaspoon of red pepper flakes, teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, teaspoon cayenne, and teaspoon of ground nutmeg. The directions for this low carb chicken recipe are just so simple and brief. You just need to cut off and discard the bony wing tips, and cut the remaining wings in half. Then in a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and blend well. Marinate the wings in this mixture for one hour in the refrigerator and then grill in a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

About the Author:

Check out our low carb recipes site. Feel free to redistribute this article as long as there is an active hyperlink pointing to our site. Enjoy.

Written By: Sarah Williams

Celebrity Low Carb Diet Addicts

Posted on December 10th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Low carbohydrate diets have really taken off over recent years, and the first to show off the effects of these diets are frequently A-list celebrities. We all watch these celebrities being snapped in newspapers and magazines with their svelte new figures, and this encourages the public to switch to the same sort of diet. Low carb eating plans such as the Atkins Diet have been catapulted to worldwide exposure through the recommendations of gorgeous, slim stars that swear by these methods.

Friends’ star, Jennifer Aniston, was a huge follower of low carb dieting, and her super-slim figure encouraged millions of normal people to quickly jump on the low carb bandwagon in the hope of shedding the pounds. Coupling her eating habits with yoga and exercise has helped Jennifer to develop an enviable and world-famous slim figure, making her an icon for millions of women around the world.

The UK’s Catherine Zeta Jones was the envy of millions when she quickly shed the pounds after giving birth to her first child with star husband Michael Douglas. It was soon impossible to tell that Catherine had even given birth, as her figure sprang back to its svelte and firm former state. Jones used a low carb eating plan in order to help her shed the excess weight after giving birth, and this diet along with exercise made it possible for her to be back on screen in record time looking better than ever.

Former UK Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell, was once a curvy and busty redhead. However, with the help of a low carb diet and plenty of yoga, Geri lost a great deal of weight and has spent the last few years sporting a super-slim figure to complement her new, chic look. Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow is also known to be a low carb diet fan, and enjoys supplementing her yoga with a range of low carb foods to keep her waif like figure in shape.

Many stars, both male and female, use low carb diets to shape up for movies, as this enables them to lose excess pounds quite quickly. Movie superstars such as Ben Affleck, have switched to low carb eating plans to get in shape for upcoming movies. Ben was known to favor low carb foods whilst shaping up for his role in Pearl Harbor.

And it’s not just Hollywood actors that use low carb diets to get in shape. Many musicians and pop stars also enjoy low carb diets in order to get them in shape for concerts and tours. This helps them to maintain energy levels as well as slim down and stay trim, an important factor for all stars, who are very conscious of their appearance. Low carb diets have always proven popular with high profile stars, and most low carb eating plans have these celebrities to thank for their popularity and exposure.

About the author:

Find out more about Diet and Nutrition at healthandfinesse.com

Written By: Nicky Pilkington

Low Carbs, No Meat: What’s A Vegetarian To Do?

Posted on December 6th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

The low-carb, high-protein diet craze seems to have left vegetarians holding the short end of the celery stick.

The challenge for vegetarian seeking to shed a few pounds a la Atkins diet or other low-carb regimens is to find meatless sources of protein, writes Celia Brooks Brown in her cookbook.

Eggs are obvious stand-ins, says the U.K. based cookbook author, but buy organic and limit consumption if cholesterol is a concern.

She offers such recipes as kerala-style eggs (scrambled eggs with tomato and spices) and egg foo yung (Chinese omelet with veggies and bean sprouts), which require a little savvy.

Also featured in a lot of her recipes is tofu. “Nature’s gift to vegetarians,” the rather tasteless soybean by-product just needs “a little loving attention to give it life,” she notes.

In other words, infuse it with flavor or spice it up to the hilt as she does in Chinese-spice tofu and mesclun salad and Thai hot and sour salad with crispy tofu.

Here, the tofu is braised in a sauce and roasted with broccoli.

Teriyaki Tofu With Roasted Broccoli

1/2 cup dark soy sauce
1 cup dry sherry
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
7 ounces/200g firm tofu, patted dry and cut into two triangles
4 teaspoons peanut or sunflower oil
1-3/4 cups broccoli florets
Cucumber slices, to serve (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (200C.) Place the soy sauce, sherry and ginger in a small skillet and bring to a boil. Add the tofu and simmer for five minutes, then turn the tofu over and simmer for a further five minutes. Carefully lift tofu from the hot sauce and place in a lightly oiled ovenproof dish. Reserve the sauce. Brush the sides and top of the tofu with 2 teaspoons oil.

Place the broccoli in a bowl and toss with remaining oil. Arrange the broccoli around the tofu. Pour the reserved sauce over the broccoli and tofu. Roast for 25 minutes, until broccoli is cooked and slightly crisp. Serve hot with cucumber slices, if you like. Makes 2 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 255, Protein 11g, Fat 14g, Carbohydrates 10g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 3,090mg (Use low-sodium soy sauce and the sodium content will drop in mg.)

About the Author:

Author: Susan Rutter - Publisher, Nutritionist, and Instructor who assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes in their lives.
Web Site: Healthy YOUbbies http://www.geocities.com/healthyoubbies/ Contact
Email: sm.rutter@sympatico.ca

Written By: Susan Rutter

Low Carb Recipes Made Easy

Posted on December 2nd, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

The low carb diet is now considered as one of the commonly applied form of diet among the series of diet fads. It is therefore no doubt that as many people were drawn to it, many companies that are concerned about the low carb diet have developed their low carb services by providing some of them to the people especially to the low carb dieters.

Speaking of the low carb services, many companies are now providing some products like the low carb breads, pastas, drinks, and others along with low carb recipes. With the accompaniment of low carb recipes, the low carb recipes then becomes one of the most favorite low carb services of the consumers. As such, many low carb dieters today often look for some of the available low carb recipes.

As we all notice, low carb recipes even invaded the domain of the internet. During the early times, prior to the advent of the internet, the low carb recipes are only found on several low carb books and other paper based resources. But today, wherever you look at, there are so many available low carb recipes on the web.

Low carb recipes are now one of the common features of most of the online companies that deal with nutrition, foods, health, etc. Many resources for this one of the hottest thing in the diet arena are now opening to provide some of the available low carb recipes. There are even companies that offered this kind of service that even create their own low carb recipes just to serve the recipe junkies. In fact, on the web there are so many low carb recipes that are given for free, but there are also that requires some registration before one can fully access the site.

Since the term low carb recipes is such a general term, that it may apply to different areas, it is then interesting to know that some of the accessible collections of the recipes provided by the online companies and even the nutritional and health books and other resources, include some of the low carb recipes that are among the personal favorites, some were even sent to most of the collectors, and others are taken from the best low carb cookbooks.

And the many collections for the low carb recipes generally include some low carb recipes for treats and desserts, gravies and sauces, meats and entrees, appetizers and snacks, soups and salads, veggies and sides, great egg dishes, beverages and shakes, and breads and pastas. And usually these categories for low carb recipes are even coupled with some of the helpful ingredient equivalents.

About the Author:

Check out our low carb recipes site. Feel free to redistribute this article as long as there is an active hyperlink pointing to our site. Enjoy.

Written By: Sarah Williams