High Protein Diet – Opposite to a Low Carb Diet?

Posted on July 22nd, 2007 in Low Carb by admin

High protein diets are usually associated with low carbohydrates, even though people who have high protein requirements, like professional body builders, are not advised to go on a low carb diet. Protein is one of the most important nutrients necessary for health. The body uses it to build muscle, replenish cells, keep the blood in optimum condition, and basically to keep the body operating smoothly. If done properly, a high protein diet will keep you strong, healthy, and happy.

A high protein diet can provoke weight loss, as several studies have indicated. Proteins are composed of amino acids, and science has shown that if your amino acids are deficient, you are prone to a number of health problems, including obesity. If you concentrate on protein-rich foods and minimize your intake of refined food that have a high carbohydrate and sugar content, after a while, your body will enter into a state called ketosis. Instead of burning carbohydrates as fuel, the body will turn to fat as its primary source of energy. Simply put, the less carbs you have in your body to burn, the more fat your body will use to give you the energy you need to live from day to day.

In addition, it has been proven that eating protein-rich foods leaves you feeling full longer and you will find that you are much less inclined to snack or go on an eating binge. This is because your blood sugar and insulin levels are kept within the normal range you’ll be keeping undue hunger at arm’s length.

Going on a high protein diet does not mean, however, that you are free to gorge on any and every type of protein. You would do well to avoid fried foods dripping in oil or margarine-smothered products. The reason for this is because these foods contain so-called trans-fats and other bad oils and fats that can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease. However, there is a wealth of other types of fatty, protein rich foods that are quite nutritious.

As is common knowledge, meat is an excellent source of protein. Pork and beef contain ample amounts of this nutrient. But if you are concerned about fat, you should limit your portions of dishes containing meat. On the other hand, there is no need to worry about oils and fats if you eat fish and other seafood. Aside from being rich in protein, they contain essential fatty acids that improve your blood cholesterol levels and help prevent ailments like stroke and coronary artery disease. So you need not have any qualms about indulging your appetite at a seafood buffet – most of them can do no harm, only good.

Many plant products also have a rich amount of protein in them. Soy-based produce like tofu and soy milk are suitable for those trying to lose weight on a high protein regimen. So are pulses and beans. Not only are they protein-rich, they are usually low-fat and low-carbohydrate as well.

There have been concerns that a diet rich in protein can have adverse health effects. Some health experts claim that too much protein can deplete the body’s calcium supply and lead to diseases like osteoporosis. Another concern is that the kidneys are forced to deal with more byproducts, thus lessening their efficiency. And there are indications that too much protein increases uric acid levels, which can lead to gout or kidney stones. However, the jury is still out on whether protein is the major culprit in these conditions. More, longer-term research is needed to determine this although there are also many studies that are being conducted to explore these problems, their extent, and their possible resolutions.

A high protein diet may not be for everyone, but for a vast number of people, it not only helps them in their weight loss efforts, it keeps them healthy, too! If you are considering going on this diet, always remember your limits and stick to the rules. It’s possible to modify it a little bit in various ways (such as reducing the intake of saturated fats) to suit your personal taste, but don’t deviate from the “main course.” Choose your protein sources wisely, don’t forget to exercise, don’t be a glutton (it’s one of the seven deadly sins, after all) and just watch the pounds melt away.

About the author:

Carb-club.com provides you with information on all kinds of issues like high protein diet and diets like the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, the Zone diet, and more. Come take a look at http://www.carb-club.com/

Written By: Trevor Mulholland

Low Carb is High Dumb

Posted on July 10th, 2007 in Low Carb by admin

Low carbohydrate diets are now the craze in the U.S.A. Fast food stores even offer hamburgers in lettuce rather than in buns (still with the fats of meat and sauces). Breads and pastries modified for lower carbohydrates are now making fortunes for suppliers. “Low carb salads”, still drenched with high fat dressings, are offered for “dieting.”

So what?

This is a costly, stupid, perhaps health threatening fad.

When I was growing up, I did not understand that biblical quotation of “Man does not live by bread alone”, attributed to Moses (old testament, torah) and Jesus (new testament). Well, I understood that the message was meant to be “People have spiritual as well as physical needs.” But I had no idea how people could live very long on bread. At that time, I was used to spongy white bread with no character.

Somewhere along the way, I learned about whole grain breads, and how peasants through the centuries had lived mostly on dark breads that Marie Antoinnette would have rejected, with occasional fortifications of cheese, eggs, sometimes meat. Peasants tended to eat vegetables, but knights and nobles often dismissed such as “farmers’ fare”, preferring lots of meat, alcoholic beverages, pastries. Few people lived long in those days, so statistical studies of life span versus diet were not performed. (Statistics were not well known.)

So I read up on bread recipes, found a few health gurus who argued for blends of whole grain wheat, cornmeal, rye, and soy flour. A fairly recent development is triticale, a long sought hybrid of wheat and rye. Why these blends? It turns out that grains and legumes can provide all the balanced protein that we need, without meat. Verrrry interesting!
Also, such blends contain valuable dietary fiber.

The prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread”, is now explained. Properly made, bread really can be “the staff of life.”

I have learned to love Asian foods that make heavy use of soy beans, such as tempeh and tofu with noodles and stir fry vegetables. I usually am turned off by soy based foods that pretend to be something else, such as soy burgers, soy cutlets, soy cheeses. In fact, the fake foods not only can taste far from real, but those which contain Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HP) inflame my tongue and cause me anxiety, just as foods with a lot of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG).

Side observation: a chunk of land producing balanced protein from grains and legumes can support about 20 times as many people as the same land producing four legged meats. Oh, and the people getting most of their proteins and calories from plant sources are far less likely to have heart attacks, strokes, cancers, et cetera, than the big meat eaters.

I have written elsewhere that selecting sensible foods means one never has to count calories. I’ll go further and say that most carbohydrate restrictions are dumb.

Here are the only carbohydrate restrictions I recommend.
all refined sugars
(cane, beet, high fructose corn syrup, sorghum molasses, maple syrup, etc.)
beer in large quantities
anything made from white flour, even if “enriched”

If you have a craving for sweets that you just can’t break (which I don’t belive), learn how fruits and nuts together can taste very sweet. Also, the unsaturated fat in the nuts (or edible seeds, such as sunflower) will satisfy hunger with no risk to the arteries. My favorite is raisins and almonds, perhaps with some fresh red delicious apple slices.

Pasta, preferably made from whole grains, is healthful, if not served with lots of cheese, oil, sauces which contain oil, sugar, cheese. Noodles with little meat is a main menu item in the Orient.

Oh, about carbohydrates in potatoes: they are harmless if you don’t add butter, margarine, fat from frying, sour cream for topping, and other insults to a great food. People in parts of Central and South America eat little more than potatoes of traditional breeds.

** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

About the Author

Dr. Donald A. Miller is author of “Easy Health Diet” http://easyhealthdiet.com/diet.htm, “Easy Exercise All Ages” http://easyhealthdiet.com/eeaa.htm, and numerous free articles on health http://easyhealthdiet.com/articles/.
Seven of ten deaths are caused by preventable diseases.

Written By: Dr. Donald A. Miller

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 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

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

Can A Low Carb Diet Help You Avoid Trans Fats?

Posted on September 29th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Unless youve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that trans fats are thought to contribute to heart disease, weight gain, and other health problems. These transformed fatty acids are commonly referred to as Trans Fatty Acids or TFAs and are present in most of the packaged foods found in the grocery store and your pantry!

Trans fats are produced by hydrogenation – the process of heating an oil and passing hydrogen through it. This process turns liquid oils into solid (margarine, Crisco) and extends the shelf life of most processed foods. The high temperatures used to heat the oils also destroy the essential fatty acids and transforms them into trans fats (short for transformed fatty acid). These fats compete with essential fatty acids for absorption in the body and are thought to contribute to coronary heart disease by raising LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol), while lowering the HDL levels( good cholesterol). They also increase platelet aggregation, which in turn increases the chance of blood clotting, strokes and heart attacks. And if that isn’t bad enough, they also create free radicals that have been linked to cancer.

If you are on a low carb diet, chances are that you don’t eat very many processed or fried foods so you wont be consuming much food with trans fats. If you are sticking to mostly low fat meats and vegetables youre probably in pretty good shape as far as trans fats ingestion goes. Margarine is high in trans fats, but there are several brands out there that have no trans fats so if you are eating a lot of margarine, you may want to look into the brand you are buying. Mos of the foods high in trans fatty acids like chips, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, candy, soups, breads, margarine, cheese spreads, and cookies are no-nos on a low carb eating plan so cutting them out of your diet has the added health benefit of reducing your intake of these fats.

How do you know if a food has them? Well, the food industry doesn’t make it easy, they rarely put their content on the labels so you will need to figure it out by reading the ingredients. When buying packaged foods beware of the word hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated in the list of ingredients. These foods will contain trans fatty acids. If you are leading a low carb lifestyle you probably won’t be buying these foods anyway so not to worry!

About the Author

Lee Dobbins is webmaster of http://www.lowcarb-resource.com where you can find more information on low carb living.

Written By: Lee Dobbins

Low-Carb Beef Stroganoff

Posted on September 1st, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Note: This is one of the many quick and easy beef recipes that tastes fabulous with minimal effort thanks largely to sour cream. You can fix this meal in less than 30 minutes. Because it is so easy to do – and tastes absolutely delicious – it is a great meal to serve at your dinner parties. The dish is absolutely best if you use beef tenderloin. There is little waste, and you are better off serving smaller portions than using a lesser-quality in larger amounts. This is great served over any type of pasta.

Serving size,1 1/3 cups. Carbs per serving5.4 grams of carb. NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed well salt to taste freshly ground pepper to taste 12 ounces small button mushrooms 2 Tablesps coconut oil 1 ounce butter 3/4 cup stock or broth 2 Teasps Wondra flour 3/4 cup sour cream 2 Tablesps freshly chopped parsley (or small sprigs)

Pound meat thin. Cut in strips about 1/4 inch wide and 2 inches long. Put on a large plate and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. If you have time, refrigerate meat for an hour or longer. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Trim off hard ends of stems. Heat a large, heavy skillet on medium-high. Add the oil. Quickly brown the meat in the hot oil on both sides, about 2 minutes total. Remove meat to a holding plate. Add the butter to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Ad the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the beef stock and stir to loosen particles on the bottom of the skillet. Add the flour and stir into the broth. Simmer for about 2 minutes on low. Add the meat and the sour cream and heat through. Adjust seasoning, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.*

*Sub-Note: If you are not prepared to serve the meal promptly after you have added the flour and stirred the stock, remove the pan from the heat until you are. (If this is going to take longer than 30 minutes, refrigerate everything until you are ready.) Reheat mushrooms and stock in skillet until bubbly. Proceed with recipe.

About the author:

This article may be freely distributed as long as this resource box remains intact. If you want more Low Carb recipes, please visit The Low Carb Diet eBook

Written By: Adrian Kennelly