Finding the right foods

Now that low-carb diets have gone mainstream, manufacturers have responded with a dizzying array of new carb-conscious products. Last year, the number of low-and reduced-carb products found on grocery shelves nearly doubled, and the trend is still going strong. Entire stores have even sprung up devoted solely to selling lower-carb products. Pasta, bread, cereal, snack chips, condiments, ice cream, cheesecake, brownies, cookies and many more products are now available for your low-carb dining pleasure. Sound too good to be tree? It just might be.

Carb Cutting and Common Sense

Last month, we talked about some common sense strategies for cutting back on carbs, and we pointed out that many of the best foods for your good-carb/low-carb lifestyle are certainly not new.

The best way to begin your diet transformation is to build on a foundation of lean proteins and plenty of salads and nonstarchy vegetables. Add varying amounts of "good carbs" such as fruits, whole grains and some starchy vegetables, depending on your weight management goals, personal health needs and preferences.

But what about the new low-carb foods that have flooded the marketplace--how do they fit into a carb-conscious lifestyle? It's a very mixed bag. Some of these products are super-nutritious, fiber-rich foods. Others are high-calorie concoctions of refined and artificial ingredients with a hefty dose of added fat. Some are quite tasty; others are barely palatable.

Generally speaking though, few low-carb foods offer any real calorie savings, and herein lies a problem. This article takes a look at some carb-conscious foods--both old and new--and puts them in perspective. My book Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living provides many more tips for adopting a smart carb-conscious lifestyle.

Meats, Poultry and Seafood

These foods are carbohydrate-free unless they are prepared with sugary marinades or sauces. Unfortunately, many carb-conscious people believe this means it's OK to feast on thick, juicy steaks, deep-fried chicken wings, hamburgers, bacon, sausage, ham and other fatty, calorie-laden foods. Nothing could be further from the truth. High-fat meats provide up to three times the calories of their lean counterparts and are loaded with saturated fat (which is linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and colon cancer).

Since environmental contaminants bio-accumulate up the food chain, a diet rich in high-fat animal foods may also raise your exposure to toxins. To avoid these potential down sides to the low-carb diet, be sure to choose lean meats and skinless poultry. Oily fish such as salmon and sardines are OK since they provide healthful omega-3 fats.

Vegetarian Meat Alternatives

Many low-carb dieters avoid foods such as tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers and other meat alter natives because they contain a few grams of carbohydrates. But this is silly because the carbohydrates contained in these foods come from ingredients such as soy, vegetables and other sources of good carbs.

What about legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils)? While it is true that these foods contain about 20 grams of carbohydrates per half cup, the majority of these carbs come from dietary fiber. Because your body does not readily absorb this type of fiber, it also does not absorb all of the carbs associated with it.

The high fiber and protein content of legumes make them exceptionally filling and promote stable blood sugar levels between meals. Plus, legumes are loaded with many other important nutrients, so do substitute them for meat often.

Milk, Yogurt and Cheese

Milk and yogurt are two more foods that are avoided by many low-carb dieters. Again, this is overkill. Milk contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per cup, but it is a low glycemic index (GI) food. This means it has a minimal impact on blood sugar levels. No-added-sugar yogurt, with about 16 grams of carbs pet 8-ounce serving, is also a low GI food.

As for cheese, most kinds contain few or no carbohydrates. High in protein and calcium, low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese are good choices for carb-conscious meals and snacks. Studies also suggest that these foods may help fight insulin resistance and enhance weight loss by revving up the body's fat-burning systems.

What about the low-carb milk and yogurt substitutes that are now available? Some of these products are made from real milk that is filtered to remove most of the naturally occurring sugar (lactose). Sweetness is then added back in with a sugar substitute. Other products include ingredients such as milk proteins, flavorings, water, gums, and cream or vegetable oil. Low-carb milk contains less lactose than regular milk, so it might be useful to people who are lactose-intolerant (be sure to check the label for the exact lactose content). If a very low-carb ketogenic diet is your goal, then a low-carb milk substitute would be a good alter native to high-fat cream, which many low-oath dieters consume in excess.

If you prefer to avoid dairy products, calcium-fortified soymilk, soy yogurt and soy cheese are good alternatives. Soybeans have a low GI rating and provide many nutrients. Choose no-added-sugar soymilk and yogurt to keep carb counts down.