tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86929179970804082302024-02-08T06:56:57.819-08:00Low Carb Dieting for VegetariansLisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-82849617953373312682008-02-06T13:40:00.001-08:002008-07-11T10:25:35.429-07:00Yes you can diet low-carb as a vegetarian<span style="font-family:arial;">Welcome.<br /><br />I created this blog to house the techniques, tips and food shortcuts I amassed while losing weight on a vegetarian low-carb diet. Although I'd originally intended to create a website to present this material in organized fashion, my enthusiasm for <a href="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/">that project</a> proved greater than my available time.<br /><br />I want to assure you that it is possible to lose weight--<span style="font-style: italic;">a lot of weight--</span>on a low carb veg diet. In one year I lost almost precisely 100 pounds. After 20 months I'd lost 140 pounds total. I wouldn't have thought it was possible myself and certainly wouldn't have bet more than a few pennies on my ability to shed fat so quickly, but that's exactly what happened. And no, you certainly do not need to eat animal flesh--or even any animal foods at all. Low carb diets have the reputation of being based on bacon, hamburger patties and pats of butter with a side order of pork rinds. <span style="font-style: italic;">This simply isn't true. </span>It's not difficult to devise a low-carb vegetarian regimen. The strange but wonderful truth is that I ate with greater pleasure as a low-carbing lacto-ovo vegetarian than I had as a low-fat high-carb veg in my fifteen prior years. And I felt healthier and more energetic in the bargain.<br /><br />While I no longer follow a vegetarian diet, I am nonetheless committed to supporting any vegetarian who wants to explore low carb dieting. I believe a carb-conscious regimen is the most efficient and most healthful path to losing weight.<br /><br />I didn't create this blog to debate animal rights or grapple with the ethical issues surrounding farming, dining and the food industry. Mind you, I do have opinions on these subjects. I am human, after all, and thus given to moments of introspection and fierce idealism, but this blog is not the forum for such discussions. If you want to engage me on these topics, please email me instead.<br /><br />If you seek low carb vegetarian knowledge, you are most welcome to explore this blog and to email me. I don't have plans to post to this journal again, so if you're looking for my latest thoughts on <a href="http://lissbell.blogspot.com/">health and dieting</a>, <a href="http://lissbliss.livejournal.com/">chocolate</a>, or <a href="http://lissbell.blogspot.com/">life in this funny universe</a>, you might prefer to visit one of my other journals. (And if you want to read my old low carb and health Livejournal that carried me through my weight loss and includes an absurd number of chocolate and tea reviews, you can visit <a href="http://lissless.livejournal.com/">that seldom used LJ here</a>.)<br /><br />Best of luck to you,<br />~L<br /></span>Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-88011111443850239582008-02-05T18:42:00.000-08:002008-02-06T20:22:45.176-08:00Indispensable Low Carb Veg RecipesWhen I need inspiration, I visit Linda's or one of the low carb forums. Other low carb dieters never let me down. Having said that, the following have been indispensable in my weight loss:<br /><br />- Linda's <a href="http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/mockafoni_cheese.html">Mockafoni</a> (with Neufchatel instead of full-fat cream cheese)<br />- Linda's <a href="http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/deep_dish_pizza.html">Deep Dish Pizza</a> (with Neufchatel & egg replacer instead of cream cheese & eggs) topped with green peppers, olives or mushrooms<br />- <a href="http://stellastyle.com/community2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3508">Rachel Stella's cheesecake</a> made with full-fat cream cheese!<br />- <a href="http://stellastyle.com/community2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4999">David's aunt's holiday pumpkin rolls</a><br />- <a href="http://stellastyle.com/community2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4414">cream cheese danishes</a> (made with neufchatel instead of full-fat cream cheese)<br />- Linda's <a href="http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/fried_rice.html">Fried "Rice"</a> with Quorn tenders added for protein<br />- my <a href="http://lissless.livejournal.com/9461.html">Cougar Gold Cauliflower cheese soup</a><br />- <a href="http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lowcarb-recipe-help-suggestions/90351-sommersize-spinich-bread.html">spinach egg "bread"</a> (with egg replacer subbing in for 2 of the 4 eggs)<br /><br />Other meals I enjoyed were stewed rhubarb with Sweetzfree (sucralose), taco-less taco salads (with Mexican-spiced ground Quorn Roast subbing for meat), fried eggs with Walden's no-calorie syrup drizzled on them, and bleu cheese salads with almonds and chopped egg.<br /><br />There are some amazing recipes out there. Just let your taste guide you and you'll find true treasures.<br /><br />And one more tip before I go: cultivate a love for <span style="font-weight: bold;">dark </span>chocolate. When you can eat Dagoba's 99% and grin, you'll know you've arrived.<br /><br />~LLisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-4633962396863243162008-02-05T17:07:00.000-08:002008-02-06T17:56:51.562-08:00Why I loved Vegetarian Low CarbingIt tasted great!<br /><br />At the beginning it was truly that simple. I'm a great lover of food. Though I don't believe it's healthful to overindulge, eating is nonetheless one of life's true pleasures. Each time I attempted low-fat diets I called upon all my creative culinary skills in attempts to maintain the joy of eating, but there simply isn't a lot of satisfaction to be had from food devoid of fat. (Your miles may vary, of course.) My options with low-carb were all tasty and filling. I was in food heaven!<br /><br />But the flavors weren't the only enticing aspect.<br /><br />After a few weeks on low carb, I began to <span style="font-style: italic;">feel physically good!<br /></span><br />I'd had no idea how tired, lethargic and drained of love-for-life I'd become on my high-carb veg diet. For years it had just been my normal state. As my body began to take in sufficient fat and protein and distance itself from the blood-sugar/insulin roller coaster, I started to feel downright terrific. Believe me: one happy morning when I was still at least 230 pounds I dropped everything and started dancing in my room because I just felt that <span style="font-style: italic;">physically marvelous</span>. Energy zinged through my limbs. I could breathe easily. I felt <span style="font-style: italic;">alive</span>.<br /><br />My fifteen years of typical high-carb veg eating had stripped me of that joie de vivre and nearly destroyed my health. Low carb veg dieting gave me my life back.<br /><br />I can never thank the marvelous Doctors Eades enough, nor adequately repay the keenly intellectual Jenny The Bean for sharing her low carb wisdom and research with other dieters. These lovely people helped me drag my body back from ruin.<br /><br />I'm also forever indebted to the funny, delightful, vigilant Jimmy Moore for keeping me laughing even on blue days. (I feel a kindred spirit in Jimmy. Low carb dieting gave him his life back and, I suspect, filled him with an enthusiasm and gratitude so great that he has to share this amazing experience with others or burst.) The Low Carb community is, for the most part, a friendly place full of easy humor and good will. Even as a vegetarian I never felt marginalized. Not only are there other vegetarians out there practicing low-carb, most omnivores are more curious than judgmental when they learn a fellow low-carber is abstaining from meat. (I wish I could claim the veg community is as tolerant and embracing of low carbers; alas, it is not so.)<br /><br />I realize that no single nutritional path is going to suit everyone. My body responded wonderfully to low carb dieting because my physiology is tipped heavily in favor of insulin resistance. I've met people who insist they feel ill when they reduce carb intake--and I believe them. But if you've never tried it, don't dismiss it!<br /><br />I would dearly love to see other severely overweight people experience the same return to happiness and health that I've enjoyed.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />It is true that after fourteen months as a low-carbing vegetarian, I changed my diet to include seafood as well. I was a pescetarian for roughly six months. In November of 2007 my surgeon directed me to stop eating fish and discontinue all my vitamin and mineral supplements. Because I'd had particular difficulty with brain fog even with acetyl l-carnitine supplementation, I made the difficult decision to include birds and mammals in my diet for the months before and after my surgery. (Carnitine is only available in red meat.) I was also instructed to up my carb intake so that my body would be in anabolic rather than catabolic mode while I was healing.<br /><br />It was tremendously difficult for me to raise my carb intake and emotionally distressing to return to eating meat, but I learned from the experience: I feel better than ever. The inclusion of land animals in my diet seems to have inched my health up another notch. And my increased carb level has aided my cognition. For an average American, this carb level would be unthinkable. For an active low-carb dieter, it would probably seem a dubious weight-loss path. But the fuzzy thinking that plagued me beginning in February of 2006 seems at last to have lifted. Keep in mind, however, that I keep every one of my 105 net carbs as low glycemic as possible and that I count every sugar alcohol that trots onto my tongue. If I were "dieting" and counting carbs according to traditional rules, I could probably discount many of these carbs.<br /><br />Ahhh, I have strayed far and away from my original topic: why I loved veg low carbing.<br /><br />I loved it because it gave me life and joy. I haven't been this happy since I was seven years old.<br /><br />Not a small accomplishment for a simple weight loss diet.<br /><br />Cheerfully,<br />~LLisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-23775999198304968472007-03-21T19:11:00.000-07:002008-03-21T19:28:55.544-07:00A bumpy and painful transitionAs is probably clear to anyone now perusing this blog, I returned to seafood in February of 2007 and resume true omnivore status in November of that same year. This was a painful decision, but one I do not regret.<br /><br />But for those wondering about the transition, it went something like this:<br /><br />Shrimp first. I scrutinized them and came to the conclusion that they are the underwater equivalent of sagebugs and no more advanced in thought or feeling than those ubiquitous insects. They were my gateway animal.<br /><br />Next I concluded that while fish have physical feelings, their emotional development is almost nil and their social bonding nonexistent. Since my primary objection to murder/death is that the animal is valued by companions and by himself/herself (if self aware), this made it fairly easy to conclude that the loss of a fish's life is worth the boost to human health that fish consumption provides.<br /><br />I would likely have confined my meat-eating to seafood had my surgeon in November not prohibited seafood consumption and forbidden me to take my supplements. I knew, having researched enough on the topic, that I simply wouldn't be able to get enough carnitine as a vegetarian to support reasonable brain function on a carb-conscious diet. Carnitine beckoned and demanded. So I ate red meat, with great regret.<br /><br />But then I found that I felt clearer and more alert with the inclusion of red meat in my diet. It wasn't as profound an effect as the addition of seafood, but it wasn't insignificant.<br /><br />So I've been left at present with a difficult choice: animals lives or my optimal health. I've been choosing the latter. If we can find mercury and pcb-free sources of seafood, I might be willing to go back to a pescetarian diet, but at present that prospect is unworkable. Too many toxins pollute our seas to base a diet on the animals therein.<br /><br />Is this right? I can't begin to answer that question anymore. It's become too complex. It is right for me. Is it right in the universal system of moral behavior? I hope to find out that, yes, it was, when I die and (hopefully) attain greater knowledge. But in the meantime I can only do my best.<br /><br />Do I encourage other vegetarians to change their dietary habits? No, it's none of my business. I can offer my experiences and the data I've acquired, but what they choose to do from their is all their own.<br /><br />~LLisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-76334735894101590982007-02-06T15:04:00.000-08:002008-03-21T22:34:58.584-07:00Choose a Low Carb Plan<div style="text-align: left;">When I began to diet, I tried to gather enough information online about low carbing to create my own weight loss plan. Until I gave in and read a few of the books, however, I harbored several misconceptions that were minimizing my weight loss. A low carb plan isn’t complicated, but there are details you must understand in order to avoid pitfalls. For this reason, I <i>strongly</i> encourage you to read at least one of the many low carb diet books and follow it to the best of your ability.</div> <p>The question is, which plan and which book? Here are my impressions of those I've read:</p><p></p><br /><center><i>Protein Power Lifeplan</i> by Dr Michael and Dr Mary Dan Eades<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/proteinpowerlifeplan.jpg" class="floatRight" alt="Protein Power book cover" height="240" width="151" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">These doctors make you work a little to figure out <i>exactly</i> how much protein you should be eating per day at minimum. Yeah, you have to pull out a measuring tape and do a little math, but hey—you probably <i>should</i>. The least you can do for your body when you’re putting it through the stress of weight loss is ensure it’s getting enough amino acids to keep your muscles intact. The Eades' plan has two stages. You keep to a lower carb level until you have less than 20% of your body weight to lose. At that point you can increase your carb intake until you reach maintenance. The Eades include helpful sections about supplements and exercise. They also explain the science behind low carbing in great detail and show you how to choose the most healthful fats and carbs for your diet. (For what it’s worth, the Eades do include a <i>very</i> brief section on vegetarianism.) If you like to understand the science behind your weight loss diet and you thrive on a firmly-structured plan, Protein Power may work well for you.</div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>If I could have only one low carb book I would choose the <i>Protein Power Lifeplan</i></b>. I recommend it highly.</p><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution</span> by Dr Robert C Atkins<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/Atkins.jpg" class="floatRIght" alt="Atkins New Diet Revolution book cover" height="230" width="150" /><br /></div><br />This book is heavy on the science behind the diet and is easy to read and understand. The section on vitamin and mineral supplements was helpful. I also appreciated Atkins’ frequent warnings that exercise is a mandatory part of his diet. The diet itself has two main weight loss phases: an “Induction” phase of two weeks (or longer for those with a great deal of weight to lose) in which carbohydrate grams are limited to a minimal level and an “Ongoing Weight Loss” (OWL) phase in which you increase your carb intake with Atkins' guidance until you find the level at which you no longer lose weight. At that point you move back by 5 grams and stay at that carb level for the remainder of your diet. The Atkins book was my first low-carb read and with its quoted studies and careful exploration of insulin and blood sugar, it opened my eyes to the folly of low fat dieting for people with insulin issues. I sensed no condescension toward vegetarians in Atkins' text. You wouldn’t go wrong using this book as a basis for a good weight loss diet. </div><center><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</center> <p><a name="Curves"></a><br /><i>The Curves Diet</i> by Gary Heavin and Carol Colman<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/Curves.gif" class="floatLeft" alt="Curves book cover" height="225" width="150" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">(Note: this book is written for a female audience as the exercise franchise is women-only.) This book actually includes both a low carb and a low-fat/low-cal diet plan and encourages you to follow one or the other based on answers you give to a short set of questions. While the text does touch briefly on the reasoning behind low carbing, the depth is about the level you’d get in a short magazine article. It also includes a section on how to do a Curves-like workout at home, so if you’re interested in a particular exercise plan to augment your diet this book could be a good choice for you.<br /></div></div> <center><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</center> <p><a name="Schwarzbein"></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The Schwarzbein Principle</span> by Dr Diana Schwarzbein<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/Schwarzbein.jpg" class="floatLeft" alt="Schwarzbein Principle book cover" height="219" width="150" /><br /></div><br />Dr Schwarzbein focuses not only on carbs as a problem area for human wellbeing, but on stimulants, drugs, artificial sweeteners and stressful lifestyles. The level of carb consumption she advises is a little higher than that found in the popular mainstream low carb books, but that may appeal to you. I should mention that Dr Schwarzbein wants her dieters to kick artificial sweeteners, added salt, and chocolate. As a cocoa addict, I’m probably a frightening example of <i>exactly</i> why people should not indulge in the stuff. At the same time, I could not follow Schwarzbein's rules. Chocolate enhances my life and I wouldn’t forgo it without solid evidence that it has a deleterious effect on human health. Still, if you want a book that helps you revamp your diet and lifestyle and transform them into something that supports your health and wellbeing, Schwarzbein could be a great match for you. Some people truly enjoy her approach.</div> <center><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</center> <p><a name="SouthBeach"></a><i>The South Beach Diet</i> by Dr Arthur Agaston<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/SouthBeach.jpg" class="floatRight" alt="South Beach book cover" height="214" width="150" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I’m including this in my list because there is a common misconception online that South Beach is a low carb diet. It’s also the "low carb" diet most often suggested to vegetarians. The confusion may stem from South Beach’s first diet phase which is quite similar to the first step of the Atkins' diet. After that introductory period—designed to break dieters of their carb addictions—the similarity ends. South Beach’s nutritional program is based on the idea of choosing good carbs (with reference to the glycemic index) over bad ones and good fats over bad. Since I know people who’ve had success with South Beach, I cannot tell you that it won't work great for you.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">If you mostly want an alternative to standard Weight Watchers low-fat dieting, you might love South Beach. Their online site even offers a vegetarian option. I confess that when I first started reading through my stack of "low carb" books, I thought South Beach would end up being my choice. I couldn’t imagine cutting beans from my diet and knew they were allowed on SB. At the same time I was investigating Agaston's diet, however, I learned I am allergic to wheat gluten. Since there is a huge emphasis on whole grains—in particular whole wheat—in South Beach, this was a big obstacle for me. I also began to worry about finding anything to eat--<i>at all</i>--on SB. Like many mainstream doctors, Agaston believes saturated fats are dangerous and should be shunned in favor of monounsaturated oils. For this reason the South Beach diet for vegetarians is very soy heavy, while most cheeses are restricted or forbidden. Eggs are also discouraged after the first phase of the diet. I realized it would not be physically possible for me to follow South Beach and get enough calories and protein. I would either have to start eating meat—which I could not do—or eat enormous servings of soy—which I <i>would</i> not do.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">I feel obligated to note that I encouraged my omnivore father to go on the South Beach diet because it was the lowest carb diet advocated by mainstream nutritionists. He lost weight in the first phase that mirrored Atkins, but promptly stopped dropping pounds for the several weeks he was using South Beach’s second phase. I finally encouraged him to do Atkins with me. He has been losing weight steadily ever since. As I stated earlier, I do know people who’ve had great success with South Beach and adore it. Everyone’s body is different. If you choose South Beach, I wish you the greatest possible success. I feel obligated, however, to encourage you to investigate the safety of soy and to read the latest research on healthful fats.</p> <center>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</center> <p><a name="LowCarbVeg"></a><br /><i>The Vegetarian Low-Carb Diet</i> by Rose Elliot<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.webliss.net/lowcarb/LowCarbVegetarian.jpg" class="floatLeft" alt="Low Carb Vegetarian book cover" height="229" width="150" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I had hoped this book would summarize the best low carb knowledge and present it in a manner that was optimized for vegetarians. To some degree, this book fulfills my dreams. It advocates a reasonable carb level for each dietary phase, discusses the science behind the plan well, and includes a concise list of marvelous low carb diet hints. Unfortunately, as brilliantly as Rose Elliot presents low carb, she does something that makes me cringe: she virtually shrugs off soy's dangers.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">She doesn't try to refute the conclusions of unfavorable studies scientifically. Instead she suggests those studies were not good ones then refers readers to John Robbins' pro-soy article. Next she wants her readers to check out the Messinas' discussion of soy. I fear if I'd read Rose Elliot's book at the vulnerable beginning of my diet, I would have wished so deeply for soy to be safe that I might have used Rose's, Robbins' and the Messinas' statements as an excuse to avoid looking critically at the facts. I could have ended up eating a <i>very</i> high-soy diet. This troubles me deeply.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">I'm grateful she acknowledges soy is controversial. She even advises readers to make up their own minds on the subject-- but refers them only to the pro-soy articles mentioned. This is at best unhelpful; at worst, dangerous. Sigh... I have grave reservations about this aspect of the text and thus would not lend it to any vegetarian friend. On the other hand, this is a well-written treasure trove of low carb guidance and tips. If you've investigated soy as a food and have decided you are comfortable incorporating it in your diet, this book could serve well as a low carb guide and as a recipe collection. Don't let my dissatisfaction with her treatment of soy keep you from choosing this book. (I also disagree with her easy dismissal of the perils of stevia as a sweetener and her quick condemnation of sucralose, but respect her views nonethless.) In every other way, this is a marvelous low carb text.<br /></p> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<p style="text-align: left;">If you insist on embarking on a low carb diet without the assistance of a text that explains the fine points, at least visit about.com's section on <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/Low_Carb_101_Basic_Info_About_Low_Carb_Diets.htm">basic low carbing</a>. While it's no substitute for a book, the site may help you avoid some of the common mistakes. But <i>please</i> reconsider forgoing the help of one of the low carb texts. Surely your local library could loan you a copy. You can also find many of these titles at used book stores and sites like half.com and eBay. Alternately, if you dislike reading, there are audio versions of both Atkins and Protein Power. I can't force a book into your hands, but please <i>don't be a stubborn fool! Read one of these books!</i></p></center>Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-8864743560628787792007-02-05T15:19:00.000-08:002008-05-29T10:07:25.017-07:00My Low Carb Veg DietI can’t tell you the One True Way to follow a vegetarian low-carb diet, but I can tell you what worked for me. Since individual physiology varies, you will likely be able to eat some foods that I can’t. You may also have to avoid some ingredients in which I frequently indulged.<br /><br />From the start, I logged my food intake in a daily diary to keep track of my calories, fat, carbs and protein. Omnivores might be able to get away with just counting net carbs on a low-carb diet, but vegetarians run the risk of eating way too many calories or eating far too little protein if they don't actively watch their macronutrient intake. I used <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fitday </span>every single day of my weight loss and continue to do so today.<br /><br />You may read my early Fitday logs (before I moved to the offline version) <a href="http://www.fitday.com/webfit/publicjournals.html?Owner=lissbell&Year=2006&Month=4&Day=5">here</a>. The relevant entries were from February 2006 through May 2006. (At that point I started using the offline version for most logging. Also please be forewarned that I still use the online version to plan my daily foods when I'm away from my main computer. If you visit my current logs, you will probably find animal flesh listed. As I mentioned, I'm no longer a vegetarian, but I support those who are and who wish to lose weight as efficiently and healthfully as possible.)<br /><br />In my first two low carb weeks, I did in fact stay below 20g net carbs in classic induction diet style. What did I eat? Mostly eggs, spinach, almonds, cheese, avocado and multivitamins. After those two weeks I moved my carb intake up to about 35-39 net grams daily for the remainder of the year. When I had little weight left to lose, I upped my carb intake to 55-59 net grams per day. This did significantly reduce the rate at which I lost pounds, but the boost in blood glucose allowed me to think quicker and more clearly. (I am apparently one of those rare ducks whose brains trudge slowly along on ketones. Ahh well.) Throughout my diet I was careful to get an adequate amount of protein. (Jenny offers a quick protein need calculator <a href="http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/proteincalc.htm">here</a>.) As one might expect, I lost faster when I kept my total calories within reason for my short height--about 1250 to 1450 each day. On maintenance I upped my carb intake to 80 net grams. Several months later I moved that up to 105 net grams.<br /><br />So as a vegetarian where did I find sources of ample protein?<br /><p>The bulk of my protein came from <span style="font-weight: bold;">eggs, neufatchel cheese, parmesan, skim mozzarella, whey protein and mycoprotein found in Quorn</span> products. I had a low-carb <span style="font-weight: bold;">yogurt </span>(Dannon and Blue Bunny both offer them) a few days a week. When I could spare the carbs, I’d have a glass of lower carb milk. (The last time I checked Hood still made Calorie Countdown milk.)<br /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheese </span>truly is your friend when you’re looking to cut carbs and increase your protein intake. Let go of the misconception that fat is health’s enemy, and you find yourself with a glorious selection of dairy delights you used to think you could only enjoy on special occasions. Visit the cheese section in your co-op. You won’t be sorry.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cream cheese</span>—especially its lower fat incarnation Neufchatel—gives wonderful flavor and texture to several of my favorite recipes.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eggs</span>, so yummy in so many forms... They are not, however, all created equal. As a vegetarian you may well be deficient in the DHA and EPA forms of Omega3 fats. For a hefty price, you can buy organic, free-range eggs that are rich in these Omega3’s. Not only is it kinder to the hens, it is a more healthful option.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Parmesan </span>– salty stuff and apparently laden with monosodium glutamate. For this reason I don’t use it abundantly or terribly often. Luckily a small amount of it imparts a lot of taste.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mozzarella</span>: I love it shamelessly.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Whey protein</span>: I know, you think those canisters of protein powder are only for body builders suffering delusions of muscular grandeur. Think again: protein powders are your friends. They are also NOT all equivalent. Some dissolve wonderfully in heated liquid while others form disgusting glue-like globules. Some have an unpleasantly sweet aftertaste, others are helpfully neutral. When well-chosen, these powders serve brilliantly in recipes.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mycoprotein</span>: was my tasty salvation. If you are allergic to mushrooms or other fungi, you may want to approach Quorn’s products with extreme caution, but they’ve never caused me a problem. The roast is packed with protein at a low carb cost and the tenders are wonderfully convenient in rushed stir-fries even if they do dig a little deeper into your carb allotment. <b>Edited 5/8/08 to add:</b> A physician I respect, Dr John Briffa, has expressed <a href="http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2008/04/18/when-is-a-healthy-food-not-a-healthy-food-after-all/">misgivings about Quorn's safety</a> because, as he explains it, it is not a very natural product. It is not something we've consumed historically. If my understanding is correct, mycoprotein is created using a rather involved process utilizing fungal microorganism found in soil, so this is a "processed" food in every respect. Furthermore, the palatability of the final product may rely more on its msg content than on any inherent tastiness of mycoprotein itself. If you're risk-averse, you might want to avoid this product. If you scoff at such notions and welcome soy and other such potential dangers in your diet with a carefree wave--well, Quorn may not be any better or worse. I just thought I should let you know there are concerns out there. In case you are interested, Briffa's thoughts on veggie meat substitutes continue in <a href="http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2008/05/19/its-not-just-the-salt-that-makes-many-meat-substitute-foods-a-thoroughly-unhealthy-option/">this post</a> and the comments that follow it.</p><p>What you can probably eat that I can’t: <span style="font-weight: bold;">wheat gluten</span>. Since I don’t dare touch the stuff I can’t vouch for its viability in recipes or comment on its protein/carb content, but from its frequent mentions in low-carb havens I gather some find it delicious and useful. But please be careful. You can have a wheat gluten allergy without realizing it. I had stomach upsets constantly for years and just passed them off on bad genetics. I thought it was just *normal* for me to get sick every day or so on my meals. A friend even suggested to me years ago that I might have a gluten allergy and I just rolled my eyes. Do NOT ignore the possibility like I did. Consuming gluten when your GI tract can’t handle it increases your risk for a whole host of auto-immune diseases. My mother now has one of those diseases and I believe it’s in part because she ignored her own gluten allergy. My sister (who’d suffered, to a lesser degree, many of the symptoms I’d suffered for years) refused to entertain the notion that she, too, had a gluten allergy until she saw what has happened to our mother. She stopped eating wheat and, gee, her problems went away. Yes, I realize that just because I have the allergy doesn’t mean everyone else does. My brother is not the least bit allergic to gluten. Most people aren’t. But a great number who are don’t realize it. Don’t be one of them. Please. Auto-immune diseases really suck.</p>For vegans: you can no doubt devise scrumptious meals based on soy, rice bran protein and wheat gluten. I don't deny it would be an extra challenge to follow a carb-conscious path without dairy, but I also believe it absolutely can be done.<br /><br />So that's it. I ate heartily and happily while low-carb vegging. I hope it works just as well for you.Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-33223371896301195142007-02-04T15:46:00.000-08:002008-09-28T10:42:47.700-07:00Why low carb veg style?<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Whyever Would A Vegetarian Do Such A Thing?<br /></div><p>Shortest answer: it works.</p><p>If you are an overweight vegetarian and would like to lose body fat, a low-carb diet will likely help you do so at a good rate and without the kind of hunger that often accompanies low-fat weight loss plans. Transforming a veg diet from its typical high-carb low-protein profile to a low-carb higher-protein variant may seem daunting, but it's actually not difficult. You just acquire a fun new set of recipes to prepare and go on about your life as you always have.</p><p>What do you have to lose? If you despise it, you can always turn your back on the diet and find another path. But please don't think it's impossible to do this just because you don't eat meat. It's no more time-consuming than weighing, measuring, and logging for Weight Watchers--and it's a whole lot tastier! I assure you: a vegetarian low-carb diet is not only feasible, it's enjoyable. Do not be afraid of leaving your favorite carbs behind. I tell you truthfully: after a very short while they won't be missed.</p><br /><center>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</center><p><a name="omnivore"></a></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Whyever Would An Omnivore Do Such A Thing?<br /></div><p>I would be remiss if I didn't allow for the possibility of ominivorous low-carb visitors investigating the practicality of shrugging off meat. For you, I repeat what I stated above: a veg low carb meal plan is workable and can be delicious. If you're looking at meatless options for ethical reasons or because you'd like to avoid some of the pollutants that can bioaccumulate up the food chain, veg low-carbing may be what you're seeking.</p><p>If, however, you are toying with vegetarianism because you believe it's inherently more healthful than an omnivorous diet, I would encourage you to read <a href="http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/">Dr Michael Eades' blog</a>. Sad as it makes me, I am persuaded that our biology is likely better-suited to a diet with ample animal protein and far less vegetable-based fat and carbohydrate than nutritionists currently advise. Western culture has a tendency to romanticize nature, imagining gentle gardens and sun-ripened spreads of fruit in our distant past. Spending a few hours watching <a href="http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/jeffcorwin/episode/episode04_05/teamwork.html">Animal Planet</a> may <a href="http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~stanford/chimphunt.html">disabuse</a> you of some of the quainter notions you hold about the, ehhh, peaceful dietary nature of primates. The reality is that our species likely evolved our keen brains when we began including ample amounts of DHA-laden fish in our diets. Furthermore, when we hunted and gathered food, very little of the plant matter consumed would have resembled nutritionally the high-carb staples that make up the bulk of our diet today.</p><p><a href="http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/are-humans-meant-to-be-omnivores.html">This post</a> by cardiologist Dr William Davis pretty much sums up my own sad resignation to the truth: humans better thrive when they include animals in their diet and miss out on significant health benefits if they avoid eating animals.</p><p>If you're interested in human dietary history, there are many online resources, but one I found especially enlightening--if dismaying--is <a href="http://www.beyondveg.com/nicholson-w/hb/hb-interview1b.shtml">this one by Ward Nicholson</a>. I'm not telling you not to become a vegetarian. If your heart tells you it is the right ethical choice for you, by all means embrace it. But please don't adopt vegetarianism because you believe it's healthier or more natural for your body. If that is what you seek, you might be more interested in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food">organic</a> dieting options that closely resemble what our evolving ancestors likely consumed.</p>Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-23351999212023851432007-02-03T16:09:00.000-08:002008-02-06T16:13:39.122-08:00Dealing with Stalls<p>Okay, look, stalls happen. Understand they're only temporary. I know, I know, that's easy to write, not so easy to live. There are a few things I've done that seemed to shake off stalls: hot baths with vigorous skin defoliation, sleeping in late, extra exercise and, peculiarly enough Tazo's Berryblossom White tea. I suspect most of these are unique to me.</p> <p>For women who haven't yet hit menopause, please just expect to retain water and times and know that you likely are still losing weight, the scale simply doesn't reflect it.</p> <p>It may also help you to know you're not alone with your stall. I doubt there's a dieter anywhere that hasn't run up against this ugly, stubborn wall. Oftentimes it seems to happen just when you're feeling worst. I know that for me stress is a triple-whammy that makes me feel lousy, makes me want to overeat and also dumps cortisol into my bloodstream making it all but impossible to lose body fat. Not fair in the least, but hey. That's life. To combat the stress, try to laugh, get more exercise, and sleep as much as you can.</p> <p>But most of all, actively practice patience. It's your best weapon--an unbeatable one really--against a stall.</p><p style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Sigh... I should probably not include this particular stall-buster, but a wise supervisor of mine shared a technique with me that she has never seen fail: limit yourself to nothing but eggs and grapefruit for a day. In the case of strict low-carb dieting this would mean no more than one or one and a half grapefruits and a bucketful of eggs, but it might just do the trick. One never knows. Be sure to take your multivitamins</span></p>Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-4688459637003909012007-02-02T16:13:00.000-08:002008-03-14T03:30:36.175-07:00Dealing with IrregularityNot everyone has the problem of digestion slowing <i>waaaaaay</i> down at times during low carb, but I have experienced it. I've read this can be related to too much dairy intake, so the first remedy you might look toward is <span style="font-weight: bold;">cutting your milk product consumption</span> a little--or a lot. You can also consider increasing your intake of some of the laxative <span style="font-weight: bold;">sugar alcohols </span>like maltitol and sorbitol. That wouldn't be my personal top choice, but for some it works great. Other dieters like fiber supplements such as <span style="font-weight: bold;">psyllium </span>or <span style="font-weight: bold;">ground flax husks</span>. I've found regular <span style="font-weight: bold;">exercise </span>helps keep things normal most of the time. And some people get great results by taking a <span style="font-weight: bold;">daily magnesium citrate supplement</span>.<br /><br />Peculiarly, I did find that coffee--both regular and decaf--can help in this area, but that may be something unique to my physiology.<br /><br />What I've found doesn't help? Big gluts of water. Your experience may vary, of course, but the cups of water I gulped to combat irregularity only resulted in a painfully full bladder and unnecessary bathroom breaks.<br /><br />Again: keep in mind my physiology may differ significantly from yours.Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-27313752254458253062007-02-01T19:45:00.000-08:002008-02-06T20:04:13.938-08:00Hey, what about exercise?Exercise, you say?<br /><br />Good question.<br /><br />I hesitate to touch this topic. I believe concretely that exercising is a health boon, but I don't exercise much and never have.<br /><br />I shall be brutally honest: in the beginning of my weight loss journey I was so heavy that exerting too much made my heart race badly. As the pounds dropped I was more able to exercise, but I've never been much of a fitness buff. Briskly walking 2 miles three or four times a week is the most I would ever do.<br /><br />I believe that I lost a little bit faster in the weeks when I fast-walked or road my recumbent bike, but in the many <i>many</i> weeks that I did not exercise much (or at all) I still lost at a good rate. While I don't believe exercise contributed much to my weight loss, I <i>do</i> believe it increased my health and helped buoy my mood.<br /><br />If you suffer from excessive stress or depression (both of which can cause body chemistry that thwarts weight loss) exercise can theoretically ease those problems and help you avoid slow-downs or stalls that would otherwise result. Unfortunately, I've not personally experienced extraordinary benefits from exercise, so I'm not the greatest spokesperson for its merits. I believe it's healthful and that we would all be healthier if we pursued it...<br /><br />but I didn't, much.<br /><br />Nonetheless, if you want healthy bones and a fast metabolism, you would do best not to follow in my lazybones footsteps.Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-2823050868481840692007-02-01T16:34:00.000-08:002008-02-06T19:38:58.335-08:00Diet Logs are mandatoryMy father joined me in my low carb efforts several months after I embarked on my diet. I set up an online food log for him, but he refused to use it.<br /><br />Despite dieting alongside me, he has not reached his weight goal. (And he had far less to lose than I!) I've told him time and again that he must log his food if he expects this diet--or any other--to work for him.<br /><br />He is stubborn.<br /><br />Do not be like him!<br /><br />Even for dieting omnivores it can be a challenge to keep track of and control carb intake each day. For we vegetarians who get the bulk of our protein bound up with carbs, it's all the more demanding. I cannot imagine successfully managing my carb and protein intake without the help of a tool that logs my meals. (Watch me lug my cumbersome laptop on vacations to do exactly that and you might believe me: the logs become indispensable.) You could, of course, do this by referring to food charts in books and using a simple notebook or spreadsheet. If, however, you're comfortable with the Internet, you may as well take advantage of one of the free diet tracking services available. Among those I see mentioned in a simple google search are <a href="http://www.nutridiary.com/">Nutridiary</a>, <a href="http://sparkpeople.com/myspark/mysparkcal.asp">Sparkpeople.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.fitday.com/pc/pchome.html">Fitday</a>. <p>Of those three, I've only used Fitday, but the other two may also be great. The free online version of Fitday allows you to view and update your daily log anywhere you have access to the Internet. It also allows you to track your weight, mood, and enter a small journal entry daily if you like.</p><p>I use the non-web-based version of Fitday because it's easier and more flexible than the online log. If I met the programmers who wrote this program I would personally hug each of them. I could not have dieted successfully without this wonderful tool.</p><p>Again I warn you: do NOT attempt a low carb vegetarian diet without logging your foods. Don't even <span style="font-style: italic;">think </span>about it.<br /></p>Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-44504357367297966082007-02-01T16:28:00.000-08:002008-02-06T20:12:48.790-08:00Dealing with limited time<p>Ahhh, for those easy days when eating involved ripping open a box or bag, twisting a few dials, setting a timer and waiting for my warm tasty food to come to me... Let's face it, there just aren't many low carb vegetarian convenience foods on the market. There are, however, a few things you can do to save time. <b>If you eat hard-boiled eggs <span style="font-style: italic;">buy an egg cooker right now</span></b>. I fooled around with the egg-stractor and a hand tool from Japan designed to help peel eggs before I gave in a bought the egg cooker. The hard-boiled eggs made in the egg-cooker peel fast and easy every time--no more digging painfully at egg shells and losing half the flesh of the egg to a stubborn section of shell.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">String cheese </span>is another easy low carb option. And I heartily recommend <span style="font-weight: bold;">Atkins shakes</span>. Everyone in my family--except me--prefers the Chocolate Royale. I prefer the Chocolate Delight and the caramel. Easy quick meals. Give them a try.</p><p></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">NexGen muffins </span>available from CarbSmart are convenient delicious treasures.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pickled asparagus</span> is a low-carb veggie ready to eat right from the jar.<br /><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shirataki noodles</span>--just cut the bag open and drop them in a colander for a good rinse in the sink. While they're being rinsed, grab your low-carb marinara and some parmesan and put them in a bowl. Now your noodles are probably ready, heat up the whole thing in the microwave and enjoy. I use this meal after long busy work days.</p> <p>And hey, it's also relatively fast and easy to fry an egg or two. No, it's not as quick as dumping 2% milk on a bowl of corn flakes, but it's still not overwhelming.</p> <p>If/when you decide to tackle low-carb recipes, consider making double or triple batches and storing the leftovers in the freezer. You will thank yourself later! The recipes I've found that freeze the best are the pizza, the mockafoni, the enchiladas and the soup.</p>Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-80100422965932348142007-02-01T16:27:00.000-08:002008-02-06T16:28:37.303-08:00Eating OutOmelets and fried eggs can be a bit tiresome after awhile. Many restaurants have cottage cheese available if you ask for it. I've had places give me shelled hard-boiled eggs. You can have stir-fried broccoli, peppers, cauliflower and mushrooms. And, my personal favorite, you can have the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cobb salad sans meat</span>. The Cobb salad has become my best vacation buddy and the treat I look forward to when we head out to a restaurant. It's do-able, trust me. I've been eating out with my family at least once a week the entire time I've dieted without mishap. Just make friends with eggs and salad and all will be well.Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-41477007607315366402007-02-01T16:21:00.000-08:002008-02-07T09:48:09.169-08:00Dealing with Brain Fog<p>Some low carb dieters experience muddy thinking. I was one of them.<br /></p><p>Yeah. Not fun stuff. There were times I was utterly unable to recall the most common of words. Despite the low carb gurus touting the human brain's ability to run swiftly and powerfully on ketones, my own brain plods like a sniffling garden slug on ultra low carb. My cognition picked up a little when I went from the early 35-40 net gram phase to 55-59 grams, but even then I remained much compromised in thought and deed. My typing even slowed. When I upped my intake to 80 net carbs a day for maintenance the situation did improve greatly, but still caused troubling pauses in thought. It actually took a few months at my present 105 net grams for my brain function to normalize. I would certainly not enroll in school during a low carb diet.</p><p>I should note, however, that my sister (not a vegetarian) has dieted extensively at induction level carbs (20 net grams or less) and has yet to experience any cognitive troubles. As I've said before: individual physiology varies. You may be one of the lucky many who never experience the fog.<br /></p><p></p><p>If you do find yourself muddling about trying to recall your aunt's new husband's name is there anything to be done for it? For omnivores, probably not, but for vegetarians, yes: <span style="font-weight: bold;">acetyl l-carnitine</span>. As a vegetarian you are likely desperately deficient in this nutrient. Since it helps the brain make use of ketones as fuel, acetyl l-carnitine can be a great boon to low carb dieters. If you're experience muddy thinking, please consider this supplement.</p>As a vegetarian, you might also be severely low on DHA. Well-intentioned folk will try to suggest that the ALA in flax seeds and flax oil can readily convert to this all-important long-chained fatty acid, but it is unfortunately not true. There are excellent algae-derived <span style="font-weight: bold;">vegetarian DHA</span> pills available. Please, for your health and mental wellbeing, consider taking at least one a day.Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-56516605443202857462006-03-27T23:58:00.000-08:002008-03-27T23:59:29.769-07:00Low-Carb Vegetarian by DeMello<span style="font-style:italic;">Low-Carb Vegetarian</span> – Meatless alternatives for popular low-carb diets<br /><br />By Margo DeMello<br /><br />At 159 pages, this slim square book with smooth white pages boasts an index, large readable text with ingredients in bold font, and helpful nutritional breakdowns for every recipe. The book includes no photos or illustrations, but DeMello does summarize the basics of low-carb dieting. In doing so, however, she commits the grave error of asserting that the Atkins diet is dangerous because it is high in saturated fat. This is incorrect for two reasons. One--there is no underlying reason Atkins’ diet should be higher in any specific type of fat—that is the dieter’s choice alone. Two--current evidence shows that certain saturated fats such as coconut oil and stearic acid are quite healthful indeed. You do not have to accept my word: please do your own research and make your own conclusions.<br /><br />DeMello also throws out the myth that high protein consumption hurts the kidneys. This is misinformation and extremely unhelpful. DeMello goes on to savage the Neanderthin diet, arguing that the carb levels allowed by that plan would increase cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke while imperiling the bones and kidneys. Only the fact that I know Margo believes what she’s saying keeps me from screaming in rage. It is this type of terrible misinformation from the nutrition community that left me fat and ill for years, trying to attain health by minimizing fat and maximizing carbs and allowing in the merest bites of protein.<br /><br />Let me be absolutely candid: I ate abundant amounts of protein and saturated fat while losing over a hundred pounds. My bloodwork and blood pressure went from bad to stellar. I got my health back by eating sufficient amounts of healthy saturated fat and protein. But back to the text at hand…<br /><br />DeMello counsels her readers to look toward The Zone or South Beach—neither of which is truly low carb—when considering which diet to adopt. She also states that soy is “the basis for the protein in most of the recipes”. As you know, I believe soy endangers human health. Since DeMello’s book wasn’t titled “Low-Carb Vegan,” I believed it would include the vegetarian proteins I believe are safe and thus do consume: dairy and eggs.<br /><br />Let me be absolutely clear: DeMello does not include dairy or eggs in her recipes. As she states in the intro, almost all the protein in this text is soy. She makes minimal use of other beans.<br /><br />To me this book is a risk to health and is utterly without use in my kitchen. I can only shake my head at it in dismay.<br /><br />For low-carb dieters committed to vegan menus, this book might be helpful. Please understand I have great respect for the heartfelt commitment to animals’ wellbeing that most vegans share. I adore my vegan friends for their compassion and goodness. Nonetheless, I personally believe a vegan diet jeopardizes human physical and mental wellbeing and is fundamentally incompatible with optimal health.<br /><br />I cannot recommend this book. Then again, I cannot recommend a vegan diet. If, however, you are vegan and want to try low-carbing: this book would likely be a welcome addition to your cookbook shelf.Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-42733113369235814852006-03-21T21:53:00.000-08:002008-03-21T22:10:20.861-07:00Review: Carb Conscious Vegetarian<span style="font-style:italic;">Carb Conscious Vegetarian</span><br />by Robin Robertson<br /><br />Warning: if you are in the first or second phase of a low-carb diet, this cookbook will likely be of no use to you. "Carb Conscious" was, sadly, not a synonym for low carb. These recipes have carb contents that would make them suitable as small side dishes in either a maintenance phase or the last month or two of a low-carb diet when you’re upping carb intakes to much higher levels. The bigger recipes tend to be fairly low in fat, rather low in protein, and have at least 20 carb grams if not more; the smaller recipes are super low in fat and protein and have around 5 to 10 carb grams. I haven’t the time or inclination to add up all the recipes’ macronutrients and come up with a true average, but I suspect the typical fat, protein carb ratio would work out to something like 1g fat, 3g protein, 9g carb, 1g fiber. Clearly an early to middle phase low-carb dieter using this book would fail quickly and spectacularly.<br /><br />So now that I’ve gotten that warning out of the way, if you’re still interested, these are my impressions:<br /><br />This text is printed on pleasant pale cream paper with sage green typeface. For someone with low vision, the text would be difficult to read and long periods spent crouched over the pages would likely bring on eye fatigue. Most people, however, don’t "read" their cookbooks. On a casual level I do find the pages warm and welcoming. I suspect most people would enjoy the book’s presentation and layout.<br /><br />The text’s introduction includes Robertson’s take on carbohydrates’ role in her weight gain and loss. Her dietary philosophy seems to combine low-fat theory (though she doesn’t state it) with an avoidance of refined/processed carbs and high GI/GL carbs such as potatoes and rice. She believes that a healthy diet is based on whole foods. A short section called “Carbology” briefly touches on the concepts of net carbs, the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. Though she states her cookbook would be useful for a low-carb dieter in any phase of their plan, I disgree strongly. This particular cookbook is, sadly, barely more functional for my needs even at maintenance than the vegetarian classic Laurel’s Kitchen. (In fact, a quick glance at the nutritional breakdown table for Laurel’s recipes reveals that they are, for the most part, quite similar to the breakdowns for Robertson’s dishes.)<br /><br />Robertson cautions against the use of Glycemic Index, pointing out that a chocolate bar has a better GI value than rice and carrots. While a carrot’s GI is high, the Glycemic Load of a carrot is low. (She actually covers the carrot GI/GL topic on page 143.) She could simply have pointed out that Glycemic Load is a better dietary reference than Glycemic Index. What worries me about Robertson’s carrot statement is the subtextual assumption that a bowl of rice is superior to a chocolate bar--so clearly superior, in fact, that she doesn’t feel a need to back the insinuated claim up with any sort of scientific data. But the scientific facts of low-carb dieting—-however unsettling this may be to us vegetarians—-show that such foods as bowls of rice are exactly what fattened our bodies and imperiled our health. In my opinion, Robertson’s brief carrot, rice, chocolate statement distills her dietary philosophy and exemplifies the content of the book. (I also believe that chocolate, without sugar, IS a better food than rice, but apparently she disagrees.)<br /><br />I know she truly meant to meet the needs of LC dieters with this book. I appreciate her effort and thank her for trying, but this is not the book vegetarian Low Carb dieters need.<br /><br />Nonetheless, I shall continue with the review…<br /><br />A few staple ingredients she uses concern me. Robertson’s recipes are "dairy free" (though she does allow for the optional use of dairy in a few recipes), so she uses soy versions of common milk products instead. Too few vegetarians are aware of soy’s pitfalls and it worries me that Robertson didn’t mention its possible risks.<br /><br />It also troubles me greatly that she advocates the use of stevia as a sweetener by saying that it is natural. The safety of stevia is by no means certain. Natural does not mean safe. Oleander, rhubarb leaves and peach pits are natural plant parts that I don’t want anywhere near my mouth. I would prefer that a low carb cookbook author present all the sweetener options out there, include the scientific data we have on each, and let dieters make informed decisions on how—and if—to sweeten for themselves.<br /><br />And using agave as a sweetener as Robertson does seems, to me, terribly unwise even for non low-carb dieters. (I think it’s especially perilous for those on LC plans, but I digress…) If I understand correctly, fructose is processed differently by the liver than other forms of sugar. In high concentrations—such as in High Fructose Corn Syrup—it can lead to unhappy health consquences. Robertson acknowledges it is not low carb, but seems to believe it is nonetheless acceptable. I wouldn’t touch it with a flagpole, let alone a fork or spoon.<br /><br />I’m also distressed by her use of flax, though I realize that, like soy, flax is a controversial diet topic.<br /><br />Okay, so those are the iffy ingredients. Are there good ones?<br /><br />Absolutely. She makes frequent use of beans such as black beans and chickpeas. I also deeply appreciate her avoidance of whole grain bread and wheat in this book. Her use of spices seems creative and her inclusion of lots of low GI veggies in many recipes makes me hold out hope that something truly lovely may arise from this book.<br /><br />Realistically, the soy-based ingredients she calls for can be replaced with egg, milk or Quorn products, so those recipes may still be useful in altered form. Furthermore, just because Robertson calls for a potentially risky sweetener in a recipe doesn’t mean you <span style="font-style:italic;">must </span>use it. You can always opt for erythritol or inulin or one of the many other low-carb sweeteners instead. Or you can do the truly prudent thing and just not sweeten your recipes. (No, heck no: I’m no dietary angel. But I believe in informed consent when it comes to dietary risk. I don’t believe in glossing over potential dangers with a wishful wave of the hand and a nod to the gods of "Natural".)<br /><br />Shrug.<br /><br />One more note: The book has a carbohydrate content table of common foods in the appendix. It also includes a small Glycemic Index chart.<br /><br />The book lists for $18.95 US.<br /><br />Since my gripes outweigh my applause, it probably seems as if I hate this cookbook. I don’t. I look forward to trying some of the recipes as side dishes in hopes that Robertson can dazzle with spices. It’s no worse than the average vegetarian cookbook—perhaps even a wee bit better—it’s just a huge disappointment when I had hopes of finding new, tasty low carg veg dishes.<br /><br />Should you buy this book?<br /><br />If you’re in a higher-carb maintenance and either don’t mind soy or don’t mind tweaking recipes, it could be a somewhat useful addition to your cookbook shelf. If you can find it at your local library, I would suggest perusing it before committing to a purchase.<br /><br /><br />~LLisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-35412957174825674712006-03-21T21:43:00.000-08:002008-03-21T21:52:48.246-07:00Review: The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook<span style="font-style:italic;">The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook: 80 Delicious Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes Made Easy with the Glycemic Index</span><br />By Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell and Kate Marsh<br /><br />Boasting slick paper with pleasing photographs, easy to read typeface and well laid-out informative sidebars, this is a nicely presented book.<br /><br />I was so excited to see this title pop up in my Amazon recs section. The idea of other vegetarians recognizing that fast-acting carbs lead to ill health just filled me with hope for the veg community. I imagined a text full of the latest information on how to use glycemic index and glycemic load to choose the most healthful carb options, how to use such ingredients as vinegar to help extend carb-processing time, where to search for such low-GI veg ingredients as Chana Dal and Rice bran…<br /><br />I also dreamed a beautiful dream of page after page of mid-level carb recipes (25 to 30 carb grams per serving max) that made use of low-GI ingredients like channa dal. I hoped this book would serve me brilliantly as I move from the middle phase of my low carb diet, to the later phase that adds carbs back in responsibly.<br /><br />My optimism was premature.<br /><br />The authors get credit from me for acknowledging celiac disease and for giving a sidebar nod to the healthful properties of eggs.<br /><br />The authors lose almost all credibility when they dismiss the use of Glycemic Load because it would, in their opinion, lead to a low-carb diet. Well, we most certainly can’t have that!<br /><br />I could have cried. Using GI without regard to glycemic load is a bit like using the standard temperature/pressure equations in physics to derive gas mass, but leaving out temperature completely and relying solely upon pressure to calculate your final number. It is, in short, utterly stupid.<br /><br />I can understand the average vegetarian’s resistance to cutting back on carb consumption. It is a daunting task at first—and expensive! But avoiding the fact that—for blood sugar sensitive folks it NEEDS to be done—by scoffing at low-carb is, in my opinion, borderline unethical. These people are aware of the damage high GI diets can cause, yet the subtextual message these authors convey couldn’t be clearer: avoid low carb.<br /><br />And boy howdy, you’ll sure be avoiding low carb if you cook according to the Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook. I saw single servings of foods whose carb counts were over 70g. There were some that were much lower, of course, but the accompanying fiber, fat and protein rarely justified the carb count in most of the authors’ recipes. Even assuming you were on long-term maintenance, these carb counts just seemed much too high for me. These recipes were pasta, rice, bean and legume-heavy. I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with whole-grain pasta, low-gi rice, and beans and legumes. I adore beans and legumes, but the quantities called for in these recipes were, at least for my dietary purposes, far too high.<br /><br />They recommend that an average person eat approximately 275g of carbs a day. They also advise that not all foods consumed need be low GI and that consuming low GI foods with higher ones will help mediate the overall rise in blood sugar. Of course that’s somewhat true—but disappointingly inadequate for the needs of folks who are sensitive to sugar and insulin swings in their blood. And who, really, is likely to purchase a cookbook with Low GI in its title? I think the authors are doing their most-likely target audience a tremendous disservice. I can’t imagine these fairly high-carb recipes aren’t going to affect the blood sugar of souls suffering from insulin resistance or, worse, diabetes. But to each his own—and to some of those, a blood glucose monitor.<br /><br />This book emphasizes whole grains to the point that it becomes nearly an irrelevant addition to any celiac’s bookshelf. For a celiac who also avoids soy and tries to keep carb counts under 30 for any given dish, the book is pretty much useless.<br /><br />I’m also quite concerned by their fairly blanket embrace of non-saturated fats—including “soft” margarine—without mentioning the troubling existence of trans-fats. “Soft” margarines can still be loaded with trans fats. It also looks as if the authors are among those who still believe fat is a dietary bogeyman.<br /><br />There were only two recipes that I thought I might be able to use, and one would have to be heavily tweaked in order to fit within my dietary parameters.<br /><br />The first was Vietnamese Spring Rolls in rice paper, and the recipe was similar to <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/50410?path=0FD058">this one</a>. There are photos of rolling rice papers around a similar concoction <a href="http://www.veggiefriendly.com.au/2006/12/10/vegetarian-vietnamese-rice-paper-rolls/">here</a>.<br /><br />The other recipe that enticed me was the baked ricotta. It was somewhat akin to <a href="http://www.webwombat.com.au/lifestyle/food_wine/recipes/bakriccota.htm">this one</a>.<br /><br />Alas, this book also encourages readers in a colourful sidebar to eat phytoestrogens.<br /><br />Imagine me hanging my head in utter frustration and sorrow.<br /><br />I realize that many people cling to the idea that soy is a health food. I also realize that we need more studies to be certain it truly is detrimental to the aging brain. BUT, I think the Hawaiian study is persuasive enough—and alarming enough in the evidence presented—to make any rational soul pause before putting soy in his/her mouth on a regular basis.<br /><br />Darnit, I love tofu. I adore it! But my taste for the stuff and my whimsical wish for the universe to fall neatly in line with my philosophical preferences makes not one bit of difference to scientific reality.<br /><br />Argh, the quixotic naivete of my fellow vegetarians wears on me at times. Honestly, folks. You’re among the brightest and kindest out there. Use your grey matter. This is NOT rocket science. When there’s a linear correlation between tofu consumption and brain atrophy, SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG. Oh, nevermind. If you want to eat the bean, eat the bean. You have every right. You also have every right to smoke tobacco and guzzle high-fructose corn syrup-based soft drinks. You also have full right to munch on trans-fatty snacks—so long as you’re not in New York City.<br /><br />So have at that tempeh. Just please understand that you’re choosing willfully to eat something that is probably damaging your brain. Don’t let the amazingly powerful soy industry deceive you. And question what you’re reading—yes, that applies to me as well.<br /><br />Are you reading something written by a scientist who has done studies on soy? Or are you reading something by a nutritional philosopher who is basing statements on ideology rather than science? Are there citations in the paragraphs? Or just happy reassurances that soy-is-good, soy-is-safe, soy-will-make-us-all-get-along….<br /><br />It’s not okay for personal philosophy to interfere with our acceptance of scientific evidence. It wasn’t okay for people in power to dismiss global warming because it didn’t fit their economic agenda and personal view of the way the world OUGHT to be. Likewise, it isn’t okay for vegetarians and vegans to dismiss alarming evidence about soy just because it doesn’t fit the way we’d like the world to be.<br /><br />Please.<br /><br />Come on guys. I need your brains to be fully functional forty years from now. <br /><br /><br />There seems to be an underlying contempt for low carb dieting in this book. They even state that carbs (low GI ones) are a superior appetite suppressant to fat. This makes me laugh…<br /><br />Not in a good way.<br /><br />They say people don’t need more than 2 – 4 servings (and by serving they mean 2 tsp) of fat a day. And even though they acknowledge that many vegetarians get too much Omega 6 and too little Omega 3, they don’t touch on the fact that the Omega 3 in flax is fairly useless in terms of what our bodies need from that category of fat. Instead, they encourage people to consume flax.<br /><br />They also warn subtly and gently against high protein diets.<br /><br />Basically, they want people to eat a high carb diet. And in this high carb diet, they include lots of pasta, rice, corn and whole grain bread.<br /><br />Okay, this may be a step above white bread, corn flakes and instant mashed potatoes, but I fear it’s still hitting the pancreas harder than it needs to.<br /><br />Oh well.<br /><br />I am, overall, pretty disgusted by this book. I suppose it may look impressive or helpful to a vegetarian who knew nothing about GI/GL, carbs, fat, protein, blood sugar and insulin, but as one who has not only researched the topic but used her body as a living petri dish for these macronutrients and observed the effects: I am deeply disappointed that the authors advocate such a huge proportion of daily calories come from carbs and so few from fat. But what do you do? The culture we live in right now fears fat on the basis of philosophy rather than science. It’s a hard belief to counter.<br /><br />I couldn’t recommend this book to anyone other than a vegetarian absolutely determined to avoid lowering their carb intake. This book is a bit like giving a car passenger a bike helmet to wear instead of a seatbelt. It does a little bit of good and certainly cannot hurt, but it sure doesn’t help as much as just using the darned seatbelt.<br /><br />Sigh..Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692917997080408230.post-46149132197369655602006-03-21T21:34:00.000-08:002008-03-22T16:01:05.517-07:00Review: Bo Sebastian's The Protein-Powered Vegetarian<span style="font-style:italic;">The Protein-Powered Vegetarian, From Meat To Vegetable Protein</span><br />By Bo Sebastian<br /><br />This 188 page book is bound with a bright glossy cover depicting veggie hot dogs and a char-broiled veggie hamburger nestled between two buns. The text itself is black and white on reasonably thick, even-edged paper. The font size and style allow for easy reading even when the book is sitting on a counter far below tired eyes. The book includes no photos or illustrations; nor is there an index.<br /><br />The book offers up its recipes in an orderly fashion with neat lists of ingredients and easy, descriptive instructions. There are no nutritional breakdowns given for the dishes.<br /><br />Mr Sebastian is a good-looking man who seeks to share his personal philosophy and recipe trove out of a desire to improve the health and well-being of others. I respect that. Nonetheless, for my purposes, his cookbook is not useful.<br /><br />Bo does acknowledge the risks of margarine, but he supports the use of questionable oils like canola. He also suggests using Braggs Liquid Aminos which are, in effect, pure MSG in water. I realize monosodium glutamate may not be harmful-—the jury is still out--but the fact that it may be affecting people’s appetites and nerves rather badly shouldn’t be completely ignored. At the least I believe a cookbook author has the duty to inform readers of potential risks and allow cooks to choose for themselves based on the latest information.<br /><br />More disastrously, Mr Sebastian bases the majority of his recipes on soy products and vegetarian processed fake meats such as Harvest Burgers and Morningstar Breakfast patties. Since I believe soy is harmful and I cannot eat 99% of the veggie fake meats on the market (due to the inclusion of wheat gluten), his recipes were useless to me.<br /><br />He did introduce me to the existence of the Italian bean lupini, but since I’ve learned soy itself is likely harmful, I am not prepared to trust this other bean.<br /><br />I couldn’t recommend this cookbook to anyone, vegetarian or low-carb dieter. It doesn’t offer good or novel ideas for dishes. Rather, it’s just different presentations of processed fake meats. I’m sure Mr Sebastian intended to help others with this text. I thank him for that. Still, this book is the worst of the many veggie high-protein books I’ve read. <br /><br />I still wish him the best of health, peace and happiness in this life.<br /><br />~LLisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069443343189587015noreply@blogger.com0