Lowcarbezine! 15 December 1999

Hey, Gang!  Welcome to this week's issue of Lowcarbezine!  I'm at home
with a nasty case of tonsillitis, scarfing antibiotics and drinking
plenty of fluids.  I'll try to be brilliant as usual ;-D, but forgive me
if I'm not.  Hey, it's still worth the price, right?

Dana

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All contents Copyright 1999 by Hold the Toast Press.  Any commercial use
is expressly prohibited.  As always, feel free to forward Lowcarbezine
to any friends or family who you feel might enjoy it.

If Lowcarbezine! has been forwarded to you, and you enjoy it, you can
subscribe for FREE at our website:  http://www.holdthetoast.com .

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Thought for the Week

Candy canes.  Chocolate Santas.  Christmas cookies.

When I was a kid, these were the *true* meaning of Christmas to me.  And
so it has been for quite some time now -- remember the phrase, "while
visions of sugar plums danced in their heads," from "T'was the Night
Before Christmas"?  This time of year has always been a feast time,
since long before the birth of Jesus -- that's why we celebrate
Christmas when we do, since we don't know the real birth date.  Hey, do
you know anyone who *can't* get happy about the idea that the days are
going to get longer again?  And do you know anyone who could make it
through these grim, dark days without *something* to celebrate?

Okay, so we're all going to feast.  We've already talked about
Indulgences, in the Thanksgiving issue, and how I expect you to eat what
you want on your Indulgence days.  (However, if you've just celebrated
Hannukah, I hope you didn't decide to have 8 Indulgence Days!  And if
you're planning to celebrate Kwanzaa, you don't get 7 Indulgence Days,
either!  Pick one.)  (By the way -- my local paper published Kwanzaa
recipes today.  The one for Yassa (a chicken dish) looks really good,
and it's low carb, except for the rice.  So eat it without the rice!
Collards are low carb as well, so long as you leave out the sugar this
recipe calls for, or use a low carb sweetener instead.  And if you're
planning to serve yams be aware that A) true yams are much lower carb
than sweet potatoes, which are actually from a different plant family
and B) there is no law requiring you to add sugar to them!)

Ahem. I digress.  Here's the point I was getting to:  Please, please, do
your best to teach your children that holidays do NOT equal Sugar Fest!
I'm constantly dismayed by the degree to which Americans, in particular,
seem to feel that sugar is okay "food" for children, and that to deny
children sugar, or even to limit their consumption, is a mean thing to
do.  American children now get fully 50% of their calories from sugar!
That's a shocking, shameful statistic.

 And it only gets worse during this season of the year, till little
sugar junkies -- like me!  -- see unlimited sugary garbage as being an
inextricable part of what the holidays are about. Just keep in mind that
your kids got 50% of their genes from *you*, and if you've had trouble
with sugar, the chances are *excellent* that they're genetically
susceptible too.  And take it from one who has been there:  Childhood
obesity *hurts*.   And sugar-addicted kids grow up to be sugar-addicted
adults.  We all know how much fun *that* is.

We've all seen articles about trying to help kids be less materialistic
about the holidays, but how many articles have you seen about helping
your kids not see the holidays as an excuse to eat endless trash?  Don't
know about where you are, but around here, local Christian churches post
billboards reminding all and sundry that "Jesus is the Reason for the
Season." That may be, or not, depending on what your faith is -- but
surely you don't want your children growing up believing that red and
green M&Ms and frosted Oreos are the Reason for the Season!

Am I asking you not to let your kids have *any* sugar during the
holidays?  No, I'm not, if only because I know I don't have a *prayer*
of your complying!  What I am asking is that you become conscious of the
degree to which the whole holiday season has become one big sugar binge,
and that you do your best to help your kids find some more meaning to
this time of year than sugar and toys. A little more focus on holiday
activities, a lot of tasty, non-junky snacks, and a little less blind
acceptance of all the sugar the season throws at us will help your kids
be happier and healthier.

And hey, if you could carry that consciousness of your kids' sugar
intake
into the New Year, so much the better.  They're your kids.  Be their
parent.


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Frequently Asked Question

Is a low carb diet for everyone?

I don't know of *anything* that is for everyone!  Heck, back in Junior
High School (approximately a million years ago) I babysat for a little
boy who was allergic to his mother's milk, for goodness sake.  If
mother's milk isn't good for everyone, I can't imagine that there's
anything on the planet -- with the possible exceptions of water and air
-- that is.

A low carb diet is likely to be very, very good for you if:

* You carry your fat disproportionately on your abdomen
* You are hungry within 60 - 90 minutes of eating carbs
* You have *serious* energy slumps -- especially slumps that happen  at
a predictable time every day
*  You have a family or personal history of the diseases which are being
increasingly linked to high blood insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia) and
carb intolerance -- high blood pressure, high blood fats,  female
cancers, alcoholism, and the granddaddy of all carb intolerance
diseases, adult onset diabetes
* You find yourself craving carb foods, and  eating them in an
uncontrollable, addicted fashion

If none of these apply to you, a strict low carb diet (the Basic Low
Carb diet, as outline in my book, or as exemplified by Atkins or Protein
Power) is probably not for you.  You'd do better to do a combination of
calorie/portion and carb control, like the Careful Carb Diet in my book,
or the old Weight Watchers Program.  (Does anyone but me remember the
original WW program?  Plenty of protein, but only 2 slices of bread a
day, and veggies divided into #3 and #4 -- the #3s were the low carb
veggies, and were unlimited, while the #4s were things like peas,
carrots and lima beans, and were limited to just a half cup a day.  Yep
-- a carb controlled diet.)

Why should a person who is not seriously carb intolerant still control
their carbs?  A few reasons.  First of all, anything that's loaded with
sugar and white flour is not food, if we define "food" as "that which
nourishes the body."   You should choose your carbs from those carb
foods with the greatest nutritional value, and preferably from those
with a relatively modest blood sugar impact -- fruits, veggies, beans,
whole grains.  (Remember, this is for folks who are *not* seriously carb
intolerant.  Read the list above again.)  Also, if you're controlling
your calorie intake, you'd better make sure that every calorie you take
in has the highest possible food value!  Also, focusing your meals on
protein, healthy fats, and low carb veggies will fill you up far more,
keep you more satisfied, and give you far more energy.  Further, eating
this way will help prevent some of the muscle loss that can come with
calorie/portion controlled diets.

Finally, if you're on of the ones who is *not* seriously carb
intolerant, and you decide to control calories as well, *don't* take it
too far.  You *will* be sorry.  Your body will go into starvation mode,
and refuse to burn fat -- it will slow your metabolism and burn muscle.
Not good.  Twelve to 15 calories per pound of body weight per day is
about right.  For me, that means I should be getting at least 1700-1800
calories a day -- many low cal diets restrict you to far less.  Also,
you still must get plenty of protein -- not as much as folks on Basic
Low Carb diets, who need an extra margin of protein to manufacture what
little glucose their bodies do require, but not a smidge less than 70
grams a day, more if you're A) a naturally large person (we're talking
frame here, not obesity), B) unwell or C) very active.  There's 7 grams
of protein in a large egg, an ounce of cooked meat, fish or poultry, or
an ounce of cheese.

There are some people who are very carb intolerant who will also need to
control calories, but they're fewer and farther between.  Why?  Because
the dramatic shift in metabolism and hunger that takes place when the
severely carbohydrate intolerant drop the carbs from their diet is
generally sufficient to solve their obesity problems.  Those whose idea
of "solving their obesity problems" extends to looking like Kate Moss or
Callista Flockheart not included!

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Tired of diets where you're constantly hungry?  Low carb diets control
appetite!  There's more than one way to go low carb -- get plenty of
options in a friendly, fun-to-read format in _How I Gave Up My Low Fat
Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!_  Visit http://www.holdthetoast.com and read
the Foreword, the first chapter, and the Table of Contents, FREE!

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Product Review

Okay, this isn't specifically a "low carb" product, like fiber crackers
or artificial sweeteners, but it's one of my kitchen staples that
improves just about everything it touches.  It's a seasoning called
Vege-Sal, and it's a seasoned salt product.  Don't, however, get the
idea that it's anything like your typical "seasoned salt"; the flavor of
Vege-Sal is completely different, and much milder.  It's made of sea
salt combined with a blend of finely powdered vegetables, just enough to
give it a bit more flavor.  I use it in just about any recipe where salt
is called for, from dips to meat loaf.  (However, I don't use it in
anything sweet!)  I also find it's better than plain salt on a steak,
chop, or burger, and my husband agrees.

Those of you who have read my book may have noticed the dedication --
"To Gayelord Hauser, who started it all."  Well, Vege-Sal was invented
by Gayelord Hauser, who called it "vegetable salt", and it still bears
his name.  You can find it in the seasonings department of any good
healthfood store.  In future, when I publish recipes, you may well find
in the ingredients list, "salt, or Vege-Sal."  So now you know what it
is!

Another Product Review --

Carolyn Craig, a local reader who I had the good fortune to meet (Hey,
Carolyn!) told me that Royal brand sugar free chocolate pudding mix is
far superior to Jello brand sugar free chocolate pudding mix for making
the Sugar-Free Chocolate Mousse To DIE For recipe featured on my
website.  Haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I see no reason to
doubt her word.  And if you don't have the recipe, hey, go to
http://www.holdthetoast.com and take care of that little matter *right
now*!

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Christmas Presents for Low Carbers!

Is there a low carb dieter on your Christmas list?  Here's some gift
ideas from Amazon.com -- and there's still just about enough time for
them to be shipped!  (Or you can look for them at your local bookstore.)

I've had a *lot* of folks post me, wondering when my next book, _Low
Carb For Life_, with recipes and such, will be out.  The answer is
always the same:  When I have time to write it!  (Actually,
Lowcarbezine! is helping me write it -- it forces me to come up with low
carb recipes and menu suggestions *every single week*)  In the
meanwhile, there are some other good low carb cookbooks available.

My favorite, hands down, and the one I *always* recommend, is _The Low
Carb Cookbook_, by Fran McCullough.  Everything I've tried from this
book
has been *wonderful*.  I especially recommend the Gratin of Turnips!
You think I'm kidding, but when my sister served this recipe at last
year's Thanksgiving Dinner, her brother-in-law told her it was the best
"potatoes au gratin" he'd ever had!  A must for every low carb kitchen.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786862734/lowcarbohysoluti

There are also two low carb cookbooks from Dr. Atkins.  I have them
both!  Many good recipes, and good ideas.  There's the _Dr. Atkins' New
Diet Cookbook_ -- this is the bigger book.  The Tandoori Chicken recipe
from this book is one of the best dishes I've ever made in my life, low
carb or not -- keeping in mind that I *love* spicy, exotic food.  (On
the other hand, I tried the Gnocchi recipe, and even the dog wouldn't
eat it.)  An excellent resource.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/087131794X/lowcarbohysoluti

There's also the _Dr. Atkins' Quick and Easy Cookbook_ -- I really liked
the Hazelnut Torte from this one.  Some recipes call for you to buy
Atkins' Bake Mix and such.  Worth buying!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684837013/lowcarbohysoluti

There's another cookbook I just *have* to recommend, although it's not a
low carb cookbook.  It's _The Complete I Hate To Cookbook_, by Peg
Bracken.  No, not all the recipes will work for a low carb diet, but
I've found many recipes in here that either will work for us, or are
easily adapted. (One of the recipes below -- the one for Cheese Cookies
-- was adapted from a Peg Bracken recipe.)  Better yet, they're all
reasonably easy to make, and tasty!  I turn to this book often when I
need ideas.
Furthermore, Peg Bracken is a *wonderful* writer, and this is the
*funniest* cookbook I've ever read.   Highly recommended.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0883657945/lowcarbohysoluti

If your low carb giftee hasn't yet gotten a good food count
book -- a must!  -- here's one I rely on:

Corrine Netzer's The Complete Book of Food Counts
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0440221102/lowcarbohysoluti

And if you'd like listings for more than calories, fat, carbs, fiber,
and protein, there's also _Bowes and Church's Food Values of Portions
Commonly Used_.  Very, very helpful if you're looking for a low carb
source of a particular nutrient, whether it's calcium, potassium,
magnesium, or whatever.  I turn often to this book.
.http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0397554354/lowcarbohysoluti

Last, but I certainly hope not least, you can order _How I Gave Up My
Low
Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!_ from Amazon.com.  You can also order it
direct from Hold the Toast Press, but owing to their bigger operation, I
must admit your chances of getting it in time for Christmas are probably
better with Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966883101/lowcarbohysoluti

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Tnat's it for this week!  See you again next week!

Dana W. Carpender
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