In this video, I give my perspective on the acceptable sweeteners for those following a low carb diet. A number of new sweeteners have hit the market since Dr. Atkins wrote his book, and while I don’t presume to talk for him, I am giving my perspective on the sweeteners on the market based upon personal experience and meta-analysis of the experts in the field. As with most things, your experience may differ from mine or the norm, and you may be able to consume a particular sweetener and have no side effects and continue to lose weight at the rate expected.
One final note — one thing Dr. Atkins said was our food should be as unprocessed as possible, and that we should shop the exterior of the grocery store. Most of the foods sweetened with these items are in the middle or a special health food section. The vast majority of your food on the Atkins Diet should be regular food with natural ingredients. Each day or even meal does not need a dessert to cap it off.
* Oligofructose / Inulin (http://www.lowcarbfreedom.com/2004/12/inulin_oligofru.html)
* Inulin works just like fiber and is made out of plants like chicory root and isn’t digested like other starches, it isn’t absorbed, so it doesn’t have an effect on blood sugar.
* Inulin (IN-yoo-lin) is used as a test to help diagnose problems or disease of the kidneys. Inulin passes out of the body entirely in the urine. Measuring the amount of inulin in the blood after it has been given can help the doctor determine if the kidneys are working properly.
* Ace K
Less acceptable or Unacceptable Sweeteners:
- Polyols (Sugar Alcohol) like maltitol and sorbitol – count against net carbs – are able to be converted in varying degrees to glucose – from better to worse (Erythritol .2 Cal/gram)- Xylitol – Isomalt – Sorbitol (2.6C/g) – Mannitol Maltitol (2.1C/g)) http://www.mendosa.com/netcarbs.htm
The reason that sugar alcohols provide fewer calories than sugar is because they are not completed absorbed in our body. For this reason, high intakes of foods containing some sugar alcohols can lead to abdominal gas and diarrhea. Any foods that contain sorbitol or mannitol must include a warning on their label that “excess consumption may have a laxative effect.”
- Blue Agave Syrup (Lower GI, but extremely high fructose)
Dr. Michael EADES: Be aware that agave nectar is mainly fructose, which is not only caloric, but a lipogenic sugar and fraught with problems for an insulin-resistant body. It doesnt run insulin up, of course, but it does promote insulin resistance if not used sparingly. http://www.holdthetoast.com/node/318
“Perhaps because of needing to be metabolized in the liver, fructose causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, making the livers even of teetotalers look and function like those of long-term alcoholics. Fructose is implicated in metabolic syndrome — you know, carbohydrate intolerance, the thing we’re all fighting. Repeated studies demonstrate that fructose raises triglycerides like nothing else. And there are some studies that indicate that the stuff is uniquely fattening. ”
The glycemic index does not address other metabolic issues related to excess sugar consumption. Prominent among these issues is the use of low glycemic index sweeteners, particularly fructose, which is increasingly present in processed food. Fructose is associated with increased adiposity, which may result from its effects on hormones associated with satiety
The weather in Iowa has been atrocious for running weather with multiple days of 3+ inches of snow fall and most of the roads slick with ice. That said I am so-so on plan. My weekend long runs are still progressing on pace, but some of the week day runs are being missed. The good news I am doing cross-training those days on either elliptical or basketball. That’s still not the same as running 4-6 miles those days, but I am at least working out.
Here’s my gripe of the last two weeks – cars and sidewalks. The cars around here are not moving over for runners even though there is whole lane free beside them. It’s like they enjoy the how close they can get to Kent game. The sidewalks aren’t any better with complete ice coverage every other house.
You know that it could be better as evidenced by their neighbors, but some people don’t want to clear their snow or ice.
In a search for a good low carb bread alternative that I can make easily without a bread machine, I found this great recipe by Jennifer Eloff (http://www.sweety.com/). It’s best toasted, but also makes a mean french toast as well. It holds up well to being dunked as well as holding your sandwich together.
Fast Cheesebread (http://low-carb-news.blogspot.com/2010/01/fast-cheesebread.html)
1 cup ground almonds
2/3 cup gold flax meal
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
1/3 cup vanilla whey protein
4 tsp baking powder
1 cup Shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream/water mixture
Mix Dry ingredients together in large bowl. Cut in the butter. In a separate dish, beat eggs and then add the heavy cream mixture. Stir egg/cream mixture into the dry ingredients just until mixed. Scrape into 8×8 well-greased baking pan. Cook at 350 for 35-45 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean. Once done, let cool, and cut the bread into quarters. Each quarter is further cut into 3 slices.
Yield: 12 slices, 1 slice:
152 calories: 10g protein; 12 g fat; 2.25 g carbs
The second recipe is one of my kids’ fvorites – Low Carb Pot Sticker Patties
It was developed originally from a recipe on Linda’s Low Carb recipe site (http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/pot_sticke r_patties.html), which if you haven’t heard me brag up enough, let me do it again. The annotated recipes are simply the best! Without any further adieu, here’s the recipe:
Meat Mixture:
2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
5 green onions, minced optional
Dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Shred the cabbage in your food processor. To get really fine shreds, you can add the chopping blade as well. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage mixture ingredients to the skillet and fry until the cabbage is wilted, and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove the mixture from the heat.
Add the meat mixture ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with with the cabbage mixture until well-incorporated. Take 4-5 oz scoops of the mixture, and form rough patties with them. This should make roughly 14 patties. Cook in skillet or George Foreman Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side.
Nutrition Ingredients: (per patty)
196 Calories, 14.8g Fat, 2.9 Total Carbs (1g Fiber), 12.5g Protein
My plans for the beginning of the year are starting to firm up. Ever since the marathon expo of the Des Moines Marathon last October, I have been thinking about running the 2nd running of the Team Ortho’s Minneapolis Marathon. Their booth in the expo and race people were extremely friendly, and convinced me this was an up and coming race in the Midwest. A race by runners for runners.
Now the training still has to be accomplished, but this week was week #1 of the 18 week training session ending June 6. I will be putting in at least 3 runs of 20 or more miles. On the way to running the marathon, I will also be running a race pace half marathon at Drake Relays at the end of April. My runs so far this year have been good. I did my first 10 miler today of the year, and it’s only going to build from here.
I know I have posted about much exercise related in awhile, and for the most, while I have been running and keeping active. I haven’t been training at all. Runs have been shorter (4-6 miles) with zero long runs. The weather has been pretty brutal lately (-23F anybody) in Iowa, so much has been in doors. I have been working out about 4 days a week in the company gym. These workouts have been low impact, high sweat workouts on the elliptical trainer or stair climber for 35-48 minutes. On two days, I also try to make at least 2 circuits of the weights.
This past week that changed slightly as I upped the ante a bit. My wife is getting back into exercising with me. We are doing some exercise videos – not P90X as I still don’t have the time to do 45-60 minutes in the gym or running on the nice days and do 1 hour exercise videos. Lately, I have been alternating between Jillian Michaels Shred and a 60-minute core workout. I may also add 10 minute Trainer from Tony Horton as well into the mix to boost the cardio part of the other videos. 34 extra minutes is doable per day, but 60 is not.
As for race plans, the only thing on the agenda is the Power Climb (aka 801 Grand Fight for Air) coming up in February.
One of the constant comments is “didn’t low carb die off in 2004?” or “didn’t Atkins Nutrition go bankrupt?” The implication is that it was obviously a fad diet, and that all wise people know better now. Besides just simply being false comments, I have been seeing more subscribers lately than ever, and my humble video and blog have been receiving more views than ever. (Here are the results from 2009 videos – http://www.network-admin.net/?p=637)
There are still numerous people doing the diet and many starting on a daily basis, and while perhaps it might not be as “hip” or cool as 2004, people doing Atkins now have better access to more low carb recipes, better support sites, and better communal atmosphere than back in 2004. A lot of the naysayers criticisms have been addressed or proven false since 2004 as well.
Regarding the state of ANA and Atkins Diet, first and foremost, Atkins Nutrition is back well into the black. They are quite profitable and their Atkins Diet University and forums are extremely popular, but even that said, the information is already out there for the diet. People can start the diet with or without ANA support. They may be more successful with the support, and I encourage people to get well-researched advice and guidance as they start any diet plan. Their current batch of products are also much better in terms of taste and closeness to Atkins vision himself.
This all said even if everyone else stopped doing Atkins today I would still be just as motivated to keep on keeping on and being healthy tomorrow as I am today.
This post is just a random smattering of interesting (at least to me) stats on my videos on Youtube. I like to review where I have been to help determine where I should go in the future:
Thank you each of you for your watching, commenting, and participating with my videos in 2009. My goal behind the videos was always to help others be as successful as I was, and the secondary goal was to keep motivating me to learn more and achieve more athletically knowing I had people watching me. At least for me, I know I learned a lot this past year from those that watched and was inspired by them (many of whom reached or were nearing goal). I think 2009 was very successful, and I plan on making 2010 even better.
This is my recipe video to celebrate the holidays — a perfect complement to most holiday menus. This recipe was derived from a recipe from Linda’s Low Carb (http://genaw.com/lowcarb/mushroom_chicken-sausage_casserole.html) but was changed due to taste and items in the house. My wife loves this recipe! We both rate it 5 stars.
Ingredients:
2 pounds Sausage
3 cups Roast Chicken or Turkey
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1 Medium Green Pepper, Chopped
2 stalks of Celery, Chopped
1 Medium Head of Cauliflower
8 oz. Cream Cheese
8 oz. Cheese, Shredded
1/2 tsp Black pepper
Paprika
Makes 10 servings.
Crust:
~1 cup Almond flour
~1/4 cup Flax meal
1/2 tsp of Salt
¼ cup vanilla whey protein
2 TBS liquid Splenda (5 drops)
1/3 cup butter, melted
Topping:
12 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1 egg
½ cup sour cream
½ cup Liquid SPLENDA®
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup blueberries, thawed if frozen
Crust: In medium bowl combine almond flour, vanilla whey protein, vital wheat gluten or oat flour, Splenda and butter. Press into an 8-inch square glass dish. Bake in 350°C oven 10 minutes.
Topping: In food processor, process cream cheese. Add egg, sour cream, SPLENDA® Granular, butter, and vanilla extract; process until smooth. Stir in fruit cocktail. Pour over crust evenly. Bake in 350°C oven 20to 25 minutes, or until set.
My wife loved the dessert, and I’ll post the modified nutrition info shortly
This is the basis for my upcoming video, but I wanted to publish it here first as it may help me clarify my thoughts. This video is again a reactionary video to a prompt made to me in a vegan video. One of the reasons I enjoy the discussion with vegans is because it makes sure I eliminate the things I feel and replaces with things I know. The comment was:
Bowulf, I am afraid you and I are going to disagree on this one. Can you offer any honest peer reviewed long term study which shows what you are claiming for the Atkins diet?
Never one to give up a challenge, I went ahead and did some research on exactly what research has been done on the long term effects of a low carb high fat diet.
First a foreword – there is a wealth of short term studies out there, whose results or findings could certainly be extrapolated to suggest long term results. I have mentioned these studies quite often in other videos, but I can understand how some people might be waiting for “the other shoe” to drop. In fact, one person said you won’t see the true effects for five years, which seemed rather the red herring. Or similar to someone telling you, “You won’t see it coming, there’ll be no signs, but the bridge is out and you are going over it. Trust me!”
One of the problems with long term studies is two fold. For some long term studies, they often turn out to be epidemiological studies or studies of large groups of people. While there are some really good studies, there are some really horrible ones. They often breed bias in researchers as in the case of China Study, who focused on the meat eating as being the key indicator for cancer risk factors. Ignoring the stronger risk factor in wheat consumption, and ignoring that smoking hand-rolled cigarettes and drinking alcohol showed improved one’s cancer risk. The second problem is self-reporting. While it might be possible to control or be diligent in recording one’s eating patterns for 2-3 or even 6 months, carrying it over 24 or 60 months seems impossible and fraught with dropouts. You are thereby left with people self-reporting how they are eating. This is also obviously fraught with error as people misreport or simply underreport what they are eating.
Without further adieu, here are a select smattering of the long term research done on Ketogenic or Low Carb diets.
Two years:
“Carbohydrate-restricted diet for obesity and related diseases: an update” (2008)
“Long-term consumption of a carbohydrate-restricted diet does not induce deleterious metabolic effects.”(3yrs)
Studied the low carb “Optimal Diet” and the risk factors for cardiovascular disease did not increase. http://www.nrjournal.com/article/S0271-5317%2808%2900213-3/abstract
Three months after diet initiation, 29 (61.7%) patients showed a reduction in seizure frequency of >50%, including 21 (44.7%) who became seizure-free. Of the 21 patients with complete seizure control at 3 months, 16 (76.2%) successfully completed the diet for 2 years without relapse
Four years:
“Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up” by Jörgen V Nielsen and Eva A Joensson. http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/5/1/14
This one is interesting in that it became difficult for the researchers to compare the low carb diabetic group results to the standard diet diabetic control group as so many of the control group had heart attacks (80 percent) or died during the subsequent four years. Low carb group had better adherence (in fact more of the control group switched to the low carb group), better weight loss, better triglycerides, better HBA1C, and dramatically lower incident of cardiovascular disease. (16% vs 80%)
Twelve years:
“Long-term use of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of epilepsy” http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=548112 Darcy K Groesbeck a1, Renee M Bluml a2andEric H Kossoff a2c1 a1 The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.
These researchers followed these high fat patients over 12 years. In fact, that study even referred to Atkins as perhaps being a better diet than the generic diet. These were published in NEJM, Cambridge Journal, Pediatrics Magazine, and Epilepsy magazine.
These doctors reviewed the charts of 28 children (15 boys, 13 girls) who had remained on the ketogenic diet for 6-12 years for the treatment of epilepsy. Three children (11%) became seizure-free, seizures in another 21 were greater than 90% improved, and 4 had 50-90% improvement in seizure frequency. In addition, 9 were able to discontinue all antiepileptic drugs. Overall, medications decreased from an average of 2.1 to 1.3 per child.
* HDL Cholesterol improved
* Triglycerides improved, no marked dyslipidemia
* “There is some interesting data on the Atkins diet type regimen and the South Beach diet type regimen showing efficacy in seizure reduction; both are much easier to administer than the ketogenic diet,” said Mandelbaum.
* Growth may have been stunted as the number of pts below the 10th percentile of height and weight by the final checkup appears stunted.
BACKGROUND: Low-carbohydrate diets have been advocated for weight loss and to prevent obesity, but the long-term safety of these diets has not been determined.
METHODS: We evaluated data on 82,802 women in the Nurses’ Health Study who had completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Data from the questionnaire were used to calculate a low-carbohydrate-diet score, which was based on the percentage of energy as carbohydrate, fat, and protein (a higher score reflects a higher intake of fat and protein and a lower intake of carbohydrate). The association between the low-carbohydrate-diet score and the risk of coronary heart disease was examined.
RESULTS: During 20 years of follow-up, we documented 1994 new cases of coronary heart disease. After multivariate adjustment, the relative risk of coronary heart disease comparing highest and lowest deciles of the low-carbohydrate-diet score was 0.94.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that diets lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein and fat are not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in women. When vegetable sources of fat and protein are chosen, these diets may moderately reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
** Total fat, animal fat, total protein, animal protein, and vegetable protein were not significantly associated with the risk of coronary heart disease according to multivariate analyses.
** Cholesterol – In a meta-analysis of five randomized trials comparing a low-carbohydrate diet with a low-fat diet for at least 6 months, the low-carbohydrate diet was found to have a beneficial effect on HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels but an adverse effect on total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.25In our study, data on lipid levels were available for only a small subgroup of participants. In this group, the low-carbohydrate-diet score was not associated with total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol levels but was inversely associated with the triglyceride level
