How Fruit Fits Your Low-Carb Lifestyle

By Becky Billingsley
Special for eDiets

Don't miss!
101 Low Carb Diet Tips

Here's the dilemma:

You love living a low-carb lifestyle, but you also love fresh fruit. Well guess what? There's no dilemma! Dana Carpender, of Bloomington, Indiana, is a nationally syndicated columnist and the author of several popular low-carb cookbooks, including 500 Low-Carb Recipes, 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes and The Low-Carb Barbecue Book.

Dana's newest cookbook is 500 More Low-Carb Recipes, and in it there are many, many recipes that include fruit. She says people watching carbs can even enjoy fresh berries, cantaloupe and bananas.

The key, of course, is moderation.

"I think the claim that people can eat unlimited calories on a low-carb diet is oversold," Dana said in a recent phone interview, "but I think you can eat more calories and still lose weight.

"I just think there's not evidence that a low-fat diet is good for much. People knock fat out of a diet and they're hungry all the time. Americans have lost sight of the idea to eat when you're hungry and until you're satisfied, and then wait until you're hungry again. They have the habit of mindlessly eating while watching TV. They're terribly uncomfortable without food when they sit down to watch a movie.

"And the only thing you can eat a lot of without feeling physically sick is carbs, like chips. Low-carb foods, because they're high in protein and fat, have high satiety value and make you feel full."

Some of Dana's recipes are extremely high in calories and fat, and she reminds readers that these are not foods meant to be eaten regularly. Different people can tolerate different daily calorie levels, she says, and it should be kept in mind that the word "treat" means once in a while, not every day.

So while enjoying fresh fruit is an option, people who love fruit can get that lovin' fruity feeling in other, trickier ways. Dana uses a lot of fruit-flavored sugar-free gelatins, fruit extracts and fruit vinegars in her recipes. And in the recipes that do call for fresh fruit, "A little goes a long way," she says.

So today let's work our way through some popular fruits, and learn how to use them with Dana Carpender's low-carb method.

Apples

Nutrition: 1 medium apple has 80 calories, zero fat, cholesterol or sodium, 22g carbohydrate (5 fiber, 16 sugars) and less than 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 2 percent of vitamin A, 8 percent of vitamin C.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Apples contain enough sugar that low-carbers will likely want to consider a substitution. Dana Carpender offers a recipe for mock fried apples that will fulfill an apple craving. Guar and xanthan gum can be purchased or ordered from health food stores; Dana recommends putting it in a salt shaker and keeping it by the stove, so you can shake it into recipes that need thickening.

Anne Logston's Mock Fried Apples

2 chayote fruits (usually available in the fresh produce section, near Hispanic items)
1/3 cup (80 mL) apple cider vinegar
3-5 packets Splenda or 2-10 tsp. granular Splenda, to taste
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter
Guar or xanthan (optional)

Wash chayote thoroughly and quarter lengthwise, removing seeds. Cut quarters crosswise into thin pieces. Place slices in a bowl or zipper-lock bag. Wash your hands immediately, because dried chayote juice leaves a stubborn sticky film on your fingertips.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, Splenda, cinnamon and salt. Add to chayote slices and toss or shake to coat thoroughly. Let marinate at least one hour.

Melt butter in a hot skillet. When butter is sizzling, add chayote and any juice. Cook until chayote is hot but still crunchy, or cook until tender if desired. About eight minutes is good. If desired, thicken pan juices with your guar or xanthan shaker to create a thick, yummy glaze.

Makes 3 servings, each with 167 calories, 16g fat, 1g protein, 7g carbohydrate and 3g fiber.

Apricots

Nutrition: 3 apricots have 50 calories, 1g fat, zero cholesterol or sodium, 12g carbohydrate (1 fiber, 11 sugars) and zero protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 45 percent of vitamin A, 20 percent vitamin C, 15 percent beta-carotene.

In a low-carb lifestyle: One of Dana's favorite tricks is to use low-sugar preserves in her recipes. She says this sweet-hot glaze recipe is great on lamb, pork and chicken.

Apricot-Chipotle Glaze

1/2 cup (80g) minced red onion
1/4 cup (60mL) canola oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup (120mL) red wine vinegar
1/2 cup (160g) low-sugar apricot preserves
2 chipotle chilies canned in adobo (adobo is a spicy paste)
5 Tbsp. (7.5g) Splenda
2 Tbsp. (30mL) lemon juice

In a saucepan, sauté the onion in the oil until it's soft. Add the garlic and vinegar, and whisk it in the preserves. Bring to a simmer, and let cook for five minutes or so.

Let it cool for a few minutes, then pour the glaze into your blender, and add the chipotle, Splenda and lemon juice. Whirl until the chipotle is ground up. Use to baste meat or poultry that's roasting or grilling.

Makes 14 servings, each with 52 calories, 4g fat, trace of protein and 4g carbohydrate with a trace of fiber.

Blueberries

Nutrition: 1 cup (145g) raw has 80 calories, 0.5g fat, 10mg cholesterol, 20g carbohydrate (4 fiber, 17 sugars) and less than 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 30 percent vitamin C, 20 percent manganese, 18 percent vitamin E.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Instead of flour, this recipe substitutes whey protein powder, available in health food stores, and almond meal. Polyol is an artificial sweetener; Dana says that a brand of polyol called DiabetiSweet is available at some Wal-Mart stores and in the diabetic supplies section of some pharmacies.

Grandma's Blueberry Cobbler

4 cups (580g) fresh blueberries or 4 cups (620g) unsweetened frozen blueberries
1/4 cup (6g) Splenda
1/4 cup (50g) polyol
1 Tbsp. (15mL) lemon juice
8 Tbsp. (120g) butter, divided
1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
1/2 cup (60g) vanilla whey protein powder
1 Tbsp. (1.5g) Splenda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (120mL) heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8" x 8" (20 x 20 cm) baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup Splenda, polyol and lemon juice. Toss everything together, and spread evenly in the pan. Dot with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

In another mixing bowl (or heck, go ahead and use the same one if you like), combine the almond meal, vanilla whey, baking powder, 1 tablespoon Splenda and salt. Stir together to evenly distribute ingredients.

Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter. Measure the cream, and stir the butter into it. Pour into the dry ingredients, and mix with a few swift strokes of your whisk or spoon; you just want to stir enough to ensure there are no pockets of dry ingredients lurking.

Spread the batter evenly over the blueberries, and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is crisp and evenly golden brown. Serve warm.

Makes 9 servings, each with 254 calories, 18g fat, 13g protein and 13g carbohydrate with 2g fiber.

Cantaloupe

Nutrition: 1/2 medium cantaloupe has 100 calories, 1g fat, zero cholesterol, 25mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (2 fiber, 21 sugars) and 2g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 190 percent of vitamin C, 180 percent of vitamin A, 15 percent of vitamin B6, 10 percent of folate and 8 percent each of magnesium, niacin and iodine.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Dana says that cantaloupe is packed so full of vitamins and minerals, that it can occasionally be enjoyed raw.

Cherries

Nutrition: 1 cup raw has 90 calories, 0.5g fat, zero sodium or cholesterol, 22g carbohydrate (3 fiber, 19 sugars) and 2g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 15 percent of vitamin C.

In a low-carb lifestyle: This recipe is easy and amazingly low in carbohydrates.

No-Sugar Added Cherry Pie Filling

1 14.5-oz. (411g) can sour cherries packed in water
1/2 cup (12g) Splenda
2 tsp. guar or xanthan
Red food coloring (optional)

Open the can of cherries and dump the whole thing, water and all, into a bowl. Stir in the Splenda and thickener, plus four to six drops of red food coloring if you want a pretty color. Let stand five minutes before using.

Makes 6 servings, each with 28 calories, zero fat, 1g protein and 6g carbohydrate with 1g fiber.

Cranberries

Nutrition: 1 cup has 45 calories, zero fat, cholesterol or sodium, 12g carbohydrate (4 fiber, 8 sugars) and less than 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 20 percent of vitamin C and 8 percent of manganese.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Muffins anyone? Vital wheat gluten (not gluten flour), Dana says, is commonly available. She likes Bob's Red Mill brand.

Cranberry Nut Muffins

1/2 cup (60g) pecans
1/2 cup (50g) cranberries

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (110g) almond meal

3/4 cup (90g) vanilla whey protein powder
2 Tbsp. (30g) vital what gluten
2 Tbsp. polyol
1/4 cup (6g) Splenda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup (180mL) Carb Countdown Dairy Beverage
3 Tbsp. (45g) butter, melted
1/4 tsp. orange extract

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (200 C). Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups. Chop pecans, then cranberries; you can do this in a food processor. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients until well blended.

Whisk together eggs, dairy beverage, butter and orange extract. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and combine with a few swift strokes of a whisk or spoon. Do not over mix! A few lumps are fine. Add pecans and cranberries, and stir just enough to incorporate into batter. Spoon into muffin cups, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Each muffin has 202 calories, 13g fat, 18g protein and 5g carbohydrate with 2g fiber.

Grapefruit

Nutrition: Half a grapefruit has 60 calories, zero fat, cholesterol or sodium, 16g carbohydrate (6 fiber, 10 sugars) and 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 110 percent of vitamin C and 15 percent of vitamin A.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Dana said she regularly enjoys half a raw grapefruit.

Oranges

Nutrition: 1 medium orange has 64 calories, 0.1g fat, zero cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (3.4 fiber, 11 sugars) and 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 80 percent of vitamin C.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Orange is a trendy flavor according to Dana, and she offers recipes that use orange extract or low-sugar orange marmalade. This one, however, contains real orange.

Orange, Avocado and Bacon Salad

8 cups mixed greens
Citrus dressing (recipe is below)
1/2 navel orange
1/2 California avocado
6 slices bacon, cooked and drained
1/8 red onion

Put greens in a big mixing bowl, and pour the dressing over them. Toss well.

Peel the orange, and separate into sections. Take half of the sections (we're using only half the orange), and halve them again. Slice the avocado, crumble the bacon and slice the red onion paper-thin. Strew everything artfully over the greens, and serve.

Makes 4 servings, each with 189 calories, 15g fat, 6g protein and 9g carbohydrate with 5g fiber.

Citrus Dressing

2 Tbsp. (30mL) lemon juice
2 Tbsp. (30mL) lime juice
1 Tbsp. (15mL) white vinegar
2 Tbsp. (30mL) canola oil
1/4 tsp. orange extract
1 Tbsp. (1.5g) Splenda
1 1/2 tsp. sugar-free imitation honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Or, you can put the ingredients in a blender and run it for a few seconds.

Makes 4 servings, each with 65 calories, 7g fat, a trace of protein and 2g carbohydrate with a trace of fiber.

Raspberries

Nutrition: 1 cup has 60 calories, 0.5g fat, zero cholesterol or sodium, 14g carbohydrate (8 fiber, 6 sugars) and 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 60 percent of manganese, 50 percent of vitamin C and 8 percent of folate.

In a low-carb lifestyle: Enjoy fresh raspberries on a regular basis. You might want to save this rich and easy pie for special occasions.

Carol Tessman's Raspberry Pie

Crust:
1 1/4 cups (155g) almond meal
1/4 cup (6g) Splenda
1/3 cup (80g) butter, melted

Combine all ingredients, and press evenly over the bottom and up sides of a deep-dish pie plate. Prick crust with fork and bake in a 350-degree (180C) oven 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust starts to brown. Let cool.

Filling:
1 cup (240mL) heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup (12g) Splenda
2/3 cup (160mL) boiling water
1 small box sugar-free raspberry gelatin
8 ice cubes
1/2 pint fresh raspberries (optional)

Beat the cream, vanilla and Splenda together until soft peaks form; set aside.

Add boiling water to gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add ice cubes and stir until ice is melted and gelatin starts to thicken.

Fold into the whipped topping to combine. If desired, add one-half pint fresh raspberries. Pour into prepared crust and refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Makes 8 servings, each with 259 calories, 22g fat, 10g protein and 7g carbohydrate.

Strawberries

Nutrition: 1 cup fresh has 46 calories, 0.6g fat, zero cholesterol, 2mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (4 fiber, 7 sugars) and 1g protein.

Vitamin and mineral daily requirements: 100 percent of vitamin C.

In a low-carb lifestyle: This salad sounds awesome.

Spinach-Strawberry Salad

1 lb. (455g) bagged, prewashed baby spinach
1 batch Sweet Poppy Seed Vinaigrette (recipe below)
1 cup (170g) sliced strawberries
3 Tbsp. (25g) slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup (60g) crumbled feta cheese

Put spinach in big bowl. Pour on dressing and toss well. Top with strawberries, almonds and feta, and serve.

Makes 4 servings, each with 227 calories, 19g fat, 8g protein and 11g carbohydrate with 5g fiber.

Sweet Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

1/2 cup (12g) Splenda
1/4 cup (60mL) white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. (45mL) olive oil
2 tsp. minced red onion
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt

Measure everything into a bowl, whisk it together and it's ready to go!

Makes four servings, each with 100 calories, 11g fat, a trace of protein and 2g carbohydrate with a trace of fiber.

The marriage of eDiets and Atkins Diet has simplified the weight loss process. Give this fantastic low-carb approach a try, or choose from 19 other fantastic plans. You've got nothing to lose but a few pounds.

Becky Billingsley is the editor of Coastal Carolina Dining and CEO of The Food Syndicate. Contact her at becky "at" thefoodsyndicate"dot" com

Low Carb Smart Snacking

By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
eDiets Chief Nutritionist

Snacking doesn't necessarily mean eating in addition to your diet, or eating foods that are unhealthy for you. Much better than fasting (which depletes you of energy and motivation), keeping your engine burning and fueling your body with healthy snacks is going to help you achieve your goals.

On eDiets , your menu is created for results, and fuels you with the right amount of calories and nutrition, or in the case of the Atkins Diet, the right amount and the right type of carbs, for your personal and unique requirements. Daily snacks are included on your daily menu, and in addition, we encourage members to take a food item or two from each meal to eat two to three hours later.

On the Atkins Diet, you begin with Induction, and your menu is higher in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrates. During this two-week phase, you're restricted to two cups of salad vegetables and one cup of cooked vegetables daily. Eat liberally of protein choices, including turkey and chicken, meats and fish, eggs and to a lesser extent, cheese. Non-meat sources of proteins such as tofu, soy nuts and tempeh are permitted.

There are a variety of low-carb snack products available. Some low-carb products are sweetened with Splenda, others have both Splenda and sugar alcohols. Depending on your taste, you may find them enjoyable, and they are available for an occasional treat without going over your carbohydrate allowance.

Fresh Low-Carb Snack Ideas:
1. Sliced turkey breast, roast beef, chicken breast or ham wrapped around celery sticks

2. Sliced avocado salad dressed with olive oil and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

3. Quarter-cup roasted almonds

4. Cup of roasted peanuts in the shell

5. Four large boiled shrimp with sugar-free cocktail sauce

6. Two cups sugar-free gelatin topped with a whipped cream

7. Hard-boiled eggs

8. String cheese

9. Celery stuffed with nut butter (no-sugar-added peanut, cashew or sesame butter)

10. Marinated olives and fennel

eDiets and Atkins Diet, can help you fight the battle of the bulge. We know you're busy -- that's why we take all the guesswork out of dieting for you. Everything you need to succeed is at your fingertips.

eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan L. Burke is a registered and licensed dietitian and a certified diabetes educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management

Two modified ketogenic diets that include carbohydrates to support high intensity training

My name is Lyle McDonald, I'm an exercise physiologist and research nerd. I became interested in low-carbohydrate diets over 10 years ago when I used one myself to lose fat. However, as I delved more into them, I realized that most books written about low-carbohydrate (aka ketogenic) diets were miserably flawed.

Either they presented the diet as a magic, 'better than sex and sunshine', or they presented it as a death warrant. But, in my experience, the truth of the matter is usually between those two extremes so I set out to determine for myself what the research actually said about low-carbohydrate diets. It took me over two years of research and writing, culminating in this, my first book.

The Ketogenic Diet is the first and only book to examine in-depth the scientific evidence regarding low-carbohydrate/ketogenic diets. At 325 pages and containing over 600 scientific references, this will be your complete reference for ketogenic diets.

You'll learn:

The details of human fuel utilziation and how they change on a ketogenic diet

• How the body adapts to ketosis, including a detailed discussion of protein sparing
• How the ketogenic diet affects body composition
• The effect of ketosis on all tissues in the body
• How the ketogenic diet affects cholesterol levels
• How to optimize the ketogenic diet for different goals such a fat loss, bodybuilding or endurance training
• The basics of exercise physiology for aerobic, interval and weight training
• How different types of exercise affects fat loss

I want to make it very clear that the ketogenic diet is meant as a reference manual for low-carbohdyrate diets; it is unlike any other book on low-carbohdyrate diets that you have ever read or seen. It doesn't contain food lists or recipes, it isn't filled with a lot of hype over how great low-carbohydrate dieting is; nor is it filled with how bad for you the diet it. Rather, it is an objective scientific examination of the topic of low-carbohydrate dieting. However, it's not a book filled with nothing but dry theory.

The Ketogenic Diet includes:

• Two modified ketogenic diets that include carbohydrates (to support high intensity training) while still allowing the adaptations to ketosis to occur
• Basic endurance training guidelines, including interval training
• How to weight train as a beginner, intermediate or advanced trainee
• How to use the ketogenic diet to prepare for a bodybuilding contest
• What supplements are useful during the different phases of a ketogenic diet

More info - click here

10 Simple Tips for Atkins Success

By Kim Droze
eDiets Contributor

The Atkins Nutritional Approach is:
A) a short-term solution
B) a red meat diet
C) an eating regimen that eliminates carbohydrates forever
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

The correct answer is E. Surprised? Opponents of the Atkins Nutritional Approach would like you to believe the low-carb eating plan is only good for fast fad-like weight loss. Detractors would also make you think the diet is high in fat and red meat -- and that you can kiss your beloved carbs goodbye forever!

Reality-check time. Such notions are nonsensical at best and a far cry from the truth. There are an estimated 50 million Americans watching their carb intake. So how should these weight-conscious men and women separate fact from fiction?

You may think you have all the tools needed for following the Atkins Nutritional Approach, but if you don't have the New York Times #1 bestseller Atkins For Life you're missing out on the crucial information that sets the record straight. This info-packed book is also available in paperback.

To get the support and assistance you need to drop those extra pounds with the Atkins Nutritional Approach -- click here and see what eDiets has to offer.

In the last book published by Dr. Robert Atkins, the founding father of low-carb living provides readers with everything they need to know about making smart carbohydrate choices for life and maintaining a healthy weight. Dr. Atkins was determined that the world know there is more to doing Atkins than Induction, which is the first and most restrictive phase of the four-phase ANA.

All too many Atkins followers never move beyond the most restrictive phase. Do Atkins right and you'll be able to steadily boost your carb intake throughout the Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance phases -- and you’ll maintain your weight permanently. This is what allows you to personalize the Atkins Nutritional Approach to your own lifestyle, says Dr. Stuart Trager, medical director of Atkins Nutritionals and chairperson of the Atkins Physicians Council.

Dr. Trager says the power of the Atkins Nutritional Approach lies in its unique four-phase setup. Induction provides the initial strategy for breaking through cravings and shifting the metabolism from carbohydrate-based to fat-based. From there, the long-term success of the approach is directly linked to slowly reintroducing carbohydrates, primarily in the form of whole foods. Followers identify their individual carbohydrate threshold (i.e. the number of daily grams of carbs that will allow continued weight loss), and once they reach their goal weight, to maintain it.

"The Atkins Nutritional Approach is not a short-term weight-loss solution," Dr. Trager tells eDiets . "It's about lifelong changes... adding back the right carbohydrates so that you reach the level where your weight is stable and you're eating a variety of foods so you can stick with this eating plan for good. This is why people can do Atkins for life.

"You're making smart carbohydrate choices, consuming fruits, vegetables and whole grains in amounts that are individualized to suit your body’s metabolism so you don't put back the weight you've lost. Atkins For Life shows individuals how to identify their own individual carbohydrate threshold, in the process teaching them strategies for Lifetime Maintenance along with exercise and other activities. These are real changes that help people live healthier lives."

Atkins For Life shatters the myth that a low-carb regimen is a red meat diet. With more than 125 recipes and six months of menu plans, the Akins Nutritional Approach features pork, chicken, fish and vegetarian dishes, as well as those for beef and other red meats. Anyone who limits her diet to bun-less bacon cheeseburgers and thick steaks is not doing Atkins correctly, says Dr. Trager.

Also perpetuating the myths of low-carb dieting: copycat books that attempt to cash in by replicating the success of the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

"It's important to understand Dr. Atkins' message -- controlling carbs means choosing the right carbohydrates and adding them back in amounts that are appropriate for you," Dr. Trager says. "Atkins is a time-tested solution that was introduced long before the new crop of copycats, which are creating confusion. People should remember that for 40 years, the Atkins Nutritional Approach was clinically tested in Dr. Atkins' practice. Plus, the efficacy and safety of the Atkins Nutritional Approach has been validated by more than 25 independent research studies."

Several recent studies indicate the low-fat, low-calorie approach to weight loss leaves people hungry, frustrated and unmotivated. Not only does controlling carbs work, but it also boosts the amount of weight loss in some cases.

Dr. Trager says doing Atkins teaches a way of eating you can sustain for life, especially if you have handy and informative resources like Atkins for Life to walk you through the process. Regardless of your personal Net Carb threshold for Lifetime Maintenance (45 grams... 60 grams... 80 grams... or even 100 grams) you'll find plenty of tasty Atkins-friendly recipes at your fingertips.

"Atkins for Life provides the tools you need to make the transition from reaching your goal weight to life-long carbohydrate awareness as part of a new lifestyle," Dr. Trager says.

Here are the 10 simple rules for a making your Atkins experience last a lifetime:

1. Count your daily Net Carbs.

2. Stay at or below your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE), the amount of carbs you can eat each day while neither gaining nor losing pounds.

3. Adjust your ACE as needed.

4. Eat primarily whole, unprocessed foods.

5. Stay away from added sugar, bleached white flour, hydrogenated oils and junk foods.

6. Don't go more than four to six waking hours without a meal or snack.

7. Exercise regularly.

8. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement and essential fatty acids.

9. Drink a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water.

10. Never let yourself gain more than 5 pounds.

To learn more about Atkins for Life, click here.

Get your own personalized Atkins program powered by eDiets . eDiets has over 80 different support groups. Support from like-minded folks makes dieting easier and more fun.