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It was tight designer jeans and the Scarsdale Diet in the 70's, ripped baggie pants and lowfat everything in the 90's, and now we're blessed with lowriding hiphuggers and low-carbs everywhere we look. Seems that food has become as trendy as fashion and whether or not you give in to either personally, both are impossible to ignore. Well, if you're searching for the latest on what to wear, you've hit the wrong site. But, if in fact you'd like to find out the skinny on the latest "weight-busting" trend, stick with me here.
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Whole Wheat Pita Chips and Dip
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These days, there aren't only low-carb sections in most major supermarkets, but entire stores devoted to low-carb products and even fast food restaurants offering low-carb versions of their food. What's up with that? Well, the answer is that Americans love to see quick results, and yes many have, by going on the Atkin's and other low-carb diets. In the first few weeks of eliminating most carbs and sugars, most people will shed quite a few pounds. Of course, since lots of Americans have a bit of a weight issue, that's not a bad place to start. But mark my words, this isn't permanent and it isn't for everyone.
So why not just jump on the bandwagon to get the waistline down? The thing is, to be really healthy, you don't just want to eat protein and fats and eliminate all carbs; it's important to eat the right kinds of fats and the right kinds of carbs, ALL IN MODERATION. Was that clear? You see, contrary to what we might like to believe, eating bacon and eggs every day isn't going to make us into a country of hot mama's (or papa's). The real deal is to get yourself chowing down a regular diet of healthful monounsaturated fats from foods like California Ripe Olives and avocados, complex carbohydrates and fiber and plenty of protein. Hit the gym, the road or the pool regularly and get plenty of zzzz's. Stick with it and I promise you, your plate will be well-rounded, but you will remain in shape!
Interested in finding out more about California Ripe Olives and low carbs? Check out what chefs are reading. TOP
Carbs that Count.
The secret to this whole low carb thing is that not all carbs are created equal. If you look carefully at the packages in the food stores or the recipe books, you'll see that they all mention "Net Carbs". To get "Net Carbs" you take the total amount of carbohydrates in a food and subtract the amount of fiber. In other words, whole grains and vegetables are still good for you. They help your body properly digest foods and offer up valuable vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are essential for you to feel (and look) good.
On the other hand, carbs and calories from cookies, white bread and pastas turn into sugars in your system really quickly and can add up. If you're not a marathon runner or some other kind of insanely committed athlete, they'll settle into saddle bags as fast as you can say snickerdoodle. Want to remove carbs from your diet and feel a little more fit? Toss that twinkie you've been hiding in the cupboard and lose the white bread in favor of the grainy stuff. To drop it all just because every one else is doing it... now, if all of your friends decided it was a good idea to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge would you do that too?
Back to reality. Hit your kitchen and try this recipe out. Low in carbs? No. Instead, we're talking complex carbohydrates and fiber, which will keep your metabolism going as it should. Serve this Nutty Wild Rice alone for lunch or spoon it up as a side dish with poultry or fish at dinnertime. Flavored with California Ripe Olives, toasted almonds and carmelized onions, you'll be happy to find that you can have your carbs and enjoy them too! TOP
A Good Fat is Easy to Find.
Fat means flavor. True. Butter makes things better. Often true. All fats are good. FALSE. All fats are bad. FALSE! The truth is that just like carbs, all fats are not the same. As a cook, fats are great because they make foods taste rich and luxurious. (Just try a piece of dry toast next to one with a good schmear of butter or drizzle of olive oil and there's no debating.) This makes it easy to fall in love with the Atkin's approach, afterall it gives us free rein to dive into all of the goodies that we've been avoiding for years. Of course, there's a big BUT down the line... (NO pun intended.)
Scarfing down saturated fats is certain to get you one thing: trouble! Too much saturated fat has been linked to heart problems and certain types of cancers not to mention increased cholesterol and high blood pressure. On the other hand, increasing your intake of monounsaturated fats like California Ripe Olives, nuts, avocados and fatty fish, has been linked to preventing some of these problems. Now there's something for those carb-cutters to consider!
Whether you're a fair weather friend of fats or an all-out carb-cutter, here's a recipe with a wide range of appeal. Loaded with monounsaturated fats from California Ripe Olives, olive oil and pine nuts, Almond Olive Piccata has it all. Fat, flavor and finesse in just one dish. TOP
Kids and Carbs.
Want to feed your kids right? A low-carb diet is not the right answer. I'm not saying you should leave them alone with a king-sized bag of chips or cookies and call it a day. Instead, introduce them to whole grains and try to keep their sugar intake down to a minimum. Healthy snacks like California Ripe Olives, nuts and whole grain cereals are totally munchable (dare I say addictive?) without tons of refined sugar and saturated fats. Remember the goal here is creating a healthy diet for life, not challenging your kids to stick to a trend that will fade as fast as their latest pair of Levi's.
Think healthy choices can't compare? Tease your teens' tastebuds with this after-school treat. A knock-off on nachos, these whole wheat pita chips are equally delicious with a healthy balance of fat and carbs and no guilt attached.
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Taking the high road on low carb.
If, we haven't convinced you that low carb isn't the way, then at least do it responsibly. We've got 8 new nutritionally-balanced low-carb recipes on our searchable recipe database including: Spicy Chicken and Olive Poblanos, Fire Roasted Chicken Salad, Olive Salmon Scramble, Almond Olive Sole, Lime Marinated Seafood Salad, Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Loin, Low Carb Eggplant Lasagna, and Lettuce Wrapped Lamb Burgers.
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