Creative Recipes for Carb-Conscious Families

With obesity on the rise, many Americans are looking for ways to eat healthier meals. There are many diets on the market these days, some of which are not very healthy at all. We are looking for ways to trim our waistline, decrease our cholesterol, establish a healthier heart and increase our life span.

With many reality shows on TV such as "The Biggest Loser" and "Celebrity Fit Club", Americans have begun to look closer into diet and exercise. There are-many diets out there, fab to fad, but one of the best diets to follow could be a low-carb diet. People who have health problems such as type II diabetes may be instructed to follow a low carb diet to reduce insulinbloodsugar. In the Duke Medical News at www.DukeHealth.org, studies are showing that a low carb diet can improve your cholesterol, thus reducing your cardiac risks.

There are several health benefits of low-carb diets. In an interview with a Mayo Clinic Specialist at CNN.com, there are four distinctive benefits of following a low carb diet. These are as follows:

1. Water weight loss: By decreasing your carbs, your body burns off glycogen which releases large amounts of water in your system, aiding in weight loss.

2. Decreased appetite: Ketones are created as a byproduct of burning fat without carbs. As a result, you may feel less hungry.

3. Increased fullness feeling: Since low carb diets tend to be higher in fat, they do not digest as quickly as some of the other foods, leaving a full feeling a bit longer.

4. Reduced calories: A person's daily caloric intake can be rather high due to breads, pastas, cereals, milk, rice, most fruits and, of course, most sweets and can account for almost half of a person's daily calories. Thus a low carb diet will inevitably reduce your daily calorie intake.

Enough said, there are some really delicious healthy low carb recipes you may want to consider trying. A few of my favorites range from snacks, quick lunches and sides, easy dinners and sugar free desserts. Consider trying a veggie omelet. Try stir frying bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes in a little olive oil and add this to your omelet. Sprinkle on some fat free cheese and you have a gourmet omelet. You may also want to try yogurt and fruit with granola. Try layering yogurt with a mixture of thawed frozen strawberries with blueberries mixed in, topped with granola for a quick breakfast or snack. A quick lunch or dinner that is light and filling may include a green salad with lettuce and fresh spinach leaves topped with cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Toss this and add some hot grilled chicken and fat free cheese - very delicious. Any sides that you choose to compliment a meal (with the exception of pastas, rice and corn) will be low in carbohydrates. One of my favorites is to boil fresh cabbage using a large can of 99% fat free chicken broth. I also like to prepare a vegetarian spaghetti with whole wheat pasta. Try mixing a jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce with sauteed zucchini, onions and mushrooms and pour over whole wheat pasta. This is a very filling yet healthy dish. Finally, for a fat free, low sugar dessert, try mixing a 32 ounce can of pineapple chunks, a 15 oz can of peach slices, a 15 oz can of pear slices, 3 whole apples cut into 1 inch pieces and 2 cups of seedless grapes with one package of sugar free, fat free vanilla instant pudding. Be sure to drain your juices and then add them back after sprinkling the pudding mixture over the mixed fruit until pudding forms.

There is an endless amount of information via the Internet, recipe books, cooking shows, etc., on low-carb recipes. The key is to find ingredients that the whole family will love, without sacrificing flavor in order to create healthy menus that will leave the whole family asking for it again and again. Be creative with your choices and do not be afraid to try out new recipes. A low-carb diet is rich in protein, non-starchy vegetables, beans, etc., and can be the basis of a very balanced, healthy lifestyle change for your family.