Planning a Low Carb Meal
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios

When planning a low carb meal, we should still use the protein source as the main course. However, it is the starches and even some vegetables that add extra carbs. If there is not sufficient or even 'high-protein' in a meal, a person is not as satisfied, and also becomes hungry again sooner and may 'splurge'.

It's still easy to have a well-balanced, enjoyable low carb meal if we keep the emphasis on good flavors, plenty of vegetables and roughage, and a small or even symbolic amount of starches. It is important for the family not to feel they are being deprived; otherwise they won't agree to adhere to an indefinite future of healthy meals that will not cause obesity and/or ill health. You might also mention to them that you and they will find the whole idea more palatable if they don't whine, sneer or cluck at the dinner table. Funny how that works!

There is nothing about determining the elements of a low carb meal, that precludes using generous amounts of herbal and low-sodium seasonings, or wonderful things like garlic and onions. Garlic and onions are both very healthy things to eat. Garlic in particular has known value in promoting arterial health and other benefits. You can go heavy on it for extra flavor, using it in both raw and cooked form. Elephant garlic is baked and can be used as a spread. It is more delicate (weaker) than regular garlic in flavor.

The main problems when limiting carbohydrates in a low carb meal are the starches such as white rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and other starchy vegetables such as corn. I was surprised that some low carb diets do not even allow carrots! Carrots! The staple of dieters for hundreds of years! I won't miss them much. We do need some carbohydrates in our diet, particularly the complex variety, and I am sure carrots are still a good food to include in your diet.

We live in a day and age where it is not difficult to take any one of the starches mentioned above, and with a little knowledge make them less egregious. For instance, your low carb meal can contain whole grain pasta, you can use brown rice instead of white rice, you can serve potatoes with the skin on, and you can use whole grain bread instead of bleached, refined white bread.

I noted that when I used to eat prepared microwave diet meals, that they still included delicious tomato sauce with different kinds of pasta. There is no more perfect meal in my opinion. I even cheated and drowned it in Parmesan cheese, and still lost weight. I could not imagine how I was losing weight eating pasta! When I analyzed it, it was possible because there was what I would call a 'smattering' of actual pasta. Enough to experience the volume of flavors and texture, but only a symbolic representation of the carbohydrate element! So one does not need to be 'stuffed' to feel satisfied with their meal!

BIG Mike is a well known author, developer and Adsense expert as well as the owner of Niche Maniacs - a unique Adsense Marketing System designed to build long-term passive income streams from Adsense, Amazon, YPN, Chitika and other PPC services.