Vegetables...how to fit them in?

[vintageutopia]

I have considerably lowered my carb intake since finding this website and eat between 30-50 net grams of carbs per day. I would like to go lower, because my FBS is still around 110-115.

I am struggling with eliminating veggies and fruit. My fruit mostly consists of 1/2 apple or berries right now. I eat a good deal of kale, broccoli, cauliflower, etc., but I feel like in order for me to drop my net carbs to 20-25, there will be no room for vegetables or even the occasional fruit.

How did you all do it?

 

[Enclave]

I am a vegetarian.. It's no problem to eat lots of low carb veggies .. I cannot eat apples now so stick to all kinds of berries.. Colliflower has replaced potatoes and courgettes are the new pasta .. Pearl barley and quinoa are the new rice ...

 

[vintageutopia]

I feel like I am never going to get the hang of this. Enclave, do you mind me asking how many carbs you eat per day? I am very curious how you work it in, because for the sake of a balanced diet, I don't want to give up on vegetables.

I like quinoa, but my family isn't a fan. We all like barley, though.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

I don't think your FBS are bad for someone 5 months in. FBS is the last one to come down and settle so maybe you need to wait it out. If I had to choose between veg or fruit, I would drop the fruit. Veg is generally lower carb and more nutritious and filling.

 

[vintageutopia]

Thanks Avocado. I probably am just a wee bit impatient, but there is a small part of me that worries it will never come down. I haven't been at strict 50 grams carbs the entire time. I started around 100 grams and have slowly inched it down to 50 grams fairly recently. I am still in the process of losing weight, so hopefully, that will help too.

 

[Larissima]

IIRC, you're allowed 20 g carbs in the Atkins induction, and it was suggested to have one serving (cup) of cooked green/colourful veg, and 2 of salad per day.

However, I am more inclined to side with the Primal crowd, who don't include green/LC veg in the carb group at all. The micronutrients and fibre make them too valuable to cut out of our diet, and the carb counts (for normal sized portions) are negligible. What needs to be cut out are starchy and sugary carbs.

I've just read a very interesting thing in Dr Bernstein's book - the Chinese restaurant syndrome. Basically, BG can go up if our stomach is stretched by food, even when that food is very low carb/calorie. That's food for thought!

 

[vintageutopia]

Good point. I have been paying attention to serving sizes, but will eat additional veggies if still hungry. Maybe, I need to pay closer attention.

 

[Pasha]

celery, Lettuce, Radishes, Avocado, Olives, Tomatoe, cucumber, green bell peppers etc are all good for making salads with a low carb count. I do it EVERY day and together with plenty of extra virgin olive oil ,gives great BG control.

 

[LucySW]

I have considerably lowered my carb intake since finding this website and eat between 30-50 net grams of carbs per day. I would like to go lower, because my FBS is still around 110-115.

I am struggling with eliminating veggies and fruit. My fruit mostly consists of 1/2 apple or berries right now. I eat a good deal of kale, broccoli, cauliflower, etc., but I feel like in order for me to drop my net carbs to 20-25, there will be no room for vegetables or even the occasional fruit.

How did you all do it?

No, you don't have to give up green veg - far from it.

Read Dr Bernstein. A big plate of cooked green veg is about 6g carb. So is a big plate of salad. Just build your meals around that. I'm on the Bernsteinian 30g carb a day and I fill up on green veg.

I love love love veg and I'd be devastated if I had to give them up. Plus you need them to be healthy. But they're not a carb problem. It's the starches we have to give up.

Keep on chewing!

Edit: yes, we do have to be a bit wary for the Chinese Restaurant Effect. It happens. But that's when you *stuff* yourself.

 

[uart]

Pearl barley and quinoa are the new rice ...

I'm just wondering about pearl barley. From what I can tell it contains similar carb levels to other grains like wheat and rice. Or am I missing something?

 

[uart]

I am struggling with eliminating veggies

No no, don't try to eliminate veggies, they're important. Stick to low carb varieties and the extra fibre will more than offset their small carb contribution.

I like raw salad vegetables and also love cooked eggplant and cauliflower. Those last two have pretty much become my "staples" now, and have really helped replaced the "bulk" carbs like potato rice and pasta in my diet. I have pretty much cut out all the high carb vegies like potatoes and pumpkin (I have them very rarely), though I often still have a few medium carb veggies like peas and carrots, but in moderation.

Anyway the upshot is, find some low carb veggies that you like and go for it. Make sure to add melted cheese or butter or olive oil - whatever makes them yummy for you.

 

[lisajohnson101]

You're doing really well to get the carbs that low - I'm finding it a huge struggle to lower my carb intake ( I can only stomach so many eggs and salad)
Anyone got any advice or inspiration??

 

[Mongolia]

You're doing really well to get the carbs that low - I'm finding it a huge struggle to lower my carb intake ( I can only stomach so many eggs and salad)
Anyone got any advice or inspiration??

What sort of things do you like to eat? I have found that cauliflower makes a fab carb replacement for potato - mash it, grate and fry it or roast it. Very tasty and looks like carbs rather than veg so psychologically don't think your missing out! Have protein as normal and lots of veg. Happy to give you some recipes if that's any help

 

[PerfectStorm]

I am a vegetarian.. It's no problem to eat lots of low carb veggies .. I cannot eat apples now so stick to all kinds of berries.. Colliflower has replaced potatoes and courgettes are the new pasta .. Pearl barley and quinoa are the new rice ...

How are you sugars with the quinoa and pearl barley, Enclave? I thought they were high carb but might have to give them a try - I guess I won't know what's ok for me until I try it!

 

[lisajohnson101]

I find I'm at my weakest at breakfast time - I crave porridge or granola but even with unsweetened almond milk that's still 20-30gram carb. I know I should have eggs but I really can't eat them in the morning.

 

[vintageutopia]

Thank you for the advice everyone. I grew up with a large garden and love veggies and fruit. I am glad to hear that it isn't an all or nothing situation here. I can limit my fruit, though.

I ate a whole avocado at lunch the past two days with chicken breast and a little salsa. So filling and so good.

I keep hearing that I won't get hungry on LCHF, but I haven't found that to be true. I get plenty hungry.

 

[Mongolia]

I find I'm at my weakest at breakfast time - I crave porridge or granola but even with unsweetened almond milk that's still 20-30gram carb. I know I should have eggs but I really can't eat them in the morning.

http://www.diabeticgoodbaking.com/2013/05/thislemon-cake-is-based-on-my-vanilla.htmlhttp://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/orange_sourcream_cakes.html
http://ditchthewheat.com/coconut-flour-pancakes/
Some alternative suggestions for breakfast. For both the cake recipes I fry in butter and have with a handful of blueberries and Alpro coconut yoghurt. Yes for breakfast! Same with pancakes. Only 1 pancake needed as they are quite dense and very filling. Store mixture in Tupperware in the fridge. Accompany with coffee and double cream

 

[lisajohnson101]

Thank you so much they sound fab

 

[Mongolia]

Thank you so much they sound fab

They make good desserts too. Am just finishing off a slice of lemon cake with strawberries and a cuppa! The orange sour cream cakes come out a bit like scones so you can slice them in half and have with clotted cream. Low carb doesn't have to mean the end of cake type treats, you just have to search a bit harder for the recipes and appreciate that neither almond flour or coconut flour will ever give you a light Victoria sponge type cake!

 

[Brunneria]

Thank you for the advice everyone. I grew up with a large garden and love veggies and fruit. I am glad to hear that it isn't an all or nothing situation here. I can limit my fruit, though.

I ate a whole avocado at lunch the past two days with chicken breast and a little salsa. So filling and so good.

I keep hearing that I won't get hungry on LCHF, but I haven't found that to be true. I get plenty hungry.

Maybe you need to eat more fat?
That is incredibly filling, and a dab of butter, or a scatter of cheese on top of veg is not only delicious, it also slows digestion, leaving you fuller for longer.