Low carb/carb free chips?

I would just eat celery, cherry tomatoes, or broccoli. I try to aim for lower carb myself.But I just can't recommend pork rinds. There are proboly some chips out there labled as no/low carb. But vegis are better in so many ways.

While both obesity and rapid weight loss are risk factors associated with gall bladder diseases, an additional risk factor is a diet that is high in fat and cholesterol, and low in fiber. When you start cutting out whole grains, starchy vegetables and many fruits from your diet, and when you take in more animal products containing cholesterol, it's easy to add in that additional dietary risk factor. Why add an additional risk if you can achieve the same result in a safer way?

Kale Chips!

To be fair, HOLISTICDETOXER, I had my gall bladder removed after losing 100 lbs on a low calorie (macro neutral) diet - anyone who loses a lot of weight - through ANY method short of amputation - is at a much increased risk of gallbladder disease. The type of diet doesn't matter.

To address the original question, the closest thing to a chip without carbohydrate is the deep fried pork rind (i.e., the pig's skin with subcutaneous fat attached is fried and air-puffed) mentioned earlier on this thread. However, if you are concerned about sodium, be aware that the sodium content of pork rind is 5x that of potato chips which of course are already high in sodium.

You can make a chip out of practically any vegetable, of course. They all have carbohydrate in some quantity unlike the pork rind which has practically none.

I watched my dad successfully lose weight while doing Atkins under the supervision of his doctor. He followed the plans laid out in the Atkins books and often cooked meals from Atkins' official cookbooks.

Later, I spent sleepless nights halfway across the world worrying about him after my mom phoned to say he had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency gallbladder surgery as a result of his high-fat and high-protein diet.

During the subsequent bed rest he regained most of the weight he'd lost (minus the weight of a gallbladder). Later he adopted a balanced eating and fitness plan and returned to a healthy weight, which he's maintained for the past six or seven years.

I believe that Atkins works for some people. However, I have also seen firsthand that you can do everything right, and be working with a doctor to monitor your health, and still experience sudden, terrible complications as a result of this diet.

For the record ... I went VERY low for about 6 months a few years ago ... got my newly diabetes under control without any medications, significantly lowered my cholesterol, and lost some weight.

I have since increased my carbohydrate consumption but I still stay a bit below what SP recommends for us diabetics -- and that is low enough for me to keep my blood glucoses stable without meds. I continue to lose weight slowly and the "lower carb" lifestyle is one I plan to keep indefinitely.

I felt great on the very low carb plan and have no regrets using it to reduce my carb cravings and get my blood sugars under control. When I find myself eating a few too many carbs and the cravings creeping back, I lower my carb intake for a couple of days to get back on track. It works for me.

And by the way ...I AM a health professional with a PhD ... and with a little published research related to glucose metabolism (but the narrow research topic is not really relevant to this discussion or weight loss in general.)

Edited by: ONLINEASLLOU at: 11/26/2012 (21:58)

Hi everyone

We welcome people with a wide variety of eating styles, even though many of these styles are not weight loss techniques SparkPeople recommends. Since we are not advocates of "diets", you'll get responses that might not agree with your style of eating. When you ask a question in a public forum like this, you're going to get responses that don't always directly answer the question you asked. As long as someone isn't doing it in a negative or confrontational way, I'd recommend just taking the advice you find to be helpful and leaving the advice you don't. I don't see anyone trying to be a "troll" in this thread, just sharing info they feel is helpful.

Coach Jen

While I don't subscribe to the Atkins diet, I believe it has many benefits for many people. I know people who have made it work for them in the long term, and those who haven't. Your diet isn't a Pinto. But some may view it that way...and some may disagree with your views, or parts of them, and you have to be secure and stable enough to handle opinions on your 'plan' when you stick it out here in public, asking for suggestions. I'm sorry you take this so personally.

So you're not a medical expert of any kind, and you compare my diet to a Ford Pinto with no factual information... I think "troll" is appropriate

I come here for support, not to have my diet criticized as the worst ever.

Edited by: CBSCOTT7 at: 11/26/2012 (15:19)

Troll is a strong word. Perhaps you only wish for posts that agree with you?

Good luck with your 'plan'.

STEPHEN_NANNY - I am new to the community here, so don't be shocked or offended when I ask, Are you some sort of medical professional that I do not know about? Do you have results of a NON-biased study that you'd like to share the results with me?

Have you tried low-carb? have you seen its health benefits? I come here for help, not to have my diet choice trolled and second guessed by you.

-Russel, it's great to see fellow dieters have such wonderful success, and offer their positive and reinforcing results. It helps me to stay motivated.

Edited by: CBSCOTT7 at: 11/26/2012 (13:49)

@ Stephen_Nanny I never thought of it that way. People don't seem to listen though when I tell them their diet is akin to a Ford Pinto. Of course, since CBSCOTT's diet is a Ferrari, he'll be just fine, unlike the millions of obese people following SAD.

Hopefully, you listen, and switch to a healthy low carb diet.

Celery is a good option, and pork rinds are good, especially for crunch. Both low carb.

I have been on low carb ( under 40 grams net a day ), for most of the last 3.5 years, and lost 136 lbs. I eat 10-12 servings of fruit/veggies, cheese occasionally, and have had great success on it. It is not a "weight loss diet", unless you count any diet that you lose weight on to be a weight loss diet. In that case low fat also applies, but no one is saying that is not a diet you can stick to for life. Low carb will become moderate carb when you hit GW, but that will just mean a greater variety of foods, not a stopping of the diet. You can have beans nuts, fruits etc, in moderation then.

As long as a diet has a maintenance program, it isn't something you do temporarily. Go talk to people on the low carb teams. Many have been eating this way for a long, long time. Hopefully, you are also seeing huge benefits in bloodwork, and blood pressure also.

@ Michellexxx.. I believe there are 4 phases actually. Induction, OWL, Pre-maintenance, and maintenance. I just point it out because I am on OWL, and now withing 50 lbs of goal, I am switching into pre-maintenance, so maintenance isn't such a shock.

Edited by: RUSSELL_40 at: 11/26/2012 (09:28)

I consider the Atkins plan to be a very healthy, well-outlined, lifelong way of eating. I encourage anyone to read through all three phases of the plan and follow it for the rest of their life, making accommodations when necessary. I respect the awareness and flexibility of the lifestyle.

CBSCOTT - here at Spark, it is a community of many different opinions (some of them whacky), but a common thread is that people actually care about each other's health. So if you come asking what colour of Ford Pinto you should buy, don't be shocked or offended when people look past your question and try to talk you out of a Pinto.

When I reach my desired weight, I will increase my carb intake to end the ketosis, and maintain my weight, while still keeping my carbs under control.

It's not a "long-term" diet, it's a weight loss diet.

Exactly. Look, I like eating lower carb (I try to stick to the minimum or just under for my range) but a 'diet' that works is one that you can do for life. What happens when you get to goal and have little idea about how to eat except for low carb?

It is said a lot on this website, and I will stick my big, fat nose in where it isn't wanted and say it again: Diets don't work, lifestyles changes do!

Thanks Jules, I'll have to try the celery with the dip. It would also help up my veggie intake. I appreciate you offering help, when everyone else tries to force their own views on me.

I don't know why everybody says that Atkins is unsafe. Studies actually show that it's results lead to not only a lower weight, but also lower blood pressure, lower triglycerides, and improved LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. In fact, Atkins beat out the more traditional Zone, LEARN, and Ornish diets in every category. It's not a "long-term" diet, it's a weight loss diet. So when I reach my desired weight, I alter my diet to maintain said weight with the reintroduction of carbs in to my diet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREuZEdMA
Vo

Kris, the thing is, the OP came asking for some ideas on low-carb chip alternatives to go with buffalo chicken dip. Not for a lecture on whether or not his chosen diet is the right way to go.

ONLINEASLLOU - I don't want to sound offensive in any way - it is one thing to eat "low" carb, but quite another to eat a "VERY" low carb. Based on what the original poster is showing in the Nutrition Tracker, and what you are showing, you are eating 2-3 times more carbs than the original poster. The fruit/vege intake is almost zilch with the original poster.

Kris

As you have discovered, there are some people here on SparkPeople who feel compelled to try to talk people out of living a low carb lifestyle. But if you explore the site a bit, you will find many others who are happy and successful with Atkins and other low and/or lower carb plans. You might want to explore some of the Spark Teams that focus on low carb lifestyles.

I maintain a "lower carb" lifestyle -- and often use raw vegetables (like broccoli, cherry tomoatoes, carrots, mushrooms, or celery) with dips. Sometimes, I use bite-sized pieces of meat, such as chicken breast to dip into sauses.

Edited by: ONLINEASLLOU at: 11/25/2012 (23:13)

This isn't so much in relation to the original question, but rather to the reason for the question. Below is a link to an article by SP Dietitian Becky on "The Truth About Carbohydrates" :
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_art
icles.asp?id=590

Carbs themselves aren't the enemy - but sugary, and processed carbs are the problem. Our body DOES need some carbs.

Kris

I second the celery - I love to use it with buffalo chicken dip - better than chips IMO

I don't know of any low carb chips, but what about good ol' celery? I had 12 sticks (around 4-5" each) and it was only 2g carbs.

Edited by: YOJULEZ at: 11/26/2012 (00:38)

I recommend kale or zucchini chips. Some people like pork rinds for dipping.

In the nutrition tracker, you'll find many different kinds of apples listed, including their carb numbers.

If you google "glycemic index" you'll find out why, for example, a white bread and multigrain bread could have the same number of cals and carbs, but how your body processes the multigrain better with significant difference on your weight loss program.

Good luck!

Ok, how would I keep track of how many carbs are in an apple? I'm trying to lose weight along with body fat, and in my experience with the Atkins diet, ALL carbs are the same.

Not entirely related...but in peeking at your tracker, I think you should worry more about meeting your minimum carb targets every day (rather than being way too low), and getting good veggies rather than hunting down a unicorn like low carb fries. Fruits and veggies are your friend, and (good) carbs are not the enemy.

I'm on the Atkins diet and recently discovered I can eat buffalo chicken dip as long it doesn't have ranch dressing. But, I have been unable to find chips, or anything resembling chips, that has very low/ no carbs. Does anybody know if these chips exist, and if they do, where can I get some?