A better solution to low-carb diets

Question >

I am overweight and always have been. My physician has recommended a low-carb diet. However, breakfast to me just isn’t breakfast without toast, and lunch is usually a sandwich. Also, not being able to eat pasta, bread, potatoes or rice is very difficult.

There are only so many days in a row you can eat a grilled chicken salad for lunch and dinner. It’s getting to the point where trying to decide what to eat is too much of a chore, so I just don’t eat. How can I create a low-carb, low-fat diet and still make it interesting?

Answer >

Here we recommend a healthy mix of carbohydrates, protein and fats. Research suggests the best long-term health (least risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity) results from a diet with the following proportions:

• 60-65 percent carbohydrates (coming mostly from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes)
• 10-15 percent protein
• 25 percent total fat (no more than 7 percent as saturated fat and as little trans-fat as possible)

One reason people tend to lose weight on low-carb diets initially is the lack of variety — you tend to get bored or frustrated and stop eating, as you have demonstrated.

We recommend choosing complex carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans as the core of a healthy diet, with small amounts of meat as an option. The recipes in our food section focus on using these foods in the right proportions to prepare quick and healthy traditional favorites.