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Getting Your Kitchen in Oder

Whether you've been doing Atkins for years or are just starting, stack the deck in your favour with the right ingredients and techniques for low carb cooking.


What to Buy

Most of your food shopping will be concentrated in the produce, dairy, poultry, fish, and meat sections of the supermarket.

BUY FRESH.

Fresh vegetables, fruits, and protein will still be the basis of your diet. You know by now that many canned goods and packaged products contain hidden carbs and are loaded with trans fats.

If your budget permits, buy organic poultry, meat, eggs, and produce.

Other items that should be on your grocery list follow.

THINK FISH.

Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, mackerel, herring, bluefish and sardines supply protein and B vitamins, but these flavoursome fish also pack plenty of omega-3s, a type of essential fatty acid with disease-fighting properties.

Keep canned fish on hand, too, for hurry-up suppers. Canned salmon is higher in calcium than milk. Mash the soft bones with a fork and you'll get 225 milligrams of this bone-building mineral per 31/2-ounce serving.

Canned sardines are even higher: 3 ounce supply 325 milligrams. Four ounces of milk? A mere 150 milligrams. Look for light tuna packed in olive oil; it tastes better than tuna in water or vegetable oil.

SHOP WITH THE SEASONS.

Choose vegetables and fruits at their height of flavour and freshness. You'll save money too: Seasonal produce is generally less expensive.

There is no reason to buy asparagus or watermelon in January when broccoli and a host of fruits are readily available.

COLOUR MATTERS.

Buy as many richly coloured foods as possible: Dark leafy greens orange vegetables, purple grapes, and the like contain more nutrients than their paler cousins. Arugula has almost twice the folate of iceberg lettuce, watercress has about four times the vitamin C, and spinach has nearly thirty times more beta-carotene.

Red grapes are higher in anthocyanins than green; and pink grapefruit has 40 times more beta-carotene than white. In general, avoid white foods - which the exception of dairy products, of course.

White rice, white flour, sugar, and pale pasta are out. Instead, focus on brown breads and grains, beans, and other legumes.

THE GREENER THE BETTER.

From collards ad kale to spinach and turnips greens, these nutritional powerhouses are loaded with vitamins A, C, E, folate, and other vitamins; minerals, including calcium and iron; and cancer-fighting compounds such as indoles, sulforaphane, and isocyanate.

Many dark greens are at their best in winter - they're fresh and inexpensive when other vegetables are pale and flavourless. Sauté greens with lost of garlic, stir them into soup, or braise them with a bit of bacon.


GO WITH THE GRAIN.

Whole grains provide a host of nutrients, but they're dense in carbohydrates.

Go beyond rice and pasta to find those that are lower in Net Carbs. Oatmeal boasts cholesterol-lowering fibre. Wild rice packs twice the protein of other varieties. Bulgur, a form of whole wheat, is already cooked; simply pour boiling liquid over it and soak it until soft, about 30 minutes.


SCRUTINIZE LABELS.

Carbohydrates lurk in foods you might not suspect. Avoid anything that has high-fructose corn syrup or any kind of starch, such as modified potato or rice starch, in the ingredients list.

Canned goods and condiments are common culprits. Pay particular attention to fat-free foods, especially salad dressing and marinades. Corn syrup often is used instead of oil because they have similar consistencies.

Not only do you end up with unwanted carbs, but also a host of chemicals that are added to mask the sweetness. Instead, use high-flavour condiments that boast healthful ingredients, such as pesto and salsa.


ENJOY ETHNIC SPECIALTIES.

If you're fortunate enough to live near an ethnic food market, stock up on spices and condiments - prices are generally lower than at natural foods stores.

THINK SMALL.

Purchase diary products in small quantities and wrap cheeses in a double layer of plastic wrap to ensure freshness.


Source: Atkins for Life THE NEXT LEVEL

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"If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the
solution".