low Carb not Low Quality

Amanda Aikman, Managing Editor

Everyone I know is sick to death of my
incessant low-carb harping. I can't
blame them either, I doubt that a day
goes by without my mentioning ad
nauseum the carb content of every
edible thing in sight. Whether it’s lec-
turing on the high-carb counts of
“real” foods like rice, potatoes, and
bread, or extolling the virtues. of the
many miraculous low-carb products
available now—the truth is, nobody
cares anymore. Which brings me here,
to the esteemed pages of the Other
Press and a captive audience, my
favourite kind.

Recently in this very publication,
we printed a feature story that debat-
ed, denounced, and basically
attempted to debunk the low-carb
lifestyle. Well, the writer of that article
was wrong. I mean really, who are you
gonna listen to—some _pasta-loving
SFU student, or me, your very own
humble Other Press editor? Exactly.

Now, I’m not going to argue the
health/cost benefits and detriments of
banishing carbohydrates from your
diet, that’s been done before. And I’m
not going to examine and com-
pare the finer points of
Atkins versus South 4
Beach versus the %

Zone. [ll leave that

to more responsible and thorough
journalists. What I’m going to do is
share my top-ten favourite low-carb
delicacies with you. Well, I’m going to
share a list of them anyway; the actual
delicacies you'll have to buy your-
selves.

Ready? Okay. Drum roll please...

10. Atkins Nutritional Shakes, 2g
Net Carbs*
This one’s for all of you who think
youre missing out nutritionally by
cutting carbs. Shakes come in choco-
late and vanilla, and are jam-packed
with all those boring vitamin-type
things that low-carb naysayers are
always getting all hot and bothered
about. Can be served over ice, but
taste much better if you throw’em in
the freezer for a half
an hour before

drinking.

 
   
   
  
  
 
  
   
   
  
  

9. Special K
Carb Fit
Cereal, 9g
Net Carbs
Contrary
to popular belief,
adhering to a
reduced-carbohy-
drate diet does
not mean you
have to wake up
to a greasy meat
fest every morn-
ing. There's more
to low-carb life
than bacon and
eggs—like, say, a
nice bowl of
crunchy

perhaps.

cereal

8. Safeway
Counting
Carbs Bread,
3g Net Carbs
Yes, some low-
carb breads can
cost up to five times as much as their
full-carb counterparts. Not this one
though. It’s under $3 per loaf and isn’t

skimpy or spongy like some other
brands.

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  

7. Subway Atkins Wraps,
10g Net Carbs (varies

with toppings)
These are really, really
good. Even if they

werent low carb, I'd still
prefer them to a regu-
lar Subway sandwich.
All regular subs can
be made on a wrap
for only a few cents
more. If youre real-
ly hungry, you can
add —_— low-carb
cookies or
Doritos, and a
diet soda—and,
voila—a low-carb feast.

6. Dreamfields Spaghetti, 8g Net
Carbs

Take that, low-carb pooh poohers!
You don't have to sacrifice comfort
food to enjoy a filling, reduced-carb
meal anymore. The taste and texture
are exactly the same as regular
spaghetti, but there are 50 grams fewer
carbs per serving.

5. Panago Carb Smart Pizza, starting
at 3.3g Net Carbs

Mmm, _ pepperoni and_ extra
anchovies—hold the guilt. Now you
can order pizza just like a regular per-
son. Tastes the same as most of its thin
crust contemporaries.

4. Ben & Jerry’s Carb Karma Ice

Cream, 4g Net Carbs
Try the chocolate. I dare you. This
stuff can't be legal.

Oh...My...God...you have no idea.

3. Doritos Edge Chips, 6g Net Carbs
If ever a major junk-food manufactur-
er becomes eligible for
sainthood—these guys will definitely
be in the running. Ahhh, chips, how
I’ve missed you. The only place I’ve
seen these so far is at select Subway
restaurants, but I’m sure they'll
become widely available in time.

2. Slimfast Carb Zone Caramel Nut
Bar, 2g Net Carbs

Made with maltitol and sucralose,
these gooey, chocolaty bars look and
taste like the real thing and not like

 

some dried out power bar wannabe.

1. Molson Ultra, 2.5g Net Carbs
Halleluiah! Who'd of thunk it?
Low-carb beer. No, it does not cost
more, and no, it is not flat and
watery—at least not any more so than
the rest of Molson’s products. They
even come in adorable, easy-to-con-
ceal, little, gold, skinny cans—perfect
for the carb-conscious alcoholic on the

go.

So you see, low-carb is not the
exercise in dietary deprivation that
many people imagine it to be. In addi-
tion to the items I have already listed,
you can choose to chow down on
brownies, bagels, ice-cream sandwich-
es, and even macaroni and cheese.
Vive low carb! The revolution is now.

* Net carbs are calculated per serving.

 

FEEL THE ATKINS CHANG!

SEPUEMDEF 28/2000