Low Carb Freedom

I'm back!

Yikes!

I go away for a week and find that I can't do that! (Long story... didn't have access to email because the internet access terminal at the hotel didn't have the latest browser upgrade, and comcast kep telling me that I had to download the latest browser before I could see the email. Obviously, I couldn't install a new browser on this terminal!)

Since I had left all of my passwords in my email box, I couldn't get to them... so no updates on my Low Carb Freedom Blog! When there are no updates after a week, nothing appears! (A big lesson in how to set up a blog before you go away! Make sure the blog shows more than a week in case something happens and... make sure you carry paper copies of all passwords and... don't use Comcast as your number one email provider because it isn't friendly to old technology!)

Anyhow, I was in CA for a week, and was able to find lots of new products at a great Trader Joe's (four times the size of mine) and Albertson's and Pavillions. I'll be writing about them. (I saved all of my receipts and prices, but we got bumped in Atlanta, GA, stayed at a Sheraton and got to try their Low Carb Menu, which I will also tell you about. However, we stayed at the Sheraton with no bags since they had been sent through to Boston, but managed to leave our one bag (a cooler so we could carry our low carb food with us instead of buying high carb food on the plane) with all the receipts in the hotel room. So, I called the Sheraton and they should be sending me the bag (I have my fingers crossed!) so I can put in prices, etc.)

I need to do some errands, etc., now... but come back for some great updates!

P.S. I'll also go through my emails!

CarbSense Foods MiniCarb Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix

Well... what can I say. This product was a huge disapointment. The cookies looked nothing like the cookies on the package. They spread all over the cookie sheet, and I only left the butter out on the counter to soften it. I didn't put it in the microwave. (Goodness, if I had done that I'm sure I would have had cookie mix all over the bottom of my oven.)

The directions were very easy, so I can't see how I messed them up that much. I'm also upset because I do like their brownie mix. (Actually, if I ever tried this again, I'd pour the mix into a brownie pan and make Snickerdoodle brownies.)

Has anyone else had a different experience with this cookie mix?

Pierre's Carb Success Ice Cream Review

I just received this ice cream in the mail because it is currently being distributed in Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and select accounts in eastern Indiana and Chicago, Illinois. It comes in a 1.75 quart container. It came complete with dry ice, which the kids loved to see steam and bubble in the sink. It looked like a spell experiment from Harry Potter. (Of course, we took the ice cream containers out before we started the experiment.)

Onto the nutritional information!

For a 1/2 cup serving:

Calories: 120
Total Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 20 mg
Sodium: 35mg
Total Carbohydrates: 14g
Dietary Fiber 7g
Sugars 3g
Sugar Alcohol: 4g
Protein: 3g

It is much more creamy than the CarbSmart brand. My two kids and I really, really liked it. My husband doesn't care much for ice cream and said it was OK. (He, on the other hand, does like the CarbSmart ice cream sandwiches. He eats two of them instead of one! Bad, bad, husband! But he is still maintaining his weight so I guess I shouldn't complain. Men always have it easier.)

However, at $4.99 - $5.59, the Pierre's can be more expensive. I have seen CarbSmart pricing all over the map from $1.99 on sale all the way up to $5.99. If I had a choice at a similar price point or even $1 more, I would choose the Pierre's because it just tastes better. I honestly can't tell the difference between Pierre's and other premium ice cream. If the CarbSmart were $1.99 and the Pierre's $4.99, I would have to think about whether the occasion warranted the higher price point. If it were for a celebration, no problem. If it were just for a regular day, I would have to think about it. (I have two kids with lots of friends. Unfortunately, they tend to leave half-eaten bowls of food around, and I don't want to make them finish things if they aren't hungry!)

Both Pierre's and CarbSmart should just about finish off the Atkins brand for the people who can pace themselves. All the Atkins brand brings is portion control (and the Pierre's easily beats it on taste and creaminess.) For some people, that is worth paying a huge premium, but for me it is not worth it.

There is another brand of low carb ice cream that is available at Stop & Shop. It is called Keto. I include it in my Stop & Shop Low Carb Shopping List. Well, the marketing manager for the Keto ice cream saw this and emailed me the following:

I see that you have seen the Keto ice cream in your grocery store. Please give it a try.

The reason for the difference in cost will be evident to you immediately. Ice cream is made with a certain amount of air whipped into the product called "over run." The more air or "over run," the more profitable the item however, more air means less density and creaminess.

The Carb Smart items have approx. 78% over run, where the Keto items have approx. 30% over run. I'll give you another comparison: pick up a pint of the Atkin's ice cream and then pick up a pint of the Keto brand. The Keto brand is about 30% heavier than the Atkins for the same pint container at about the same retail. Consumers are paying for air.

The Keto product also is the lowest in net carbs per serving and we use none of the controversial sugar alcohols in our base formulas (Van, Choc, Butter Pecan) and only minimal amounts in our inclusions (choc coating, cookies n cream, ect).

Let's be honest, taste is what is most important in low carb offereings.You will not find the aftertaste in the Keto like the other low carb ice creams. We have basically used Hagan Daz as a model and made a product that is comparable in butter fat, creaminess and mouth feel except instead of approx. 28 g of net carbs, Keto is from 2 - 5g of net carbs (varies by item). Try the milk coated bars too! Carb Smart is a 3oz bar with 5 net carbs, Keto is a 4oz bar with only 2 net carbs. Raspberry is my personal favorite. It'll remind you of a Dove Bar.

Let me know what you think and feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have.

Best regards,
Joe

I just can't bring myself to pay that much for a little itty bit of ice cream. (I think it is $5.99 or $6.99 a pint.) I suppose if I were living alone, were only concerned about myself, then I could think of things in that way -- but my whole family is low carbing! And, as I have said previously, they eat a lot! (grin) When it gets a little warmer here, I think I'll splurge and taste it on a nice sunny day. (It is cold and rainy here now.)

I assume that what Joe says about Keto also applies to the Pierre's ice cream because it does taste like there is less air.

I ate a bit of the Pierre's ice cream with low carb whipped cream and now I'm patiently waiting for the low carb chocolate or caramel sauce. Add a few nuts and it will seem like I never left high carb eating. (But I still only eat 300 calories or less a day of non-natural low carb foods! This means ice cream, cookies, pasta, etc. combined.)

If you have tried any of these products, please let me know your thoughts!

Comments on Low Carb Freedom

Folks, I have open comments on this blog. That means anyone is free to comment on my posts (and I like that!) However, in marketing circles they now talk about blogs and how blogs can be "influencers" to other people. Therefore, sometimes comments on this blog can be made from people who work for a company or industry or who work for a competitive company or industry. Sometimes they can even try to create a dialogue to show that there is a need and how their product can fulfill that need.

Now, if I had to guess, I would say that some of the comments in my Dreamfield's Low Carb Pasta post fit into this category. However, they are subtle, and, taken as a whole, the comments are informative. There is enough real back and forth that everybody wins. I use the same reasoning in this post about the Low Carb Certification Battle. I'm not going to spend my time tracking IPs, etc. (Although for those marketing people, if you send me an upfront letter, I'm happy to post it. I have several examples of this including John Foraker of Carbtastic Products who did a fantastic job in this post about low carb label testing. I would be happy to shake his hand any time and print any rebuttal because he comports himself with integrity.)

However, I received comments yesterday on my California Low Carb Store post that were so blatant that I feel that I have to post about them because if I don't then my credibility is diminished.

In the first post, everything was fine. The person let others know about a website resource to find additional stores. I'm always happy to add things that help my readers! (I'll even put it into the body of the post as an update.) But then the person went further in another post on low carb shopping:

There is fast growing chain of Low Carb stores right now; Castus Low Carb Superstores. The website is very cool and they are popping up all over the country! I didn't know so many low carb foods even existed! They get new stuff in all the time. The staff at our local store is very knowledgable, as all are in 1 of the 4 phases. www.castus.net lists all the locations and the ones opening soon.

In this post another email address was used that was not affiliated with the Cactus Low Carb stores, although it was posted by the same person with the same IP (who also used the same user name) a few minutes after the previous posts. Word to the wise, it is fine to post this, just don't try to sound as though you are just another user. (I do notice these things.) And I'd be happy to put up a whole post on Cactus Low Carb stores as well and just clean up the comments...

Low Carb at Local BJ's

BJ's has a special testing station set up this week at my local BJ's that features CarboSave low carb crackers and Vita's Low Carb Tortillas ($3.69 for 10.) The CarboSave crackers are 2 boxes for 7 something (I think) and a package of 6 boxes for 10 something. (Nothing was labeled as to price, and the people behind the testing station had to look up on the list. I think that this is the first day.)

I was going to buy a pack of 6, but there was only one and it was slightly damaged. I told them that I would come back later in the week. Not sure if they are going to be carrying this all the time or not. (Costco regularly brings in test products for a day and then never sells them again. Although, most times Costco's stations are manned by representatives from the food company and are not product demonstrators like these folks were. They were nice enough, just clueless.)

The large table had half low carb products and half regular products. The regular products were barbeuce sauce (5grams of sugar) and Bloody Mary mix. They did have some salsa that was low carb, but salsa is usually inherently low carb.

BJ's also now carries the Atkins bars in addition to the ice cream cups.

Here is the nutritional information for the Vita's tortillas:

Serving Size: 1 Tortilla
Calories: 90
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 14g
Dietary Fiber: 8.4g
Sugars .6g
Protein: 7.2g

I bought a package to try. You can also order them from their Vita's Tortilla's website too.

Now I wish BJ's and Costco would send out emails announcing special product demos, etc. in their stores. That is an email I would want to sign up for!

About Time! Calorie and Carb Information on Wine and Liquor

I can't believe they didn't allow putting nutritional information on wine and liquor before.

A ruling by the Treasury Department (news - web sites)'s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau on Thursday made clear that liquor and wine companies that want to provide carb and calorie information on their labels and advertising can do so, just as some beer companies now do.

Cressy believes this is good for his industry.

"More and more consumers are seeking information about the carbohydrate and caloric content of what they eat and drink," Cressy said. Many of the industry's products, including vodka, tequila, whiskey, bourbon, scotch, gin and rum, contain no carbohydrates, he said.

Providing such information on liquor labels and advertising "is a good thing and will help consumers make choices," he said.

Talk about a no-brainer.

They have also issued preliminary rules stating that "low carb" will be 7 grams of carbs or less per serving. I'm sure that this will allow the proliferation and adoption of more low carb mixers. Hallelujah!

Low Carb White Chocolate

Trader Joe's now has Carb Safe White Chocolate. My kids love it! It comes in a 3.54 oz. bar. If you can discipline yourself not to eat the whole thing or share it with a lot of people, it is worth it! (I think it cost $1.89, but I can't find the slip right now.)

Update: I was asked about the nutritional information so here it is!

Serving size: 25g
4 servings per bar (It is a 3.54 oz bar)
Calories: 113
Total Fat: 8g
Sat Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 5.2mg
Total Carbs: 15.2g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars (Lactose): 1.7g
Malitol: 13.5g
Protein: 1.1g

General Mills Needs Low Carb Foods

According to the March 17th issue of the Wall Street Journal, "sales of General Mills cereals, Pillsbury refrigerated dough and dry packaged dinners declined."

However, there is a bright spot on the horizon!

"The company plans to launch 40 new products by May, including a version of Hamburger Helper with fewer carbohydrates."

If you just can't wait, you can try this version.

Wall Street Journal Health Reporting -- A Must Read

I have dinged the Wall Street Journal Health reporting in the past -- especially their reporting on low carbohydrate diets. (I'll have to do a better job of checking the reporters' names on those articles.)

Anyhow, the Wall Street Journal's reporting isn't all bad -- far from it. In fact, they just won a Pulitzer for their health reporting on aneurysms. I am asking all of my readers to read these aneurysm articles. They are contained in a pdf file, but if you read them, you could save your own life, a friend's life, or a member of your family. Please read them. Print them out. Talk about them.

After I read these articles I was having a glass of wine at a friend's house and found out that her dad had had an aneurysm. I told her that she needed to be tested and told her husband what signs to look for since the conditions for getting an aneurysm are usually hereditary.

Aneurysms kill 18,000 people a year, more than aids or brain cancer, and if you add in all types of aneurysms, it approaches the deaths caused by breast cancer. Women are especially vulnerable because they will be usually dead before doctors even think to look for it -- the condition may only be found on the autopsy table.

Furthermore, a lot of people who died of aneurysms weren't diagnosed as having one because an autopsy was never done. They thought the cause of death was something else.

Don't let this condition remain the killer it is. Knowledge is what can fight this.

Drinking Water to Lose Weight

In the Wall Street Journal recently, there was an article Can Water Aid Weight Loss? It basically debunks the theories that you need 8 glasses of water a day (people get what they need through food and drink anyhow), that drinking water before meals fills you up (milk and juice do this, but not water), and that drinking water raises your metabolism (it only works out to a few calories a day at most -- and it was a small study.)

If water replaces soda or other high calorie beverages, it can help.

I used to surf around a lot of diet forums and I consistently saw advice to drink tons and tons of water. I have never been a water drinker, so I never tried it.

I do drink caffeinated coffee, which Atkins tells you not to do, but at least I'm a much thinner caffeinated coffee drinker!