If you love to eat poultry, you will be pleased to know that low carb chicken meals are very easy to prepare. When cooking chicken, remove the skin and bake or grill rather than fry. Don’t cover it in breadcrumbs or sauces made with fats as this will increase the carbohydrate content quite dramatically.
Protein is a key part of a healthy eating plan. It provides essential amino acids required to build and maintain healthy tissues, organs and hair. It also keeps us feeling fuller for longer so it is a good idea to add a little to every meal. Good quality poultry is a great source of protein. If possible chose free range as you do not want to risk eating animals that have been injected with hormones. Don’t have chicken every day though. There are plenty of other sources of quality proteins including low fat dairy products, good quality red meat, beans and pulses and fish.
You don’t want to be eating grilled chicken all the time so why not try something a little different. Here are a couple of chicken recipes you may find useful:
If you like your sandwiches you can still eat them on a low carb diet. The brad must be whole meal high fiber not white. To prepare a sandwich, simply take four slices of your bread and some cooked chopped chicken breast. Add some shredded lettuce and a sliced tomato. Top with low fat Swiss style cheese (the one with the holes!). You should avoid using butter on the bread. You can add a low fat salad dressing if you find the sandwich too dry.
You can also have chicken curry but make it at home. Fast foods and shop bought processed meals contain a lot of hidden sugars, salt and bad fats. This will not only stop you losing pounds but will also increase your risk of heart disease and raise your insulin levels. Keeping insulin levels low is key to losing weight as the lower levels inhibits the formation of fat and encourages your body to covert the insulin to energy.
When making curry at home, add extra chilies if you can as they help to speed up your metabolism so you burn fats faster. Serve with brown rice and skip the Nan bread and poppadoms.
If you must fry your chicken, use a spray vegetable oil and a non stick pan to reduce your fat intake. The poultry should take up a maximum 25% of your dinner. 50% of your meal should be vegetables with the remaining 25% brown rice or brown pasta.
All of your meals should contain a mixture of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. You should try and vary the color and type of veg you eat to gain the most nutrients and minerals and to protect yourself against diseases such as cancer.
Following a low carb diet, chicken is one of the many foods you can enjoy. Just don’t have it for every meal!