Dumb Question

(Dawn) #1

Hi Keto Fam

I have a dumb question. Is it more important to find a food that is low in carbs OR no added sugar? I’m finding that they aren’t necessarily the same thing. For example, I really like Walmart rotisserie chicken. The carbs are fine, very low at about 1 or 2 grams. However, there is added sugar (maltodextrose… I guess that’s it). So since there is sugar, should I avoid it even though it fits my carb allowance? Or do we only care about the carbs because the sugar is accounted for already in the carb count thus we don’t need to worry about it? Most of our Whole Foods don’t have this problem but when we occasionally eat these “fast foods” we can run into this problem. Please advise

(Marie Dantoni) #2

Serving size for the carb grams ?

(Crippie) #3

Hey there.

I had this same question and have found different schools of thought on it. Some people seem to be from a somewhat “purest” camp and avoid any and all sugars. Others go just by the carbs. Since sugar is a carb the added sugars should always be under the carb number.

Now they do get tricky sometimes. Like with Mayo, it says 0 carbs, but if you look at ingredients on most it has sugar. These are the tricky hidden ones, which usually come up in things with small serving sizes. Like mayo being a table spoon, so if its under 1g per tablespoon they could round down to 0 on the label. So if you eat like 5 tablespoons of mayo in a day you could be adding like 4g of carbs without knowing.

It is best to avoid these things with sugar, but really its personal preference, like for me, I don’t like homemade mayo, and i never eat more than a tablespoon anyway When I do I chalk it up to 1g per spoonful to be safe.

Hope that helps

(jilliangordona) #4

This is very much a personal choice. Traditional keto aims for NO added sugar, so anything with such should be avoided.

Many of us, however, keto as we need. If it is working for you to follow low carb, but still consume added sugars, that is fine. For example, I enjoy the “low carb” tortillas fairly often, which contain gluten. I don’t appear to have any adverse effects.

However if you aren’t feeling your best, or are stalling losing weight, you may want to look there. The big thing to remember that 5g of carbs from broccoli is very different than 5g carbs from sugar, our body will not process them the same way.

(Naomi Brewster) #5

I once went through every mayo at the supermarket (about 20 odd brands) and they ALL had sugar but if you make it at home the only ingredients are oil, mustard powder, an egg and salt. Mayo is a good example of things we can simply make at home to cut out the hidden sugars added for who knows what reason (perhaps shelf life?)

(Donna ) #6

Duke’s Mayo doesn’t have sugar. I can’t tell the difference, tastes good.

WalMart has it.

(Naomi Brewster) #7

I’m in Australia but good for our American friends to know.

Also after a few bum stares I have finally nailed whipping up a mayo in about 30 seconds :wink:

(Donna ) #8

Recipe, please :slight_smile:

(Naomi Brewster) #9

http://jewishjournal.com/culture/food/225712/giant-shabbat-dinner-l-canceled-las-vegas-shooting/

Scroll down to 30 second mayonnaise recipe - Yamit is my ‘friend’ on facebook and she is the head chef at Uganda American consulate and keto.

(Donna ) #10

Thank you! I can’t wait to try it! :smiley:

(CharleyD) #11

Maltodextrose is another lying liars name for sugar and the reason I hit a plateau by using the Stevia In The Raw packets last winter in my coffee.

I’ll echo others here, it all boils down to your goals. You’ll likely stay in ketosis if you stay under 20g of it, but it’ll also provoke more insulin compared to if there was zero carbs.

Disclosure, I’ve also eyeballed those birds and will again tonight as I go shopping. This time of year our Wally Worlds have turkey legs and I think I’m going to opt for one of those instead.

(Phil Gilbert) #12

Been keto for just a few days and as with everything else in my life, I go full speed. Been less than 12g carbs each day. I’m feeling wonderful, focused, and energetic. Haven’t felt hungry in two days. My only concern has been my mouth/tongue. Somewhat painful and tingly. Is that the “metal taste” I read about?

(CharleyD) #13

I like to think it’s all the GINGIVITIS :sexy-phlegm: bacteria dying horrible starvation deaths due to no sugar to munch on.

But seriously, as having a bout of periodontitis about a decade ago, I haven’t hurt/itched anything like that in the 11 months I’ve been keto.

Are you using an alcohol based rinse? If so, would you consider changing?

(Dawn) #14

Yes!!! I saw turkey legs too but I didn’t pay much attention. Check your rotisserie’s they are delicious!!! I’m starting to wonder if the only reason it had maldextrose was because it was lemon pepper. I bet the plain one didn’t have the same. I’ll check next time. And thanks for givIng me the current name of the sugar. As for artificial sweeteners, I’ve decided to stay away from them while I’m in the weight loss phase. I already know that Splenda is the devil for me, it causes stalls, insulin spikes and water retention. Stevia gives me a headache. So I have moved on to swerve and xylitol and I will start a trial with those after I get to maintenance. (Oh wait, may try it next week when I make the kids sugar free peanut butter cookies). I bet many people have trouble with those sweeteners. Meagan Ramos suggests we stay away from them all together but I would much rather use those then real sugars when I have a sweet toothe.

(CharleyD) #15

I’ll look too. Never been a huge fan of chicken unless it was this one brother-in-law who had a mutant ability to brine the breasts so niiiiice. I’ve acquired a taste for lemon pepper wings and drums this year. Otherwise the bird just tastes like sand to me.

I’m sure sugar alcohols are fine as a treat. It was when I was putting them in every cup of the 3 quarts of coffee I usually chug a day where I was stalling myself. They’ve never hurt my tummy, must have a beneficial SNP there. (reminds me to ask Santa for a 23andme test)

Oh and we’re up to 61 (SIXTY-ONE, %@#^%@#&)) names for sugar now.

(Vicki Stroud) #16

Dukes Mayo is the best, they don’t carry it in my area, I order it online through them in the gallon jar.

(Vicki Stroud) #17

Not sure if you are aware about Xylitol, if you have a dog it is extremely toxic to them.

(Dawn) #18

This is shameful. I need to keep a laminated “ose” card in my purse to keep up

(Dawn) #19

I don’t have any pets but does concern. If dogs can’t eat it, should we?

(Vicki Stroud) #20

Good Point!