I Still Drink My Coffee and it's not Decaff.

[fredonian]

Contrary to what Atkins suggested, I still drink lots and lots of regular coffee and my keto strips still turn very purple. :thup: Rather than milk, I use half and half or whipping cream, and rather than Nutra -Sweet I use Splenda which taste more like real sugar. It leads me to wonder why some people have bad results with coffee on the keto diet. For those of you who miss the coffee vice, it might be worth giving it a test drive and keeping a close eye on the keto strips to make sure it does not throw you out of ketosis. As what works for me may not work for others. But I do not keep coffee at home. I limit to getting it at fancy coffee houses like Starbucks to make the experience more special. Coffee is now my desert of the day. :cool:

[Karen]

I still drink lots and lots of regular coffee and my keto strips still turn very purple.

If that is true, then you're probably not drinking enough water. Purple does not necassarily = better.

. It leads me to wonder why some people have bad results with coffee on the keto diet.

Because everyones metabolism and insulin response is different?

Karen

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by fredonian
Contrary to what Atkins suggested, I still drink lots and lots of regular coffee and my keto strips still turn very purple.

This is probably due to the fact that caffeine is a diuretic, and flushes water out of your system. A darker coloured stix is not a good thing. It just means you have more ketones in your urine; and not enough water in your body. Water not only helps flush the ketones out, but it helps you burn fat. If there are too many ketones in your blood, your body wont produce more, i.e. it wont burn fat at its optimal rate. If you are drinking caffinated coffee you need to up your water intake.

Nat

[fredonian]

I've never been one for adequate water intake. It's not a good habit to go all day only on a couple of glasses of water. Originally when I started on the Atkins Diet I would only drink roughly 2 glasses of water a day. My diet only consisted of meats and fats. No salads or veggies. I often felt weak and depleted, not mentioning having frequent headaches. I guess this is why my keto stix turned dark purple. While the weight was falling off of me, I did not feel healthy. Now I eat a salad with at least 2 meals a day, or some steamed green vegies. And I try to drink water at least 4 to 5 times a day. I now feel the true healthy benefits of the low carb lifestyle that others raved about. I really feel good. The weight comes off slower, but that is probably good.

[r.mines]

Hi, Fredonian!

There are actually quite a few of us who ignore Atkins's warnings against coffee. I average 2-4 cups a day. I have slow weight loss, but I'm not too far off goal. Maybe I could lose faster if I nixed the coffee, but that'll be a last resort!

I TRY (don't always manage) to drink an 8-oz. glass of water as a 'chaser' for each cup of coffee I drink, as well as my usual water intake. I have a hard time drinking enough water too, but I keep trying!

Rachel

[doreen T]

Some months ago, I did a fair bit of research into the caffeine/ketosis/insulin question ... and posted it in the Health forum .. http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3347 .. Basically what I found is that unless you are sensitive to caffeine, or very insulin-resistant, its effect on your weight loss effort is likely to be minimal. I have read that the original studies on which Atkins based the no-caffeine rule were conducted in the late 1980's (his New Diet Rev. was publ. in '92) ... using diet cola ... and it was later determined that the citric acid in the cola was the culprit, not caffeine.

BUT, I've since read some articles on the stimulating effects of caffeine on serum cortisols. This might trigger increased insulin production, and so is something to consider. Note that watching the Super Bowl or listening to your screaming kids will also raise serum cortisol levels ;)

The FAQ's at the official Atkins website http://atkinscenter.com/faq/search.asp?type=condition state that "Excess caffeine stimulates insulin production, which will drop blood sugar levels and leave you hungry for sweets." (Sorry, I have to rant here ... this admonition is next to their ads for maltitol and glycerine sweetened bars, ice creams, candies, cakes and syrups .. :rolleyes: )

Once again, it boils down to YMMV

However, there is a cautionary note to coffee, not specifically caffeine. And that is ... coffee has carbs .. whether it's caffeinated or not. A small 6 fl. oz cup of coffee has 0.8g carbs in it. The average mug holds 10 fl oz, which would be 1.2g carbs. Those carbs add up pretty quick when you only have 20 or 30 grams to play with, especially if you also use cream and/or the packets of artificial sweetener.

Moderation is still the key.

Doreen

[Karen]

Darn! Missed my chance to comment on the sugar free Cool Whip in coffee Fredonia! Now it's gone from your post! ;)

I was going to say, why not use real whipped cream?

Karen

[AmandaSo]

I can't give up my caffienated coffee. I tried. I have decaf at home that I drink at night sometimes. But in the afternoon, I need my big mug of coffee with creme and vanilla and four packets of Splenda (I like my coffee like I like my men -- sweet and... caffienated... uh... never mind.... ).

I must confess now that though totally true, this post is little more than a ploy to get my second poached egg (10th post). Pathetic, huh. I'm so ashamed....

:D

[lesleyc]

i've carried on with real coffee too. Only 2 each day with heavy cream. It's worth the few carbs. I feel like it is my treat each day!

So far it doesn't seem to have a bad effect on the weight loss.

Amanda - yes that lille egg scale sure does bring out the competitive edge doesn't it :D

Lesley

[AmandaSo]

Lesley: You're not kidding... But it's nowhere near as motivating as seeing that percentage change with nearly every pound lost.

Wheeeee...

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by AmandaSo
I must confess now that though totally true, this post is little more than a ploy to get my second poached egg (10th post). Pathetic, huh. I'm so ashamed....


LMAO! WTG on the egg.

Have you tried your coffee w/o sugar? I used to be a 6 pack a mug girl (talking real sugar here) and a few days after starting LC i just decided to go no more sweetener... it was strange at first, but now I can't stand anything sweet in it. Your tastes to adapt.

Nat

[AmandaSo]

Coffee with no sweetener? Blasphemy! I have given up a lot on this diet. This is the last guilty pleasure I have left, and I shall indulge it, by golly.

And I don't use sugar. I use Splenda or Equal (if Splenda isn't available).

Gimme a break. I can't eat chocolate anymore. Chocolate Mousse flavored coffee with cream is my only option.

[fredonian]

Yeah Karen, the sugar free Kool-Whip used to be a treat I allowed myself, and I finally had to give it up. Frozen... the stuff taste like real ice cream to me and I was finding myself craving it too much and eating up a tub in no time :rolleyes: . I finally ditched the stuff from my household. I can't even do the low carb desserts that Atkins suggest. The little dab of cheescake is just enough to make me crazy. Fortunately, using coffee as a dessert curbs my appetite a bit and so far has not triggered any bad cravings. The worst thing about drinking real coffee is that it renders the Atkins Cappucino Shakes to tasting sooo... bland. I have to put a dab (1/2 tsp.) of instant coffee and about 4 packets of Splenda to boost the flavor. :)

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by AmandaSo
Gimme a break. I can't eat chocolate anymore. Chocolate Mousse flavored coffee with cream is my only option.

Sure you can. You just have to make it instead of buy it wrapped in tinfoil. Made some last night that got the seal of approval:

1 oz butter
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp cream
3 tbsp quark
splash of vanilla
20 drops liquid sugar twin
1 tbsp splenda
1/3 packet sugar twin

melt butter; mix in cocoa, cream vanilla, quark. turn down heat, add liquid ST and packet ST, spoon onto wax paper on a plate and place in freezer for 2 hours. Tastes great.

I wasnt suggesting you HAD to give it up, I was asking if you'd tried. Things we used to adore before LC have a way of changing. The pleasure I used to get from a diet gingerale is something I fondly remember. It's way too sweet now :(

Nat

[Raven]

Hey there Nat -

What on earth is quark? Last i heard it was a character on some star trek show. ;)

[Natrushka]

quark (http://www.ghnw.org/nwh499/livwell.html#quark)

Search engines are wonderful things..... www.altavista.com think of it like having an encyclopeadia at your fingertips.

[r.mines]

Originally posted by Raven
What on earth is quark? Last i heard it was a character on some star trek show. ;)

I know, I giggled when I first heard of it, too. It's a soft, unripened cheese, low in fat and calories, and relatively low in carbs, about the same as cream cheese. It tastes a bit like a cross between sour cream and yogurt - quite tangy. I mix it half-and half- with mayo for a tasty dip or salad dressing. It's pretty versatile.

Rachel

[AmandaSo]

I was just going to ask that same question. What is quark, and is it available here in the US?

As for Sugar Twin, can I substitute another sweetener, like just adding more Splenda? I promised my body it wouldn't ever have to eat sacchyrin again as long as it lived. I can almost guarantee if a recipe called for sacchyrin, I'll hate it.

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by AmandaSo
As for Sugar Twin, can I substitute another sweetener, like just adding more Splenda? I promised my body it wouldn't ever have to eat sacchyrin again as long as it lived. I can almost guarantee if a recipe called for sacchyrin, I'll hate it.

One of the secrets of LC sweets is mixing the sweeteners. I've found that even splenda (specially when dealing with chocolate) just doesnt taste right. By mixing the 3 different sweeteners I got a very close to sugar taste. Even my skeptical boyfriend thought we were cheating when we ate a piece. If you used just sugar twin you'd certainly taste it. But mixed with the other two ... I swear it tastes like the real thing.

Nat

[AmandaSo]

'Kay. I'll give it a try. Thanks, Nat.

(Oooo... If this works, I could have a chocolate macadamia bar every now and then.... yum)

[fredonian]

What a neat recipe! Sounds very versatile. I wonder if it would be good to coat plain pork rinds with?

[Natrushka]

mmmmmm chocolate covered pork rinds..... interesting. I have always said pork rinds are versatile.... lol If you try it out let me know how it goes ;)

Nat

[Karen]

I've tried crumbled pork rinds in chocolate and it's good. A bit of a subtle, salty crunch in texture.

Karen

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by Karen
I've tried crumbled pork rinds in chocolate and it's good. A bit of a subtle, salty crunch in texture.


I know exactly what I'm going to try this weekend once I finish with stillman :)
Nat

[AmandaSo]

OK... I've searched for quark at the three stores I know would carry it, and it isn't here. I live in California. To us, a quark is a subatomic partical. Or, as someone pointed out, a character on ST:Voyager.

Can substitute creme fraiche or cream cheese, perhaps adding a touch of lemon juice? Since I've never tasted quark, I'm not quite sure what we're dealing with here.

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by AmandaSo
OK... I've searched for quark at the three stores I know would carry it, and it isn't here. I live in California. To us, a quark is a subatomic partical. Or, as someone pointed out, a character on ST:Voyager.

;) that'd be ST: DS9

And sure you can substitute cream cheese. I used the quark to get a lower fat chocolate as I'm conducting an experiment; trying to cut down on dairy fat.

Btw, a Deli might have it.

Nat

[AmandaSo]

I tried a deli. You wouldn't believe the cheese. Jerry the Mouse would have been in heaven! I'm told they even have a "cheese expert" who was Canadian (and so might have had experience with quark), but she was Jewish and off for Yom Kippur. I'll go back there next Thursday night to see if she can steer me in some local source for quark. I feel like I'm looking for a drug dealer. "Hey, man... *sniff, sniff*... know where I can score some.... quark, man.... "

I'll try some cream cheese tonight. I bought one bar of chocolate bar I got at one of the health food stores I shop at as a stop gap, but I don't dare eat more than a small square or two a day. It says O carbs, but it has maltitol in it. We know that can't be good.

And uhhh... sorry about confusing my STs. I should be ashamed of myself, considering I used to work at Paramount Studios. ("Bad Amanda... bad, bad Amanda!")

[doreen T]

Full fat, extra smooth ricotta would substitute nicely for the quark as well (having used both ;)). Full fat (14%) ricotta has 7.8g carbs in a whole cup (250 ml).

I know the USDA lists cream cheese at 1g carb per oz, which is 2 Tbsp/30 ml. But all the commercial brands at the store - Philadelphia, Beatrice (Parmalat), Lactantia, No Name ... all show 1g carb per single Tbsp/15 ml. (and in Canada, that would be accurate to the nearest 0.1g by law).

At that count, 1/2 cup cream cheese (8 Tbsp) would be 8 carbs, or 16 carbs per cup.

Anybody know a brand that actually is only 0.5g per Tbsp/15 ml??

I have a hunch it has to do with all the modified starch and gums they add to commercial cream cheese to keep it smooth. I should try to track down a natural, additive-free cream cheese. Hmmm.

Doreen

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by doreen T
Anybody know a brand that actually is only 0.5g per Tbsp/15 ml??


Liberty makes one Doreen. The labels claims 0 carbs, but I know thats not true. I will pick some up this weekend and run it through the hidden counter. I buy their cottage cheese and sour cream and they all have less carbs than the ones with the modified cornstarch. They are also creamier and smoother.

Nat

[AmandaSo]

Good point. I'll go back to Whole Foods and pick up some of their additive-free cream cheese and some ricotta while I'm at it.

Ricotta. Cream cheese. Do I smell... BLINTZES? Wrap it up in a thin soy pancake, toss some low-sugar strawberry jam and sour cream on top and....

Hey, guess what I just figured out. A person could actually live on this food plan forever.

(Everyone rolls eyes and groans, "DUUUHHHHH!")

[AmandaSo]

I should have known that my trusty old Gelson's would have it. It's the cadillac of grocery stories in Southern California.

OK... it's a little thing... but I was on a mission... and I have returned victorious.

:D

[Holly]

I decided years ago that I had to drink coffee without sugar and milk. My daughter was allergic to milk and I ended up throwing out nasty milk all the time because I didnt like to drink it in anything but coffee. It took me 3 months of choking back the black stuff, not enjoying a single sip for the whole 3 months, before I started to actually enjoy the taste of coffee rather than the taste of milk and sugar.

Nat is right, our tastes change. Even before I went LC, if someone brought me a coffee with milk and sugar in it, I just couldnt drink it. I never thought it could happen by the way.

Holly

[heavy2long]

Did I misunderstand or is a person allowed caffenated coffee in moderation? I don't have to feel guilty for drinking one cup? Oh, the horror of my depravation for the last 12 weeks!!! :daze:

[Natrushka]

Heavy, the gist of it is coffee is a YMMV thing. Everyone reacts differently to it; if you are experiencing a stall you can cut it out to see if it helps. Some people have no problems with consuming coffee, others develop problems with it later. It does stand to reason that If you are drinking a lot of coffee though you are depriving yourself of the water you could be drinking in place of it. Keep in mind too that caffeine will dehydrate you.

Nat

[heavy2long]

Nat:

What is YMMV stand for? Also, if I drink one 6 oz. cup of coffee a day with no adverse affects, will it eventually catch up with me?

[Karen]

YMMV - Your mileage may vary.

No one can predict if anything will catch up to you or not. This way of life unfolds as you practice it. The important thing is to learn be aware of how everything you eat affects you.

Karen