Well I am into my fist week of induction and so far so good.

I have been reading the various food lists to see how I can spend my 20 carbs a day and have a few questions for you seasoned pros.

WHere can I find the carb content of the following :

- Gammon
- Sliced ham (i.e. the packs of ham found in UK supermarkets).
- beetroot (boiled).

All the lists seem to have a heavy US influence, is there an UK-ized list of foods and carb values anywhere ?.

I have also noticed that the carb values in the Atkins book and the carb values on this site can vary quite a lot, Anyone offer an explanantion for this.

Thanks

Sliced ham should have the carb count written on the package--I've never bought a pack that didn't. But if yours doesn't, you can usually ask at the customer service desk in any UK supermarket, and they will give you the nutritional information for any food that does not have it printed on the package. I think they are required by law to have this information available, but you may have to be patient while they go look it up for you!

As for the carb-count differences, in the UK (as everywhere in the EU), the carb count printed on the package is the NET carb count, with the fiber already subtracted. Do not subtract the fiber again! There is a "sticky" post on this board which explains further.

I have not found an online resource to match Fitday or the USDA database, both of which (as you mention) are missing most common UK foods. Being American myself, I can probably clear up the beetroot problem--try looking under "beet" or "beets." However, we don't really have an equivalent of gammon.

Unfortunately, the only UK-centric calorie/carb counter I have found online is NOT a free site. However, there are several fairly cheap nutrition counters which can be picked up at high street bookstores.

hth

Emily

Hi

There are a number of carb counters you can find: don't get the Atkins one (even the UK one seems to be US orientated). The best is expensive and is called the calorie fat and carbohydrate bible - twelve quid but has just about everything. But Carolyn Humphries has just brought out a carb counter very uk orientated - a fiver available on Amazon. She bringing out a low carb book in April.

Hi

I bought the Collins Gem Carb Counter the other day at WH Smith for £3.99 and it seems quite good, it even has the carb count for haggis 19.2 per 100g!!. Also its quite small and fits in my handbag.

According to this there are no carbs in a gammon joint (boiled) or gammon rashers (grilled). Beetroot 90g pickled 3.5, boiled 6.9.

Lorraine

Thanks for that - I'll pop out tomorrow and get myself a copy.

I've become a bit of a carb "spotter". Have found myself cruising the supermarkets looking for low carb food. Beginning to build my list of zero carb foods which I can eat to my hearts content.

Benbun

As gammon is really pork/ham you can probably regard it as 0 carb. It is possible there are some sugar additives, but as in most hams these should be quite low. My economy ham is 2 carbs per 100 g.

If you read the sticky at the top with regard to carb counting you will see that you can also find carb values on supermarket sites in the nutritional values for products. I use this to populate my Fitday account as well as with the nutritional information on packets. Enter fibre as 0 when you add these products to fitday.

I also bought a copy of this a few weeks ago and find it very useful. Wish it had a larger section in the restaurants and take-away part, but otherwise it's helped me keep on course.

WATCH OUT FOR PRE-SLICED HAM!
Sometimes it has milk protein or starch added to it. Just a friendly note.

I've got 'The calorie, carb & fat bible' (approx £12 available from amazon etc & weight loss resourses online). Its a big thick book thats lists pretty much every food you can think of and gives values in 1oz & 100g/ml portions.

Found this out on Fitday:

1 beetroot, boiled, 2 " in diameter
Total Carbohydrate 4.98g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

So 3.98g carbs for 1. Not bad!