Review: Electing a healthier diet and life style
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 14, 2014
Rachel Addams has assembled a fine cookbook that approaches the ketogenic or low carb diet in a complete way, explaining the terms and the reasons it is preferable to what we are used to calling good eating. She starts by explaining `A Ketogenic Diet is any diet that causes ketones to be produced by the liver, shifting the body's metabolism away from glucose towards fat utilization. Typically on a moderate to high carb diet, the body will prefer glucose for fuel (usually from dietary carbs), but by restricting carbs, the body will prefer fat for fuel. By inducing ketosis, a series of adaptations will take place.' She continues `A typical Ketogenic Diet is any diet which restricts carbohydrates between 0-50g of carbs per day.Your carbs should ideally come from whole-food sources such as vegetables, nuts, dairy, etc. Try your best to avoid refined carbohydrates such as breads, pastas and cereals; starches such as potatoes, beans and legumes; and other refined sugars such as white sugar, HFCS, and even sugar from fruits. Most meals should focus on a protein and a fat with a side of vegetables. Some examples would be; a steak with a side of sautéed spinach, or chicken thighs with a side of broccoli and cheese sauce. Snacks can include nuts and seeds, cheese, or anything "keto-friendly".'From there on the book is full of low carb diet meals and recipes accompanied by fine color photographs of the preparatory steps plus the completed meal. Ingredients are listed with attention paid to nutritional value of each component and then the step by step recipe follows. She divides her book into sections: Steak and eggs, Tequila Chicken, Baked Eggs, Reuben Casserole, Juicy Lucy Sliders, Chocolate Strawberry Mousse, Blackened Pork Chops, Cameroons Brochette. Stuffed and Wrapped Shrimp, Keto Cocktails: Keto Margarita, Eggs in a Cloud, Bacon Weave Sandwich, Bacon Brussels sprouts, Cast Iron Skillet Frittata, Spaghetti Squash Pancakes, Stuffed Peppers, Zucchini and Goat Cheese Wraps, and Cheesy Sausage Balls and then follows her meal ideas with  Resources and inspiration.All aspects of electing to live the ketogenic low carb way are discussed and if you're not already on this course of action, reading this book will guide you to health! Grady Harp, June 14