Pork Rinds On The Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet is predicated on the idea that the human body, when deprived of carbohydrates, is forced to burn fat for energy. Introduced by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970s, the four-phase Atkins Diet requires followers to consume between 20 g and 100 g carbohydrates per day, depending on the phase and the dieter’s level of physical activity. Some Atkins dieters use pork rinds to mimic high-carb foods disallowed by the diet.

Pork rinds, or chicharrones in Spanish, are pieces of deep-fried pig skin. Traditional dieters tend to avoid them due to their high fat content -- about 10 g fat and 160 calories per 1-oz. serving. Atkins followers and other low-carb dieters, however, prize pork rinds because they contain absolutely no carbohydrates and contribute about 18 g of dietary protein per ounce.

Pork rinds are crunchy and light, with a vaguely bacony taste that varies in intensity by brand. Some manufacturers offer flavored varieties such as barbecue or salt and vinegar. Pork rinds are an option for Atkins dieters who seek a crunchy, salty snack fix without resorting to high-carb options such as potato chips -- a definite no-no at 14 g carbs per ounce.

If you choose a flavored variety to snack on, check the ingredient list for hidden carbs -- there may be sugars in the seasoning. Low-carb online forums abound with recipes that employ ground pork rinds as a substitute for breading. You can grind the rinds in a food processor or by placing them in a zipper-top bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. For a low-carb version of deep-fried chicken, for example, dip chicken pieces in a traditional buttermilk egg wash, then coat them with pork rind crumbs and fry as usual.

You can use a similar treatment for pork, fish and vegetables. If you can spare a few carbs, mix a few spoonfuls of soy flour, grated Parmesan cheese or low-carb baking mix in with the rinds to create a breading with a richer texture. Crushed pork rinds can stand in for bread crumbs and other carb-laden toppings on casseroles and in foods prepared au gratin. Some cooks have gotten even more inventive -- a pizza crust recipe circulating on a variety of low-carb websites uses pork rinds, eggs, mozzarella and Parmesan baked in a nonstick pizza pan. You also can use ground pork rinds to help bind meatballs or create a low-carb poultry stuffing. Lose Weight. Feel Great! AGE lbs. WEIGHT ft.

Test your carb tolerance - as you slow down your weight loss you may be able to increase your Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CLL). The CLL was the number you discovered at the end of Phase 2 - the amount of grams of carbs you can eat each day and continue to lose weight. Now that you are slowing down the weight loss and moving to weight maintenance, you may be able to increase this number.

Test your tolerance for additional foods - as in Phase 2 you can re-introduce whole food carbohydrates and note how they make you feel. These will be foods at the top of the carbohydrate ladder (see below) like fruit higher in carbs, starchy veg and unprocessed whole grains. It is important to pay attention to how you feel when you introduce new foods. For example, it they cause cravings to come back or any other adverse effects on your health or well-being it’s best to eliminate them.

And fantastic that you have discovered this - many people go through life eating foods they are intolerant to and suffering the effects of this. Find your ACE (Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium) - this is the number of grams of carbs you can eat daily and neither gain or lose weight. This is the magic number that will help you stay at your goal weight - forever!

Ideally, you want to reach your ACE level when you’re at your goal weight. So, adjust your carbs as needed to keep losing if you’re not there yet. Many people end up with an ACE of between 65 and 100 grams of carbs. Some people might be considerably less and a few others could even higher. Maintain your control and your weight.

Once you have found your ACE and before you move to phase 4 - Lifetime Maintenance - maintain your weight for a month. You can continue to introduce new foods once you don’t go over your ACE. Again, pay close attention to how these new foods affect you if at all. This month is really the dress rehearsal for the Lifetime Maintenance phase. Add 10g of daily carbs every week or every few weeks.

If you finished Phase 2 at with a CLL (Carbohydrate Level for Losing) of 45 grams of carbs, start Phase 3 with 55 grams of carbs a day. Then increase your daily carb intake every week or every few weeks by 10 grams. Count carbs - you have probably gathered from the objectives above that you will need to write down what you eat and note the carb amounts. Otherwise you will really know how many grams of carbs you are eating and will not be able to discover your ACE.

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