A healthier way to lose weight and to maintain a healthy weight is to follow a healthy low carbohydrate, low fat and lean protein diet. The weight lose may not be as drastic as a Strict Low Carb Diet but the benefits of a proper well-balanced diet will pay off in the long run.

Here is what you need to do to follow a healthy low-carb diet.

1. Try replacing refined grains with whole grains. Say no to White Rice, White Bread, Breakfast Cereals and other refined food items. Instead go for healthier grains like Whole Wheat Kernels, Bulgur, Oats, Barley, Quinoa and so on.
2. Reduce your sugar consumption. If possible eliminate sugar from your coffee and tea. Avoid sweetened juices and snacks.
3. Limit the intake of starchy vegetables. We all love potatoes but it is good to limit their intake. Try sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Corn and Peas should be consumed in moderation.
4. Include high-fiber food in your diet like Oat bran, Wheat bran, Flax seeds, Sesame Seeds, Lentils and Beans.
5. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Try including a fruit and atleast 2 kinds of vegetables in every meal.
6. Choose a lean source of Protein like Fish, Chicken or Turkey. White Meat is always better than Dark Meat. Replace chicken thighs with breasts for a healthier choice.
7. Limit your intake of Red Meat which is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. If you have to do with red meat, chose lean cuts of pork or beef.
8. Reduce the amount of oil, butter, margarine and other fats used for cooking. Chose heart healthy oils like Olive Oil and Canola Oil.
9. Instead of deep frying food in oil, try baking. Baked Chicken and Vegetables taste really good.
10. Say no to Processed food like Instant Noodles, Instant Pastas, Biscuits, Cereals, Crackers, Cookies, Canned Soups, Cakes and so on. These are high in sugar, saturated fat and cholesterol.
11. Eggs are good but should be consumed in moderation. Not more than 3-5 eggs a week.
12. Portion Control is the key to successful weight loss. Eat small portions and remember to stop eating when you are 3/4th full. Pile your plate with more vegetables, less grains and less meat.
13. Eat healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, vegetables, beans, boiled eggs, lean meat, oat meal and so on.
14. You need to restrict sweet treats like Chocolates, Sodas and Icecreams. These add on calories quickly.

Always remember that Whole Grains are better when they are in their unprocessed form like Wheat Kernels, Quinoa Grains and so on. Processed Whole Grains in the form of Bread, Pasta, Crackers etc. should be consumed in moderation.

Common Whole Grains include:

1. Wheat – Whole Wheat Flour, Whole Durum Flour, Wheat Berries (kernels), Bulgur, Cracked Wheat, Wheat flakes, Whole Wheat Pasta and Couscous. High in fibre.
2. Oats - Oats flour, Oatmeal, Old Fashioned(Regular) Oats, Quick Oats, Instant Oats, Steel-cut (Irish or Scottish) Oats. Helps in lowering LDL cholesterol.
3. Brown Rice – lowest in fiber compared to other whole grains.
4. Barley (hulled or hull-less and not Pearl) – Whole Barley, Barley flakes. High in Fiber which can reduce “bad” cholesterol.
5. Corn – Corn flour, Whole Cornmeal, Whole Grain Corn, Popcorn
   
6. Millet – Pearl Millet, Finger Millet (Ragi), Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet
   
7. Sorghum (Milo) – Sorghum Flour, Whole Sorghum
   
8. Teff – Teff flour, Whole Teff
   
9. Spelt - a variety of Wheat. Whole Spelt, Spelt flakes, Spelt Flour
   
10. Rye - Whole Rye berries, Rye Flour, Pumpernickel Bread. High in fiber and protein.
11. Triticale – Hybrid of Wheat & Rye, high in fiber.
12. Wild Rice – Low in Fiber but expensive. Usually mixed with Brown or White Rice.
    

Pseudo Grains (similar to Whole Grains)

1. Quinoa – reduces risk of diabetes. Cooks quickly. Low in Fiber.
2. Amaranth – Amaranth Grains, Amaranth Flour.
3. Buckwheat – Buckwheat flour, Unhulled Groats, Hulled Groats, Japanese Soba Noodles

Note

Be cautious while shopping. Foods labeled with the words “multi-grain,” “stone-ground,” “100% wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or “bran” are usually not whole-grain products. Always read the ingredient list to find out if its whole grain or not.

This year I started growing Mint Leaves on my Patio. Mint flourishes in summer and requires little care. We bought a small Mint Plant from Walmart during spring. We divided the mint and planted it in two 6″ containers and placesd it on our Patio. Within a few weeks, leaves grew and spread in the container and we began using it.

Growing Mint in Pots

Tips for Growing Mint Plants

1. You can grow Mint indoors. Be sure to place it near a window where there is adequate light.
2. If growing outdoors, place the container in a cool or shaded spot.
3. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Ensure that the soil is evenly moist.
4. While harvesting mint leaves, trim the sprigs with big leaves so that the smaller leaves grow.
5. Prune the plant regularly to ensure growth of new leaves.
6. You can propagate mint by cutting a sprig and placing it in a glass of water or soil so that roots grow on the sprig.
7. You need to divide and re-pot the mint into 2 or 3 containers every year so that it grows well.
8. You can continue growing mint indoors in winter on a sunny wind-sill. The plant may appear to die but will revive itself.
9. You can dry or freeze mint leaves for later use.

Growing Curry Leaf Plant in Containers

Stem Cuttings and Root Suckers are used for propagating the plant though you can also plant the seeds or the whole fresh fruit. Some Indian Grocery Stores sell Curry Leaves Plant for around $15 per plant. It is ridiculously expensive! Try getting a plant from a friend or relative and you can grow it in a container.

One of my relatives gave me a small Curry Leaves Plant which we planted in a 12″ Container. The whole winter we kept the container inside our house near a window and watered it sparingly (once in a week). By Spring, new leaves started coming out on the plant and by the end of April, we moved it onto our Patio. Curry Leaf Plants thrive in hot weather. Unlike other plants, it doesn’t require frequent watering. You can water it every other day. During the whole summer, our plant grew significantly and produced new branches and lot of leaves. We started using the leaves in our daily cooking. New plants/root suckers (formed on the root) started showing up in the container. You need to carefully transfer these new root suckers to different containers so that they grow well. If they stand in the same container, they may not get enough sun light. I gave a few of these propagated plants(root suckers) to my friends and they are now thriving in containers.

Tips for Growing Curry Leaves in Containers

1. Use a container which is atleast 10-12″ in diameter so that the roots can grow deep.
2. Do not allow the soil to be waterlogged or else the plant will die of root decay.
3. Water the plant every other day in summer. Ensure that the plant receives adequate sunlight.
4. Once the plant produce leaves which are mature, trim the plant regularly so that new branches can grow.
5. Carefully transfer all new root suckers (plants which sprout from the roots) to different containers.
6. In winter, transfer the pot to a warm frost-free place inside your house.
7. If you wish, you may remove the leaves before moving the plant indoors. Any leaves remaining on the plant may fall in winter.
8. The plants may become dormant in winter and will not produce any new leaves.
9. Water sparingly in winter (once a week) and ensure that the container is kept in a warm place inside your house.

Curry Leaf Plants propagated from Root Suckers

For those of you who are on low-carb diets or looking for Low Carbohydrate Flours, here are a few flours which can be used for cooking and baking. Instead of using any one low-carb flour for a recipe, you may need to use a combination of these flours to get a good result. Gluten-Free Flours are marked as GF.

1. Chickpea/Garbanzo Flour (Besan) – GF
2. Coconut Flour – GF
3. Almond Flour/Meal (high in fat) – GF
4. Pecan Flour – GF
5. Peanut Flour – GF
6. Hazelnut Flour – GF
7. Wheat Gluten Flour (Pure or Vital Wheat Gluten)
8. Wheat bran
9. Wheat germ
10. Oat Bran – lowers LDL (bad) Cholesterol
11. Bean Flour – GF
12. Rice bran – GF
13. Soy Flour – GF
14. Soya Bran – GF
15. Ground Sunflower Seeds – GF
16. Ground Sesame Seeds – GF
17. Flax Meal (high fibre content) – GF
18. Green pea Flour – GF

Moderate Carbs

1. Amaranth Flour – GF
2. Buckwheat Flour – GF
3. Oat Flour
4. Graham Flour
5. Millet Flour – GF
6. Quinoa Flour – GF
7. Cornmeal/flour – GF
8. Spelt Flour
9. Whole Wheat Flour
10. Barley Flour
11. Teff Flour
12. Triticale Flour
13. Rye Flour

High Carb Flours

1. White Rice Flour – GF
2. Brown Rice Flour – GF
3. Tapioca Flour – GF
4. Sorghum Flour – GF
5. Arrowroot Flour – GF