Our Low-Carb Lifestyle!

Photographs © Nina Courtney Wagaman

 
Healthy Eating =

Low-Carb
High Fat
Adequate Protein
Higher Cholesterol
Real Food =

 Meat
 Poultry
 Fish
 Shellfish
 Non-starchy vegetables
 Low-sugar fruit (occasionally)
 Wild foods like mushrooms
 Tree Nuts (not peanuts)
 Sea vegetables like kelp

Good Fats =

 Butter
 Lard
 Coconut Oil
 Palm Oil
 Suet & Tallow
 Chicken Fat
 Unfiltered EV Olive Oil

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Bad Fats =

 Canola Oil
 Flaxseed Oil
 Peanut Oil
 Corn Oil
 Cottonseed Oil
 Sunflower Oil
 Safflower Oil
 Soybean Oil
 Hydrogenated Oils
 Margarine
 Shortening

Unhealthy Eating =

 Processed Foods
 Grains & Brans
 Sugars from any source
 Polyunsaturates
 High-Fructose Corn Syrup
 Preservatives & Additives
 Synthetic Colors & Flavors
 Low-Fat or Nonfat Products
 Unfermented Soy Products
 Fruit Juices & Dried Fruit
 Artificial Sweeteners    











We all need to become dedicated label readers! Only about 1% of what is sold in a typical grocery store is fit for human consumption. Yes, it is that bad. Shop the perimeter of the store– the produce department; the meat, fish, poultry departments; the dairy case; the cheese counter.
Some frozen vegetables may make food preparation more convenient. Condiments and spices are important for keeping things interesting. You need only venture into the center aisles for these few things, and for an excellent, COOC-certified olive oil.
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What We Eat

PROTEINS & FATS:

FATS & OILS h
Unsalted butter, Plugra and/or ghee
Coconut oil (we buy extra virgin from Mountain Rose Herbs)
Fresh lard, suet or tallow from naturally raised animals
Extra virgin, cold-pressed, unfiltered olive oil
Cold-pressed nut oils for salad dressings & drizzling
Coconut milk (not the “lite” type)

FRESH PROTEIN SOURCES h
Any & all cuts of Beef– grassfed is best
Any & all cuts of Pork– naturally raised is best.
Any & all cuts of Poultry– naturally raised, which “free range” often isn’t
Any & all cuts of Lamb or mutton
Organ meats from naturally raised animals
Fresh Eggs from poultry (ducks too)– from pastured birds.
Fish & Shellfish– not farm-raised

CHEESES & DAIRY h
Real full-fat cheeses of any type (no low-fat, soy or American cheese)
Triple-cream Brie, white cheddar, Jarlsberg, gouda, Parmesan
Monterey, mozzarella, Stilton, chevré, Havarti, et cetera
Cream cheese, full-fat ricotta or cottage cheese
Cultured full-fat yogurt with the highest fat content you can find
Heavy cream (the ingredients should read “Cream”. Period.)
Half-and-half only if you can’t find real cream
Real sour cream

CANNED PROTEIN SOURCES h
Sardines, herring & mackerel in water or olive oil
Tuna & wild salmon in water
Chicken, Turkey & Beef (watch out for preservatives)
Smoked Herring (without added vegetable oil)
Clams & Oysters (not smoked, in olive oil)

PRESERVED PROTEIN SOURCES h
Sausages & bacon (without nitrites)
Jerky (watch out for sugar- better to make your own)
Pemmican, pork rinds
Pickled eggs, herring


CARBOHYDRATES:

VEGETABLES h
Dark, leafy greens like kale, mustard greens, collards & chard
Salad greens like romaine, butter, spinach, & mesclun
Summer squash like zucchini, crookneck, & pattypan
Peppers like green & red bell, chiles
Alliums like red and yellow onions, scallions, shallots, & garlic
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
Green beans, snow peas (not sweet peas)
Green & red cabbage, Napa cabbage, endive, escarole
Celery, cardoon, artichokes
Eggplant, asparagus, cucumbers
Turnips, kohlrabi, rutabaga
Mushrooms, fresh or dried
Fresh herbs
Seaweed (a wonderful source of minerals)

FRUITS h
Avocado & coconut
Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries
Cantaloupe & red grapes (on occasion)
Canned organic tomatoes, tomato sauce & paste

FROZEN FOODS h
Green beans, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower
Whole cranberries, blueberries (unsweetened)
Meats, Poultry and Fish– natural or wild

NUTS & SEEDS h
Raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews
Dry-roasted almonds & macadamia nuts (no added oils)
Hazelnuts, macadamia, Brazil nuts
Raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

CONDIMENTS & SPICES h
Pickles without sugar or sodium benzoate
Black & green olives (no preservatives)
Green or red salsa
Canned green chiles
Sauerkraut
Taco & enchilada sauce
Horseradish & wasabi powder (the pastes have “other stuff”)
Tamari  sauce & miso (naturally fermented soy)
Fish sauce & toasted sesame oil
Olive oil mayonnaise (without sugar)
Clam juice, fish broth, chicken & beef broth (best to make your own!)
Pure vanilla (without sugar)
All the herbs & spices your heart desires


This is merely a “short list” to get you started. You will find much inspiration on the many low-carb websites, blogs and books, especially cookbooks. Discover the joys of cooking and eating Real Food!
EAT:
    natural fats
    animal proteins
    pastured eggs
    raw nuts & seeds
    non-starchy vegetables
    pastured, raw dairy
    local, fresh, organic

Begin your journey of discovery at our BOOKS! page.shapeimage_12_link_0shapeimage_12_link_1shapeimage_12_link_2shapeimage_12_link_3shapeimage_12_link_4