LCHF for beginners

Do you want to eat real food (as much as you like) and improve your health and weight? It may sound too good to be true, but LCHF (Low Carb, High Fat) is a method that has been used for 150 years. Now, modern science backs it up with proof that it works.

There is no weighing your food, no counting, no bizarre “meal replacements,” no pills. There is just real food and common sense. And all the advice here is 100 percent free.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Dietary advice
3. Theory
4. Tips and Recipes
5. Cookbooks and more
6. Frequently asked questions

Introduction

A LCHF diet means you eat less carbohydrates and a higher proportion of fat. Most importantly you minimize your intake of sugar and starches. You can eat other delicious foods until you are satisfied – and still lose weight.

A number of recent high-quality scientific studies shows that LCHF makes it easier both to lose weight and to control your blood sugar. And that’s just the beginning.

The basics

• Eat: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables growing above ground and natural fats (like butter).
• Avoid: sugar and starchy foods (like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes).

Eat when you’re hungry until you are satisfied. It’s that simple. You do not need to count calories or weigh your food. And just forget about industrially produced low fat products.

Real food. Add some good fat (like butter).

There are good scientific reasons why LCHF works. When you avoid sugar and starches your blood sugar stabilizes and the levels of the fat storing hormone insulin drops. This increases your fat burning and make you feel more satiated.

Note for diabetics

• Avoiding the carbohydrates that raise your blood sugar decreases your need for medication to lower it. Taking the same dose of insulin as before might result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). You will need to test your blood sugar frequently in the beginning and adapt (lower) your medication. This should ideally be done with the assistance of a knowledgeable physician. If you are healthy or a diabetic treated by diet alone or just with Metformin there is no risk of hypoglycemia.

Dietary advice

Eat all you like

• Meat: Any type. Beef, pork, game meat, chicken. The fat on the meat is good as well as skin on the chicken. Try to choose organic or grass fed meat if you can.
• Fish and shellfish: All kinds. Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel or herring are great. Avoid breading.
• Eggs: All kinds. Boiled, fried, omelettes. Preferably organic eggs.
• Natural fat, fat sauces: Using butter and cream when you cook can make your food taste better and make you more satiated. Béarnaise, Hollandaise, read on the packages or make it yourself. Coconut fat, olive oil and canola oil are also good options.
• Vegetables growing above ground: All kinds of cabbage, such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts. Asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, olives, spinach, mushrooms, cucumber, lettuce, avocado, onions, peppers, tomatoes and more.
• Dairy products: Always select high fat options. Real butter, cream (40% fat), sour cream, fat cheese. Turkish yogurt. Be careful with regular milk and skim milk as it contains a lot of milk sugar. Avoid flavored, sugary and low fat products.
• Nuts: Good to eat instead of candy in front of the television (preferably in moderation).
• Berries: Okay in moderation, if you are not a super strict /-sensitive. Good with whipped cream.

Maximum 5 grams of carbohydrate (excluding fiber) per 100 g of food is a basic tip for beginners.

Avoid if you can

• Sugar: The worst. Soft drinks, candy, juice, sports drinks, chocolate, cakes, buns, pastries, ice cream, breakfast cereals. Preferably avoid sweeteners as well.
• Starch: Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, french fries, potato chips, porridge, muesli and so on. »Wholemeal products” are just less bad. Moderate amounts of root vegetables may be OK if you’re not too strict with the carbohydrates.
• Margarine: Industrially imitated butter with unnaturally high content of omega-6 fat. Has no health benefits, tastes bad. Statistically linked to asthma, allergies and other inflammatory diseases.
• Beer: Liquid bread. Full of malt sugar, unfortunately.
• Fruit: Very sweet, plenty of sugar. Eat once in a while, treat it as a natural form of candy.

Once in a while

You decide when the time is right. Your weight loss may slow down a bit

• Alcohol: Dry wine (regular red wine or dry white), whisky, brandy, vodka, drinks without sugar.
• Dark chocolate: Above 70 % cocoa, preferably just a little.

Drink most days

• Water
• Coffee: Try it with full fat cream
• Tea

The advice above in other languages

• German
• Swedish
• Danish
• Hebrew

The theory of LCHF

What are you designed to eat?

Humans evolved during millions of years as hunter-gatherers, without large amounts of carbohydrate. We ate the food that is available to us in nature by hunting, fishing and gathering all edible foods we could find. That did not include pure starch in the form of bread, pasta, rice or potatoes. We have only eaten such food for 5 – 10 000 years, since the beginning of agriculture. Just a limited adaptation of our genes can take place in such a relatively short time.

With the industrial revolution, 100 – 200 years ago, we got factories that could manufacture large amounts of pure sugar and white flour. Rapidly digested pure carbohydrates. There has been no time to genetically adapt to that food.

In the 80s the fear of fat gripped the western world. The low fat products appeared everywhere. If you eat less fat you need to eat more carbohydrates to feel full. At this time the worst epidemic of obesity and diabetes in history started. The most fatphobic country in the world, the USA, has been hit the hardest and is now the fattest major country in the world.

Today it is clear that the fear of real food with natural fat contents has been a mistake.

The problem of sugar and starch

All digestible carbohydrates are broken down to simple sugars in the intestines. The sugar is absorbed into the blood, raising the blood glucose. This increases the production of the hormone insulin. And insulin is our fat storing hormone.

Insulin is produced in the pancreas (pictured to the right). In large amounts insulin prevents fat burning and stores surplus nutrients in the fat cells. After some time (a few hours or less) this may result in a shortage of nutrients in the blood, creating feelings of hunger and cravings for something sweet. Usually at that point people eat some more. That starts the process again, a vicious cycle leading to weight gain.

A low intake of carbohydrates gives you a lower and more stable blood glucose, and lower amounts of insulin. This increases the release of fat from your fat stores and increases the fat burning. This usually gives fat loss, especially around the tummy in abdominally obese individuals.

Weight loss without hunger

LCHF makes it easier for the body to use its fat stores, as their release is no longer blocked by high insulin levels. This may be a reason why intake of fat gives a longer feeling of satiety than carbohydrates. Caloric intake usually drops in studies when the participants eat all they want on a low carb diet.

So, no counting or weighing of the food is required. You can forget about the calories and trust your feelings of hunger and satiety. Most people don’t need to count or weigh their food any more than they need to count their breathing. If you don´t believe it, just try a couple of weeks and see for yourself.

Health as a bonus

No animals in nature need the assistance of nutritional expertise or calorie charts to eat. And still, as long as they eat the food they are designed to eat they stay at a normal weight and they avoid caries, diabetes and heart disease. Why would humans be an exception? Why would you be an exception?

In scientific studies not only is the weight improved on a low carb diet – the blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol profile (HDL, triglycerides) is also improved. A calm stomach and less cravings for sweet food is also common experiences.

Initial side effects

If you stop eating sugar and starch cold turkey (recommended) you may experience some side effects as your body gets used to it. For most people it is relatively mild and just lasts a few days. Also there are ways to minimize it.

Common during the first week:

• Headache
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Heart palpitations
• Irritability

The side effects rapidly subside as your body adapts and your fat burning increases. They can be minimized by drinking some extra fluid and temporarily increasing your salt intake somewhat. A good way can be some broth every few hours. Alternatively drink a few extra glasses of water and put some more salt on your food.

The reason is that carbohydrate rich foods may increase the water retention in your body. When you stop eating that food you will lose excess water through your kidneys. That may give dehydration and lack of salt in the first week before the body has had time to adapt.

Some prefer to decrease the intake of carbohydrates slowly, over a few weeks, to minimize side effects. But for most it is wise to take away most sugar and starch right away. A few extra pounds of fluids lost on the scale in the first days is great for the motivation.

How low to go?

The less carbohydrate you eat the more pronounced the effect on your weight and blood sugar will be. I recommend following the dietary advice as strict as you can. When you are happy with your weight and health you may gradually try eating more liberally (if you want to).

The Food Revolution

This talk by me from the Ancestral Health Symposium 2011 summarizes the history and science behind the ongoing revolution.

More theory and practice

Here four of the world’s biggest experts on the subject explain the theory and practice of various kinds of carb restriction:

Tips and recipes

Breakfast suggestions

• Eggs and bacon
• Omelet
• Leftovers from last night’s dinner
• Coffee with cream
• A can of mackerel and boiled eggs
• Boiled egg with mayonnaise or butter
• Avocado, salmon and crème fraiche
• Sandwich on Oopsie-bread
• A piece of very thin hard bread with plenty of butter, cheese, ham etc.
• Cheese with butter on it
• Boiled eggs mashed with butter, chopped chives, salt and pepper
• A piece of brie cheese and some ham or salami
• High-fat yoghurt with nuts and seeds (and maybe berries)

Lunch and dinner

• Meat, fish or chicken dishes with vegetables and rich sauce. There are many alternatives to potatoes, such as mashed cauliflower.
• Stews, soups or casseroles with allowed foods.
• You can cook most recipes in cookbooks if you avoid carbohydrate-rich ingredients. It’s often a good idea to add some fat (e.g. butter, cream).
• Drink water with your meal or once in a while a glass of wine.

Snacks

When you eat a low-carbohydrate diet with more fat and a bit more protein you will probably not need to eat as often. Don’t be surprised if you no longer need to snack. Many do well on two or three meals a day. If you need a snack:

• Rolled up cheese or ham with a vegetable (some even spread butter on cheese)
• Olives
• Nuts
• A piece of cheese
• A boiled egg from the refrigerator
• Some canned mackerel in tomato sauce

Olives and nuts can replace potato chips in front of TV. If you always get hungry between meals you probably do not eat enough fat. Don’t be afraid of fat. Eat more fat until you are satisfied.

Dining out or with friends

• Eating in restaurants is usually not a big problem. You can ask them to switch potatoes/fries for a salad. Ask for some extra butter with meat dishes if you need more food.
• Kebab can be decent fast food (preferably avoid the bread). In hamburger chains the hamburgers are usually the least bad option – naturally avoid any soft drinks and fries. Drink water. Pizza toppings are usually OK, the stricter you are the less of the pizza crust you can eat.
• If you eat strictly everyday it is less of a problem to make a few exceptions when you are invited out. If you are not sure what will be served you can eat some food at home before you leave.
• Some nuts or cheese is popular as “emergency food” when there are no good options to be found.

Shopping List for Beginners

Print this list and bring to the store:

• Butter
• Heavy cream (40%)
• Sour cream (34%)
• Eggs
• Bacon
• Meat (minced, steak, stew pieces, steaks, fillets, etc.)
• Fish (preferably fat fish like salmon or mackerel)
• Cheese (preferably high fat)
• Turkish yoghurt (10% fat)
• Cabbage (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc.)
• Other vegetables growing above ground
• Frozen vegetables (broccoli, wok vegetables, etc.)
• Avocado
• Olives
• Olive oil
• Nuts

Clean pantry

Want to maximize your chances of success? Especially if you have difficult cravings / sugar addiction it is smart to throw out (or give away) sugary and starchy foods, light products and stuff like that:

• Candy
• Potato chips
• Soft drinks and juices
• Margarine
• Sugar in all forms
• Wheat flour
• Pasta
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Everything that says “low fat” or “no fat”
• Ice cream
• Cookies

Why not do it now?

The Serpent in Paradise

Be very skeptical of special “low carb” products such as pasta or chocolate. Unfortunately that is usually junk food that have stopped the weight loss for lots of people. These products are usually full of carbs once you see through their creative marketing.

Dreamfields’ “low carb pasta” for example is almost pure starch that is absorbed more or less like any pasta:

• The Dreamfields Pasta Fraud

How about low carb bread? Be careful: if it’s baked on grains it’s certainly not low carb. But some companies still try to sell it to you as low carb. Here’s an example:

• Julian Bakery’s fake low carb bread

Low Carb chocolate is usually full of sugar alcohols, that the manufacturer does not count as carbs. But roughly half of them may be absorbed, raising the blood sugar. The rest ends up in the large intestine where it may easily cause gas and diarrhea. Additionally they can maintain sugar cravings.

If you want to be healthy and slim – eat real food instead.

RECIPES

Easy things to do with eggs

1. Put them in cold water and boil 4 minutes for soft-boiled or 8 minutes for hard-boiled. Add some mayo if you like.
2. Fry in butter on one or both sides. Add salt and pepper.
3. Melt some butter in the frying pan and add 2 eggs and 2-3 tablespoons of cream per serving. Add salt and pepper. Stir until done. Add some chives and grated cheese on top. Serve with fried bacon.
4. Make an omelette batter with 3 eggs and 3 tablespoons of cream. Add salt and spices. Melt butter in the frying pan and pour in the batter. When the omelette solidifies on top you can fill it with something tasty. For example one or several kinds of cheese, fried bacon, fried mushrooms, good sausage (read the ingredients) or left-overs since last night’s dinner. Fold the omelette in half and serve with a crispy salad.

Instead of bread

Would you have a hard time living without bread. Ooopsies is a good option. It is a “bread” without carbs and can be eaten in many ways.

Oopsies
6–8 depending on size.

3 eggs
100 grams of cream cheese
a pinch of salt
½ tablespoon fiberhusk (can be excluded)
½ teaspoon baking powder (can be excluded)

• Separate the eggs, egg whites in one bowl and egg yolks in another.
• Whip the egg whites together with the salt until very stiff. You should be able to turn the bowl over without the egg whites moving.
• Mix the egg yolks and the cream cheese well. Add fiber husk and baking powder if you want (will make the oopsie more like bread).
• Very gently put the egg whites into the yolk mix – try to keep the air in the egg whites.
• Put 6 large or 8 smaller oopsies on a baking tray.
• Bake in the middle of the oven at 150° C (300° F) for about 25 minutes – until they turn golden.
• Can be eaten as bread or used as a hotdog- or hamburger bun. You can also put different kinds of seeds on them before baking them, for instance poppy-, sesame or sunflower seeds. One big oopsie can be used for a swiss roll. Add a generous layer of whipped cream and some berries.

Less strict: some bread
Can´t live without real bread? Have a thin piece of bread and add lots of butter and toppings. The more butter and toppings the less bread you need to feel satisfied.

Instead of potatoes, rice, pasta

• Mashed cauliflower: Divide the cauliflower in smaller pieces and boil them until soft with a pinch of salt. Remove the water. Add cream and butter and mix.
• Salad of above-ground vegetables, perhaps with some kind of cheese. Try out different kinds.
• Boiled broccoli, cauliflower or brussels sprouts.
• Vegetables au gratin: fry squash, aubergine, fennel (or other vegetables you like) in butter, add salt and pepper. Put in baking dish and add grated cheese. Heat at 225° C (450° F) until the cheese melts and turns golden.
• Vegetables stewed in cream, e.g. cabbage or spinach.
• Cauliflower rice, grated cauliflower boiled for a minute or two is a good substitute for rice.
• Avocado

Snacks and dessert

• Mixed nuts
• Sausage cut in pieces, add a piece of cheese and put a tooth pick through them.
• Vegetables with dip, e.g. cucumber sticks, peppers, cauliflower.
• Cream cheese rolls: roll some cream cheese in a piece of salami, air dried ham or a long slice of cucumber.
• Olives
• LCHF-chips: put grated Parmesan cheese in small piles on a baking tray, heat in oven at 225° C (450° F), let it melt and get a nice color (be watchful – they easily get burned). Serve as chips, perhaps with some dip.

Cook books

There are a million cook books with low-carb recipes. Just avoid books that are unnecessarily scared of fat. If you avoid carbs you have to eat some more fat or you will be hungry. Don’t fear fat. Fat is your friend. Add fat until you feel satisfied.

Here is a good example:

Good luck with your new LCHF life!

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Questions and answers

Do you have more questions about LCHF? See my page with common questions and answers.

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