Lose It! – July 2019

VOLUME 31 LOSE IT! 19

ADVICE

BY RUTH MARCUS, CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST

PHOTOGRAPHS: LIZA VAN DEVENTER, ANÈL VAN DER MERWE, GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

imbalances that can disrupt a

woman’s cycle. Women who notice

a change in their cycle may need

to add a few more carbs to their

daily diet, but there is no need

to stop eating low-carb. Simply

include a few more healthy carbs

such as butternut, berries and

sweet potato in your diet and give

your body a chance to adjust. If

your cycle remains irregular for

more than four to six months,

consult your gynaecologist.

I am a woman

in my thirties,

and very active;

I run a minimum

of 70km per

week. I still have

10kg to lose but cannot fuel my

training with a very low-carb diet.

Which fruits can I eat that will

give me energy but not cause

weight gain?

Fruit generally has

too many carbs

to form a large

part of low-carb

living and is seen

as more of a treat than a staple

food. However, for someone like

yourself who is depleting glycogen

stores at a rapid rate, a few extra

carbohydrates will likely be of

no harm at all. Just remember

to exercise portion control.

Here’s a short list of

recommended fruits that you

can enjoy:

Raspberries:

3g net carbs per ½ cup

Strawberries (slices):

2g net carbs per ¼ cup

Blueberries:

4g net carbs per ¼ cup

Blackberries:

3g net carbs per ½ cup

Coconut (shredded, raw,

unsweetened):

2.5g net carbs per ½ cup,

Avocado:

3g net carbs per 1 cup

*All carb values are net carbs (total

carbs minus fibre). Fibre is often

not counted in net carb totals as

the nutrient isn’t digested.

I have read

several articles

that suggest

an imbalance

in the gut can

cause all sorts

of illnesses as well as weight

problems, and fermented foods

are recommended for gut health.

Can I eat fermented foods on

a low-carb diet?

Fermented foods

have been in

the spotlight

for a while and

are getting an

excellent

reputation for

supporting

various aspects

of immune

and digestive

function –

they’ve even

been shown to

reduce sugar

addiction.

Consuming

low-carb

fermented

foods is an excellent choice for

gut health. These include foods

such as sauerkraut, kombucha,

kimchi, dairy or coconut kefir, and

raw, full-fat plain yoghurt.

However, be very cautious with

store-bought products as they still

often add extra sugar to improve

the taste.

If you can, rather opt for

making your fermented foods at

home. It’s a relatively easy task and

requires minimal prep work and

supervision. ■

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT

THAT YOU STAY WELL

HYDRATED.

(AT LEAST 2L OF WATER

PER DAY.)