Carbs are everywhere. They take the form of freshly baked, fluffy bread rolls, gooey doughnuts, floury baked potatoes, spectacularly frosted cupcakes, flaky pasties, that steaming cup of hot chocolate you can’t wait to wrap your hands around, those perfectly cooked chips with your crispy fish, those digestive biscuits that make every cup of tea that much better. And they’re in hearty homemade lentil stews, that crisp apple you sink your teeth into, little pots of yoghurt, those perfectly roasted parsnips, that delicate tray of sushi…
For the majority of us, our fondest associations with food have a lot to do with carbs, and why not? When paired with just the right amounts of fat and protein, they make the most delectable, irresistible foods that we just cannot get enough of. But is that a bad thing? Maybe… maybe not. For some, it definitely is, for others, the jury is still out. Either way, questions abound, and one can’t but help think – Is there an alternative? A palatable one? Possibly even an utterly delicious, entirely healthy one? One that doesn’t make you feel deprived or excluded or like you’re missing out?
My journey into low carb, gluten free cooking and baking was fuelled by my interest in the health benefits of low to moderate carbohydrate consumption, specifically with the impact of carbohydrates on the hormone insulin. Insulin, which is produced in the pancreas, plays a crucial role in a variety of metabolic functions in the body. It is most commonly known for its role in regulating blood sugar levels. However, as a consequence, it is also directly responsible for the storage of excess glucose (sugar) in the blood as glycogen (a form of glucose) in the muscles for easily accessible energy, and, subsequently, as fat in the fat cells for long term storage of excess energy. With excess amounts of sugar in the diet, therefore, comes an increased risk of various metabolic disorders, including Type-2 diabetes, heart disease, PCOS, and overall inflammation, to name a few.
So what are the alternatives? Complete abstinence, moderation, or perhaps a delightful middle ground? What a joy it would be to be able to pop into your favourite cafe and sit down with a hot beverage and a sweet or savoury treat of your choice, be it a conventional sticky bun or a low carb chocolate brownie. Or to have a made to order sweet or savoury treat, bread, or celebration dessert, suitable to your dietary requirements, delivered to your door. To have a choice! For many of us with health issues, be it diabetes or insulin resistance or PCOS, a diagnosis should not mean the elimination of choice, and with Up To Gnu Good, we would like to offer you this choice, one delicious slice at a time…