Testimony of the Day
“Dear Maria, My husband was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (aka Type II Diabetes) ten years ago. The diabetic counselors gave him a meal plan for 60 carbs / meal, including a 60 carb snack at night to keep his blood sugars from spiking throughout the day. Eight years later, he suffered a heart attack, survived the ordeal with two stents placed. Fast forward to 2013. A visit to the cardiologist in February 2013 was a disaster. The doctor did not like his blood pressure, his weight, his cholesterol numbers, his blood sugar. John was despondent for weeks.
In March, we had an appointment with our holistic physician who encouraged us to read “The Wheat Belly” by Dr. Davis. That opened our eyes to the evils of grain. Within a month, John’s blood pressure and blood sugars were much improved, triglycerides had gone down 500 points. But while there was some weight loss, he wasn’t seeing the results he had hoped for. Via Dr .Davis’ blog, we found a link to your site. While Dr. Davis put us on the grain-free path, you opened our eyes to the low carb, medium protein, high fat diet. John’s insulin intake has dropped from 120 units/day to around 30 – 35 on a bad day.
I can’t wait to see his lab numbers, as well as the reaction from the cardiologist at his December appointment. We learned that not all fruit is created equal, and we were previously equating fruit to vegetables. The weight is coming off, joint pain is non-existent, our skin looks and feels healthier. John noticed that he had forgotten to take his inhaler (he is an asthmatic) for weeks, it just wasn’t necessary. He is down 30 lbs currently from his March weight. What I’ve discovered is that even though I’m only down about 10 lbs, I’ve gone down at least 2 sizes in slacks, soon to be 3.
Our arms are firmer, we have more muscle definition and this is without exercise. We now equate carbs to sugar. With some friends of ours, we took a road trip to attend your Metabolism 101 class this past Sunday, travelling 300 miles one way to attend. It was worth the trip. We are now the proud owners of all your books, autographed by the author and editor/photographer J. Not only did we get to personally meet you & Craig, we were able experience your knowledge, your enthusiasm, your sharing and caring attitude. What can I say? You are just amazing. Thanks so much!”
If you want to get started on a path to health and healing, click HERE. You will not regret it!
Anti-Aging Tips: Fructose and Glycation
Do you complain of sagging skin or cellulite? One of the big contributors to the aging process and development and perpetuation of degenerative diseases is Advanced Glycation End Product (AGEs) glycation. Glycation is where a chemical reaction occurs between proteins and either sugars, lipid peroxidation products (free radicals from oxidative damage), or the breakdown products of sugar. So sugar plays a big role in glycation as does oxidative damage (think PUFA oils and sugar inflammation).
Glycation is the forming of sort of a crust around our cells. Many different studies have shown that this crust contributes to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, asthma, stroke, cataracts, glaucoma, PCOS, autoimmune disease and much more.
So what role does fructose play here? Studies have shown that fructose enables glycation reactions ten times more rapidly than glucose!
A high carbohydrate diet causes this glycation, in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products, AGEs. The more carbohydrates you eat, the more AGEs you develop. As AGEs accumulate, they damage neighboring proteins in a domino-like manner. Collagen and elastin are the protein fibers that keep skin firm and elastic are most venerable when you are eating a high starch diet. Once the damage has been done, the supple and strong collagen and elastin become dry and delicate, leading to wrinkles and sagging.
AGEs deactivate your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes, leaving you more vulnerable to sun damage. Adding in 400 to 600mg of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) can help repair the skin from your past years of being a sugar burner. If you are going to spend the money on ALA supplements and serums, make sure to get it from a quality source from Germany. Chinese ALA is processed with harsh and toxic chemicals. Click HERE to find the oral supplement I prefer.
Fat Bomb
Ingredients
- COATING:
- 4 oz edible cocoa butter
- 2/3 cup Natural Sweetener
- 1 tsp lemon extract or other extract like cherry
- 1/4 tsp Redmond Real salt
- FILLING:
- 1 cup Natural Sweetener or erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 4 large eggs
- 1 TBS finely grated lemon peel
- 8 TBS coconut oil
Instructions
- Place cocoa butter in a double boiler and heat on medium high until fully melted (or <g class="gr_ gr_107 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="107" data-gr-id="107">microwave safe</g> bowl and heat on high for one minute, check and heat for 30 seconds until melted). Melting cocoa butter takes longer than traditional fats.
- Stir in natural sweetener.
- Stir in extracts and salt.
- Place into truffle mold and cool in <g class="gr_ gr_111 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="111" data-gr-id="111">refrigerator</g> until white chocolate is solid, about an hour. Or the speedy method; you can place the molds in a freezer <g class="gr_ gr_112 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="112" data-gr-id="112">till</g> they are set up, which will only take a couple of minutes versus <g class="gr_ gr_105 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="105" data-gr-id="105">and</g> hour.
- LEMON CURD FILLING: Combine natural sweetener, lemon juice, 4 eggs and lemon peel in <g class="gr_ gr_120 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="120" data-gr-id="120">heavy</g> medium saucepan and whisk to blend; add coconut oil. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and coats back of <g class="gr_ gr_121 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="121" data-gr-id="121">spoon</g> thickly (do not boil), about 12 minutes. Pour mixture through <g class="gr_ gr_122 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="122" data-gr-id="122">strainer</g> into medium bowl. Place bowl in larger bowl filled with ice water and whisk occasionally until lemon curd is cooled <g class="gr_ gr_123 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="123" data-gr-id="123">completely,</g> about 15 minutes. Can be made 1 day ahead.
- TO MAKE TRUFFLE: Remove the mold from the fridge or freezer and fill with lemon curd filling. Then top off the filling with a layer of the cocoa butter mix so that the lemon curd is inside and surrounded by the "white chocolate". Place back into fridge/freezer to set.
Notes
Traditional Fat Bomb = 138 calories, 10.1g fat, 1.1g protein, 12g carbs
"Healthified" Fat Bomb = 95 calories, 10.1g fat, 1.1g protein, 0.2g carbs (96% fat, 3% protein, 1% carb)
what type of mold do you use??? thanks Ruth
I have a couple here:
http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20?node=20&page=6
Sounds delicious! If you make it without the filling, more like your fudge or peanut butter chocolate fat bombs, how could you do that?
Also, what do you think of Now Foods ALA?
It is a good option.
Where do you find edible cocoa buttet
You can find cocoa butter in the cosmetics section of most health food stores. Most of it is edible. Make sure it says 100% pure and “food grade”. NOW is the brand I buy.
You can click on the ingredient above. 🙂
Couple of questions: from the picture, it looks as though the bottom of the truffle is covered with coconut shell. Is that right or is it only the lemon curd filling?
I have a Vitamix, can I turn granulated Swerve into powdered?
Thanks, Maria.
Yes, there is shell on the bottom. Yes, that should work for powdering swerve. 🙂
The instructions mention butter but it’s not in the ingredients list. How much and can I substitute it out for a non dairy option?
Sorry, that should have said coconut oil. I fixed it above.
In time for my birthday :).
I get my cocoa butter from Nuts.com
Maria – is this glycation reversible? I’m 55 years old, a native Floridian, spending my youth tanning and playing in the sun. Although I stopped getting so much sun after learning of the danger, I see the effects of all you’ve described with my skin. I even break out now in tiny bumps when I ride my bike and get sun on my arms. I’d love to learn more on this topic. Thanks!
Yes, I think you can reverse the damage over time. Not sure if 100% but definitely can improve. 🙂
Terri, I was just about to ask the same question. Thanks.
Where can I get edible cocoa butter?
Just click on it in the ingredients and you can get what I used. 🙂
Maria, the link to ingredients isn’t working. 🙁
It should be now. 🙂
I found a really good article by Dr. Perricone on glycation: http://pals2u.tripod.com/id24.html
Your testimony at the top of this post makes me think of my mom. She has Type II Diabetes and all that other bad stuff — she has for years, at least 30 years. She is not able to walk anymore after back surgery a few years ago, so exercise is difficult. She complains a lot of coldness and pain in her feet. I have been moving in the direction of your diet for awhile, feeling the freedom from addiction to carbohydrates/starches (though I’m not really losing any weight!!). But it was not easy because of all my years of low-fat indoctrination. It is a leap for me, and, I imagine, it will be even more so for my mom. She is a product of all that doctoring and low-fat dogma. I can see it; I can see the damage it has done to her, but I hesitate to suggest this type of eating to her. Even if she decided to just up and give this a try, how would that affect her other medical conditions? Must she be under doctor supervision? Might I be suggesting something that could cause her further harm (if she just started in on her own)? I’m not sure how to get her started. I want to tell her to quit eating grains (to start) and just add more fat to her diet. Do you have any suggestions?
You can really see amazing improvements eating this way. I have helped people with type II diabetes improve to the point where there are no longer considered to have diabetes. In my book Keto-Adpated I talk about all the long term health benefits of this lifestyle (lower coronary artery disease risk, lower Alzheimer’s risk, etc.)
Thanks for your reply. I realize my questions was pretty vague. I suppose convincing my mom to read a book or just start snooping around on your blog is the place to start. She’s rather resistant to any perceived “new diets,” because she has seen them come and go. Like I said, she is a product of “no eggs, no nuts, no peanut butter, no salt, no butter, skim milk, low-fat everything” medical advice for most of her adult life. She did everything they told her to do, and she put this way of “healthy” eating into all of our family meals. It’s only hurt her in the long run, and that is so sad to me. She’s taken meds for a variety of things for over 30 years — constant doctoring, because they told her to. I’m just disgusted by the whole thing! I’d sure love to see that big change for her. Thanks again for your reply.
You are welcome. Good luck. 🙂
I was told I have diabetes, given 500 metformin a day. Went on Low carb high fat, lost 55 lbs, my doctor just laughed and said he never recommended a LCHF diet before but it has worked for me. No longer taking Metformin, he said I have cured my diabetes with my diet. My blood test numbers are all excellent. Everything improved. I haven’t gained back 1 ounce in more than 6 months, that was through the holidays too. But you have to be careful with that if your mom in taking insulin. She should see her doctor and do it with his help or find a doctor who believes in this way of eating. You can find all the information you need on youtube. REALLY, I DID!
Just to make sure I understand, coconut butter is what you get by whipping up coconut, right?
The ingredient above is cocoa butter (click on the link to see it).
Maria,
Found your site yesterday. I have been doing low carb (Atkins) for almost two years. Mostly for health reasons but I just feel better when eating low carb. It is hard though to avoid “cheat days” because I feel so deprived. When doing the Atkins diet I would have stall in weight loss whenever adding nuts or almond flour. My question is – is it possible to use ALL of your recipes and still have an actual weight loss? Which one of your books would provide the most instruction for me along with an approved foods list? Thanks!!!
Every person is different. Some have higher carb tolerances than others and can eat any recipe of mine and lose weight. Others can’t have little to any nut flours.
Maria, Can ALA be taken while pregnant?
Yes, it should be fine.
Hi Maria,
Can we use organic cocoa butter instead of organic raw cocoa butter?
Claire
I think that should work.
this look delicious! i’m trying to make them right now. i’ve melted the cocoa butter and added sweetener, salt, and extract. it is just so liquidy. is that the right consistency? how does it work in the mold if so liquified?
thanks
Yes, you can put them in a mold and put in the fridge to cool and set. 🙂
I really want to make these! They look amazing. I need some clarification. 1. Does it matter what size truffle mold I buy? 2. Do I just put a tiny bit of white chocolate in the mold before adding the filling, or do I fill it up with white chocolate and then try to cram in filling? Either way, I just don’t get how the white chocolate surrounds the filling. Can you tell I have never made fancy chocolates before? Is there a really basic truffle-making tutorial somewhere?
Nope, any size will work. Fill it half way, out filling in, fill the rest of the way. 🙂
Really wanna try out this recipe 😀 What can I use instead of Swerve in the white chocolate that will surround the filling? Also, does it taste like white chocolate or just looks like it? Thanks! 😀
Any of these sweeteners will work. 🙂
http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=13
Hi Maria,
While breastfeeding, I am off chocolate until my baby is at least 6 months old, and even then I need to be careful that it doesn’t bother her stomach. It gives her a lot of gas, and gives me a sleepless night.
I wanted your take on bulletproof coffee/tea. Here are the ingredients:
1 tbsp organic butter
1 tbsp MCT oil
1 cup coffee or tea
All ingredients are placed in a blender, and blended until creamy.
Would this be a good replacement for fat bombs, provided I use decaf green tea or decaf coffee?
Thanks!
Nutritionally it is ok (if not avoiding dairy). But in general I do recommend chewing your calories as it registers leptin better. 🙂
I made the curd using granulated swerve. It’s really grainy, although very tasty! Should the swerve be the powdered kind? Or maybe I did something wrong? I also had little pieces of scrambled egg that came out when straining. Is that typical? Or maybe I cooked it at too high a temp?
Yes, the confectioners Swerve will give you a finer texture. 🙂
Thank you. I’ll try that. What about the scrambled egg pieces? Do you get that?
The filling must have gotten too hot and cooked some of the eggs. 🙂
Hi Maria,
Can I substitute erythritol and stevia glycerite for the swerve in the candy coating part? I am not a great fan of swerve. Thanks and Happy New Year!
Yes, that will work. 🙂
If I add the liquid cocoa butter to the mold and then put it in the fridge to set hard, how does it then rise up the sides when I add the filling? I am confused.
I put two together.
Maria, could you please post the name of the ALA you use? The link above does not work any more. Thank you.
Yep. I use this one: http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20/detail/B0007U8BHW
Maria,
You know what a big fan I am of yours, ,but I just made these and the directions are very confusing compared to your picture. Following the directions there is no way to do get the results in the picture. If you say you put the filling between two, then the recipe should have stayed so. it seems it would be 12 serving and not 24 and I think still wouldn’t look like the picture.