The low-carb diet is still a very popular diet. Numerous blogs and accounts deal with this topic and are constantly producing new low-carb recipes. So does Melanie from Low Carb Delicacies. In an interview with EAT SMARTER, she reveals how she got started with this diet, which low-carb tips she has for sticking with it, and her favorite recipes.
How did the idea for “low carb delicacies” come about?
My account was first an account where I documented my own weight loss journey. After a while, I started to try my own recipes and they were very well received and so my account grew relatively quickly. Now you can find delicious, simple, and healthy low carb recipes that are suitable for the whole family at “Low Carb Delicacies”.
Why are you eating low carb?
I had heard over and over again that it is better to avoid carbohydrates in the evening. And so I just tried it out. For me, low carb is not just a diet to lose weight. I just feel better when I eat low carb. For example, before low carb, I had problems with headaches (at least three to four times a week very badly), but I haven’t had them since. I also feel fitter and bursting with energy.
How did you get into cooking in the first place?
I only taught myself to cook after I left home. Luckily, the sense of good taste seems to be in my genes, or rather it was instilled in me by my family. A lot went wrong in the beginning because I hadn’t dealt with the subject of cooking and baking at all before. I had to teach myself a lot and gained experience through learning by doing.
How would you briefly describe your nutritional philosophy?
My food should not only be healthy but also enjoyable.
What are the biggest difficulties with a low-carb diet?
That there are still relatively few alternatives outside of your own kitchen – at least here in a rather rural area. For example at the bakery or in restaurants. Of course, there is often a salad, but these are usually not only boring but also much more expensive than the high-carb alternatives.
Do you have to be strict with yourself to eat like you?
Strict is perhaps the wrong word, but in order to lose weight, you need a certain amount of stamina, even with low carbs.
What ingredients can’t you do without in a low-carb kitchen?
My low-carb tip is xylitol. Xylitol is my favorite sugar substitute (so far), because I still love to eat sweets. Plus cauliflower, it makes a great substitute for so many products (I love cauliflower rice as a side dish, for example).
What’s your low-carb tip for ingredients that are the hardest to substitute?
Actually, I think that there is a good substitute for almost everything. But if I have to name something, it would probably be potatoes. Of course, kohlrabi & co. can be prepared in a similar way, but the consistency of potatoes is difficult or impossible to replace with a low-carb variant, which is simply due to the lack of starch.
What is your favorite dish from “Low Carb Delicacies”?
With over 500 recipes, that’s not an easy question to answer, but we always enjoy eating the Cheeseburger Calzone.
What question do you get asked the most?
“Why am I not losing weight despite low carb?” – There can be very different reasons for this. Often the mistake is that you eat low carb but still eat too many calories. Other reasons may be unknowingly consuming more carbs than you think or simply not being able to break old habits.
What low carb tips do you have for low carb shopping?
My tip for low-carb shopping: Don’t be fooled by light products. They often contain less fat but more sugar. It is best anyway to buy products that are as natural as possible and for everything else the list of ingredients should be studied carefully. It also helps to write a shopping list in advance so that you don’t get tempted to buy something unsuitable.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My breakfasts are usually not particularly creative, I mostly eat Greek yogurt with berries, nuts, seeds, spirulina, and xylitol. I like it and it’s very tasty. At lunchtime, I eat homemade protein bread, salad, and sometimes the leftovers from dinner. In the evening we have something warm here, so it can be a little more creative here and I often try out new recipes (which of course end up on my blog straight away).
When it comes to sports, unfortunately, I’m not a role model – I’ve tried again and again, even ran regularly for a while. But anyone who has followed me on Instagram from the beginning knows that unfortunately, I let the topic slide too often. Thanks to our little daughter, I’m on the move quite a bit now.
In your opinion, what makes “low carb delicacies” so successful?
I think my readers could answer that question better. But one reason could be that I blog what I feel like. I don’t cook/bake to emulate certain trends but to enjoy something tasty afterward. Fortunately, the readers seem to like it just as much as I and my family does.
What low-carb tips can you give to all those who want to change their diet?
Don’t get discouraged too quickly. Not only does it seem hard at the beginning to do without bread, pasta & Co., but everything also seems incredibly complicated before the conversion. But you will quickly notice positive effects and that after a bit of getting used to it is not that difficult after all.
