How Can I Uncover Hidden Sugar And Prevent Carb Creep?

Many low carb dieters fall victim to "carb creep," which is triggered carb binges, caused by creeping intakes of carbs. This is particularly a problem after finishing the stricter early phases of their plans. For instance, low carb dieters who use Dr. Atkins' prescription often fail to follow his plan after the induction phase of the diet. Instead, they go on an unplanned, generic "low carb" diet.

This uncontrolled deviation from the path often causes low carb dieters to slowly scale- up carb intake amounts in an unmeasured fashion.

Low carb dieters can also fall into the "carb creep" trap by consuming products that contain hidden sugars. Because of insulin spikes, hidden sugars can trigger "hormonal hunger," or cravings, which can then lead to binges.

This is why it is vital for low carb dieters to follow an overarching dietary plan that involves slowly scaling-up carb consumption in the order of around five grams per week (as Atkins suggests).

It is also vital for low carb dieters to carefully inspect food labels to insure that products do not contain "hidden" carbs. This is something Type II Diabetics must do regularly-- and it is fairly simple.

Medicine.Net suggests that low carb dieters look for the following ingredients on food labels to avoid carb creep: sucrose, honey, syrup, corn sweetener, glucose, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, molasses, maltose, fruit juice concentrate or lactose.

According to Medicine.Net, if a product contains the above ingredients, it is likely to also contain a significant amount of sugar.

If you are on a low carb diet, it is essential that you factor all of this in and develop a plan before you shop at the grocery store. You should consult with your doctor or recheck your selected low carb plan to determine how many carbs you should consume each day in your given dietary phase.

You should then plan a diet that follows this strict prescription and factors in "hidden carbs." This practical approach will help you identify the cause of your stall, and eliminate it by using methods suggested by your low carb dietary plan.

Benji Paras runs http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com, specializing in the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. The site contains a treasure trove of information for losing weight, and includes a list of low carb foods along with informative articles and the latest low-carb headlines.