Diabetics Rejoice!: Cacao Almond Chocolate Chip Kefir Ice Cream

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Cacao Almond Chocolate Chip Kefir Ice Cream

Eating low carb, high fat doesn't have to be boring! Also, if you know a few good low carb substitutions, you can enjoy a healthy, delicious, creamy dessert like this one. The ingredient that makes this ice cream especially beneficial for health is the kefir. Kefir is a cultured dairy beverage, with a taste similar to yogurt, that is filled with probiotic microorganisms that promote healing in all parts of the body, including it's ability to stabilize blood sugar. Research shows that the microbiome of a person with diabetes is different from a healthy person without diabetes. The National Institute of Health is conducting a study to show the benefits of probiotic therapy for T2 diabetics (1). This and other studies from around the world have already demonstrated that rebuilding and maintaining a healthy microbiome by consuming kefir and other fermented foods help to improve or reverse the condition of T2 diabetes (2). That's why I eat probiotic-rich foods daily and include cultured dairy or fermented vegetables with every meal. For me, this kefir ice cream is not only an amazing, guilt-free treat, it's medicine! I follow Hippocrates advice, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Now, this is REAL FOOD medicine that is easy to swallow!

Cacao Almond Chocolate Chip Kefir Ice Cream

Makes 8 servings (1/2 cup each)

Ice Cream Base:

1 cup plain, unsweetened kefir (can be purchased or to make at home, click here)

1/2 cup kefir cheese (kefir with the whey separated out, see here for directions) or Greek yogurt

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup almond butter (no sugar added)

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (omit or reduce if almond butter contains salt)

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules or espresso powder (I used decaf)

1 tablespoon Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (or other erythritol sweetener)

1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon stevia powder (I used Sweet Leaf brand)

4 drops of dark chocolate liquid stevia

2 tablespoons unsweetened raw cacao or cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir-in Ingredients:

2-1/2 tablespoons chopped dark chocolate (85% or higher, I used 5 squares of a Green and Black bar)

1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs

1/4 cup roasted chopped almonds

1. Place all of the Ice Cream Base ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding. Meanwhile, prepare the Stir-in ingredients and set aside.

2. Following the manufacturer's instructions for your ice cream maker, churn the ice cream and, when the mixture begins to solidify, add the Stir-in ingredients and continue to churn until desired consistency is reached.

3. Serve immediately as a soft-serve ice cream or transfer to a container and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up a bit before scooping. Spoon any leftovers into ice pop molds and freeze until solid. This ice cream makes wonderful fudgesicles! (Because this ice cream is sugar free, once the ice cream is completely frozen, it will be too firm to scoop. I recommend making ice pops out of any ice cream not eaten immediately.)

Nutritional Information per 1/2 cup serving: 249 calories, 8.1 g carbohydrate (3.1 g dietary fiber, 2.8 g sugars, 1.5 g sugar alcohol), 21.4 g total fat (8.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 51 mg sodium, 69.6 mg calcium, 51 mg potassium, 5.9 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 5 grams

References:

(1) https://www.nih.gov/

https://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_description.cfm?projectnumber=1U54DE023789-01

(2) http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/consumption-probiotic-fermented-milk-kefir-diabetic-patients-comparison

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/probiotics-modestly-improved-hba1c-and-fasting-insulin-people-type-2-diabetes

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More about my experience with Type 2 diabetes:

After experiencing gestational diabetes while pregnant in 1988, it wasn't long before a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was made, and then, much later, I was correctly diagnosed with autoimmune Type 1.5 (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, also known as LADA).

Like many people newly diagnosed, I had to read and learn what diabetes was all about. I did everything my doctor told me to do, took my medication exactly as prescribed, began to exercise more, I consulted with a diabetic nutritionist, I changed my carb-loving lifestyle to within the dietary guideline of my nutritionist and lost some weight. For many years, following the advice of the experts, I managed the disease fairly well. Yet, it concerned me that my need for medication continued to rise steadily, but I was told by my doctor that diabetes is a progressive disease and that what I was experiencing was normal. In a few years of trying diet change, exercise and oral medication alone, I was prescribed insulin to go along with the oral meds. My blood sugars stabilized, but my need for more and more insulin over time to manage good control continued to go slowly and steadily upward, along with my weight. With the larger and larger amounts of insulin (the fat storage hormone), it didn’t take long for me to become obese! I was not pleased because at the rate my need for meds was growing, it appeared that it wouldn't be long before my condition would be too difficult to control.

Finally, I said "enough!" Something had to change! I read The Diet Cure by Julia Ross and began a diet overhaul unlike anything ever suggested by my diabetic team. Two other books I highly recommend are The Blood Sugar Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman for a T2 diabetic and Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution by Dr. Richard Bernstein for a T1 or any diabetic on insulin. I cut out all white starches and grains from my diet and went 100% sugar free. (No expert had ever suggested I look at the sugar grams in the foods I ate before and I was shocked to discover large amounts hidden in most processed foods, even items not meant to be sweet!) I began to eat mainly fresh vegetables, very small amounts of fruit and only when it's in season (I love summer berries!), plenty of healthy fats and a moderate amount of high-quality protein. I now follow a Ketogenic diet which allows about 20-30 grams of good carbs per day, mainly in the form of non-starchy vegetables. I don't go out often but, when I do, I go to a restaurant where I know I can eat within my diet. By living this lifestyle, I lost over 65 pounds but, more than that, my need for medication grew less and less. I now need only very small amounts of insulin at meals and 4 units of long-acting insulin at bedtime (down from over 25 units when I was eating higher carb). The best part is that I’ve been able to stop all other oral prescription medications, as well! My blood glucose is always steady, in a normal range and hardly ever goes above 100 mg/dl. My A1c is consistently 4.9 or lower. These excellent health outcomes keep me motivated to stick with a keto lifestyle, plus I really enjoy the food!

I am now at my ideal weight and have kept it steady for over six years. My cravings for carbohydrates and my voracious "sweet tooth" are well controlled. I am motivated to cook and have made cooking healthy my #1 hobby. I'm excited about incorporating the alternative flours into my baking so I can occasionally still enjoy a dessert or bread product in my diet. The outlook of managing my diabetes and the future of my health is extremely positive.

If you're reading this and dealing with similar issues, take heart! You can make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle to share in this positive outlook, too. Just take it one day at a time, be good to yourself, and do not depend solely on medication. I had to face the fact: There is no "magic pill" out there! Instead, I needed to commit to eating well to heal myself from within. Remember, it's your future and your health; no one can do this for you! You owe it to yourself and your loved ones!

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Cacao Almond Chocolate Chip Kefir Ice Cream

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Diabetics Rejoice!