Low carb diets are primarily used for weight loss or blood sugar control. Diabetic diets focus on consuming the necessary carbs to balance blood sugar throughout the day. While the USDA recommends consuming 225 g to 325 g of carbs per day, weight loss diets such as Atkins and the Zone diet may restrict carb intake to as few as 50 g per day. At first glance, it seems impossible to enjoy most snack foods on a carb-restricted diet, but a few recipe modifications can turn an unhealthy product into a reasonably low carb treat.
Understanding Carbs
Carbohydrate, or "carb," means different things to different people. Carbohydrates are naturally occurring nutrients that provide energy. Your body converts carbohydrates to glucose, raising the blood sugar level and fueling daily activities. Dietary fiber is a specific form of carbohydrate that helps maintain the digestive system and promotes healthy cholesterol levels. Food labels list both the total carbohydrates and the breakdown of dietary fiber vs. sugars.
Defining Low Carb
The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate use of the term "low carb." Everydiet.org defines moderate carb diets as those containing a 40 to 50 percent ratio of carbs. "Low carb" means those containing 25 to 40 percent, and "very low carb" diets contain less than 25 percent carbs. The site also notes that many experts consider anything under 50 percent carbs to be "low carb." According to the Mayo Clinic, some diets focus on net carbs rather than total carbs, subtracting dietary fiber and perhaps sugar alcohols from the total number of carbs a food contains.
Traditional Cheese Danish
A quick look at recipes on Cooks.com and the Food Network shows that cheese danish is traditionally a high carb food item. The base is generally puff pastry or refrigerated dinner roll dough, the filling contains added sugar, and many cheese danishes are glazed with a sugar and milk combination. Some recipes add chocolate or fruit filling, further raising the amount of carbs. Carb counts vary dramatically by recipe, but according to FoodFacts.info, some fast food danishes contain more than 50 g of carbohydrates.
Modifying the Recipe
Like all snack and dessert recipes, basic cheese danish recipes adapt well to the use of alternative sweeteners. Splenda, stevia and other sweeteners are available in a variety of forms, including those specifically designed for baking. Depending on your personal carb restrictions, you may prefer a half-and-half blend of sweetener and sugar, which gives the finished product a stronger texture that is less prone to falling apart.
All non-flavored cheeses are naturally low in carbs, so you can choose any type you like. Flavored cream cheese, such as strawberry or blueberry, often contains added sugar. You can create your own flavored filling by stirring a tablespoon of sugar-free jelly into plain cream cheese.
Make your own dough, using the sweetener or sweetener blend, rather than relying on frozen or refrigerated dough. You can glaze the danish if desired with a blend of milk and sweetener. Although it takes a bit of work, it is possible to lower the carb count of a cheese danish to just 1 g or 2 g.
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