Author: Aime Rivera

Low-carb diets tend to be in the center of attention lately in the news whether it’s the keto diet or its validity as a lifestyle. Now a new study has emerged detailing that low-carb dieting helps in losing weight and keeping it off. Drastically changing the conversation, this study was featured on the Today show with Dr. Oz, an article in the Times, and Vox. Let us explain the study (published in The BMJ).

The Hypothesis

The researchers put 232 participants into a 10-week weight-loss diet plan at first to try to lose 12 percent of their body weight. Losing weight is easy in any diet plan but what the researchers wanted to study was the ability to keep the weight off after a diet a plan. Out of the 234 original participants, 164 achieved the target weight loss. They were able to move on to the next phase of the trial. The remaining 164 participants were randomly assigned a low carb diet (20 percent), moderate carb diet (40 percent) and high carb diet (60 percent) for 20 weeks. The diets were carefully curated to make sure the participants were maintaining their new body weight. At the end of the study, the following participants remained 38 low-carb, 39 moderate-carb, and 43 high-carb. From these remaining 120 people the researchers were able to derive that low-carb diets are helpful in keeping off weight.

Explained

Let’s take a moment to call out an important hypothesis currently going around the health community which is called “carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis”. This refers to the theory of Harvard Professor David Ludwig (one of the researches in the study) and other professionals which they have heavily promoted. It asserts that diets heavy in refined grains and sugar carbohydrates lead to weight gain because of the insulin release in the body. This then causes a domino effect in the body to hold on to fat and suppress calorie burn. If we follow the hypothesis, we can conclude that to lose weight and keep it off, one would have to specifically reduce processed carbohydrates and replace them with calories derived from fat. This helps drive insulin levels down, which then help burn calories and keep the fat at bay (which is why many low-carb products emphasize low Glycemic Index and no glycemic spikes).

Results

The results? At the end of the 20-week period, the researches say that the group that ate fewer carbohydrates were burning more calories and subsequently keeping the weight off. What the study ended up unveiling was that those on a low-carb diet burned 200 extra calories, the moderate-carb intake burned an extra 100 calories and those in a high-carb diet burned no extra calories.

What Does this Mean?

This study is a major stepping stone into research on low-carb diets because it’s a long-term diet study. The researchers were able to meticulously follow their participant’s diet and see how their body was reaction throughout the 20 weeks. Low-carb diets DO help and allow people to live a healthier lifestyle. As we have seen the grocery aisle get filled with more and more processed carbohydrates and refined sugars, we have seen many healthy problems exponentially rise. The conclusion follows the carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis which emphasizes fat isn’t the problem but processed carbohydrates and sugars in our foods. Fat ends up being positive since it allows us to be fuller for a longer period of times and causes no glycemic spikes.

Next Step

Learning to read labels on our foods is the first step in holding oneself accountable for what we eat. Changing low-carb doesn’t have to be done overnight. It can be a process wherein you change your favorites for their low-carb alternatives such as low-carb bread or low-carb granola. It’s all about making small changes that eventually lead to a total lifestyle change. At Sola, we believe in the low-carb lifestyle and meal plan. We also believe that the future of the food industry should be reducing the amount of sugar that is being put into our food and that reducing your carb intake is one of the solutions to reaching your health goals. We would like to add that every body is different and you should speak to your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

As we get closer to the holidays, we can’t help but notice (and be wary) of the high carbs foods we will be forced to eat. There are so many recipes out there for different foods, but they tend to be on the high carb count. Of course, we’re here to help you find the best low-carb recipes that will be a hit at any party no matter if they’re low carb eaters or not.

Low Carb Pumpkin Pie

Pies, pies and more pies! Our favorite part of Thanksgiving or any holiday, to be honest, is our slices of pie but we all know how high carb they can be. Chef Ryan thankfully gave us a wonderful recipe that cuts down the carbs to 5 per serving to our favorite pie! A Sola tip, for any filling you can always use our Sola sweetener that has 0 net carbs, 0 calories and minimal to no glycemic spikes. Just what you need during the holidays.

Mashed Cauliflower (Loaded or Simple)

We all love loaded mash potatoes but have you heard about loaded cauliflower mash? Yes! We can finally have one of our favorite holiday recipes on a low carb diet. Created with cauliflower and adding heavy cream and butter, you’ll be left with an appetizing side that no one will be able to tell the difference! Okay, they might be able too, but they will fall in love with this decadent dish. Who said low-carb doesn’t have good recipes?

Wholegrain Keto Bread Rolls

Let’s keep this on a roll. Bread tends to be off limits because it is carbs but with these low-carb bread rolls, you’ll be just as happy. Made to go with turkey and any side your heart desires these bread rolls will hit the spot. Keeping the light and fluffy feel, people will find it hard to see or taste the difference.

Crispy Bacon and Sage-Wrapped, Low-Carb Stuffing Balls

Everyone. Loves. Stuffing. Can we make it low-carb? Yes! This recipe was inspired by Chef Ryan’s own memories of home in the UK and has a nice little twist. Filled with protein and delicious Sola low-carb bread you’ll want to NOT take it to the party and just eat it all by yourself.

Keto Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds and Brown Butter

We have to include a vegetable entrée and what better dish and Thanksgiving theme than green beans! Filled with nutrients but still low-carb vegetable this recipe will leave you with a craving for more. Sautéed with butter, and roasted almonds give this dish a fulfilling flavor.

All the Food This Thanksgiving

With the holidays upon us, we can’t help but drool over the food that awaits. Just because its Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you can’t follow low-carb. It just means you’ll have to get a bit creative with some of your favorites!

Learning how to identify and how to deal with stress are important skills sets we should master. Stress will exhaust even the mentally strong, what matters is keeping your problems in perspective and making time to deal with any issues. Pushing them away will just make your life harder and your stress that much more prominent. Let us give you our tips on how to destress yourself from a hard day whether it be work-related, financial or personal.

Exercise

This one might be overstated but it helps. If you’re having trouble sleeping, excess of jitters or just need time away from everything, exercise helps stimulate certain chemicals in your brain that will leave you happier and more relax. It’s all about letting your head focus on what’s at hand and to get rid of any excess nerves that you might have lurking. We love investing time in ourselves because the better headspace we’re in the better we can do to manage our stress.

Read a Book

If you already exercising or maybe it’s just not your thing, reading a book can help! The good thing about sitting down with a good book is that you won’t think about anything else but the story that’s in front of you. It allows the mind to have some time away from the troubles that are stressing you out. Relax and pour yourself a hot cup of tea with your favorite thriller. It’s all about balancing your needs and wants.

Meditate

The reason meditation is recommended is because it helps you gain a new perspective on the situation and it relaxes the mind. Meditation helps with emptying your thoughts, better breathing and centering yourself. All of which are great techniques when stress becomes too much. Meditation is recommended during an anxiety-filled day or when you just need to regroup with yourself.

Unplug

In a society where we are always glued to our phones, it’s hard not to be affected by what we constantly see in our notifications. One sure way of dealing with stress is picking a day and unplugging away from the world. Don’t touch your phone or the internet, put it away and focus on yourself. WE spend so much time worrying about others that we forget that love starts with us. Next time you feel the need to be on your phone remember: is it really that important? Or can you shut it off for a few hours.

Positive Affirmations

When we’re in the midst of stress our thoughts turn negative and we go downhill from there. Something helpful to do is five minutes of positive affirmations. It can be when you wake up to remind yourself why you’re great and deserve happiness in your life. Reiterate that you are worthy of happiness and that stress is just temporary. The day gets better if you start with a few positive words toward yourself.

Go outside

This might seem a bit obvious but sometimes we can get so caught at work or at home that we forget that there is an entire world out there! When was the last time you walked around your neighborhood just because? Stress thrives in isolation and monotonous actions. Changing things up a bit might be what you need to solve the issues currently at hand.

Learning Curve

No matter the age dealing with stress is a learning curve. We get so stuck in the stressful events that we forget to take a step back and breathe. With modern life being so hectic we hope that you can apply some of these tips to your ever day routine, but remember that you’re not alone. If you can’t seem to a handle of your stress, please contact your doctor. Self-love starts with investing in your health!

Being healthy is hard especially when your favorite foods are loaded with non-nutritious sugar and processed carbohydrates. When you’re transitioning from a high carb diet to low carb, Sola® is here to help. We have your favorites but with drastically reduced sugar and carbs. You’re probably wondering “well, how do I incorporate them into my diet?”. It’s simple, make the simple swap to Sola.

Breakfast

The average American diet is filled with carbohydrates and sugar. Did you know that traditional vanilla almond granola has around 22 total carbs? Meanwhile, our Sola granola only has 8 total carbs and 3 net carbs, and uses our patent-pending Sola sweetener blend. That’s why Sola granola and Sola Greek yogurt are best when they’re paired together for their low-glycemic impact.  The sweetness and tartness of the Greek yogurt give the granola mix of your choice the best morning pick me up. Yummy! You’ll forget you’re in a low carb diet with this delicious treat. Another tip is using our Sola sweetener packets for your everyday coffee! Like traditional coffee packets that have the sweetness of two teaspoons of sugar, our packets are meant to be used specifically for sweetening your favorite beverages.

Lunch

Who doesn’t love sandwiches? We do! But bread is loaded in refined carbohydrates and the low-carb alternatives don’t live up to the taste of regular bread. Well, that was until we created Sola bread. It has the same taste, texture, and smell of real bread with only 4 or less net carbs per slice! Wow. We can now eat our favorite sandwiches without going over our daily net carbohydrate intake.

In-Between

For those times where you need a quick snack or on the go our Sola nut bars are a delicious mix to any snacking adventure. Full of protein, gluten-free and with 6 or less net carbs this little nut bar packs a punch. A delicious treat when you’re craving something sweet.

Dinner

Looking for that after dinner sweet treat? A decadent dessert awaits with our Sola ice cream. With eight flavors to choose from you’ll find it hard to decide on only one flavor. Six of our eight flavors include gluten-free options: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, French Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Vanilla Bean, Butter Pecan & Salted Caramel, and Salted Caramel. Our ice cream only has 6 or less net carbs, no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and 60% less sugar than traditional ice cream!

Satisfying Your Cravings

As you can see Sola can fit any part of your life. It’s just about practicing moderation and substituting some of your favorites with Sola. We aspire to be there with you when you’re deep into your low carb lifestyle or are just beginning. Remember, healthiness starts with you.

We devote ourselves to our jobs, and as fulfilling as it is to some, we need to remember to take care of ourselves. Investing time into incorporating healthy tips throughout your workday can be life-changing. We all should be aware of our physical and mental health while at work and actively doing check-ins with our doctor. Here are six things you can incorporate into your work life that will make life a bit easier and healthier!

Don’t Eat at Your Desk

If there is anything that leaves room for mindless consumption, it’s eating at your desk. From snacks to lunch, sitting for 40 hours isn’t good for your physical or mental health. We all need to detox ourselves from our everyday work and walk outside (or anywhere) for some fresh air. It seems that we have trained ourselves always to be “on” even though it’s not good for us. Remember that eating with your co-workers or friends will take your mind off pressing matters and give you the ability to “reset” your critical thinking skills. Sometimes all you need is some time away from your desk.

Take Breaks

Talking about not eating at your desk, we also recommend that you take frequent breaks! Again, you’re spending 40 hours at your desk every week that’s a lot of time. Make sure that you have a few minutes just to walk around or maybe make yourself a cup of tea. The more you stay refreshed and unstressed, the more likely you’re to create quality work. The idea is to take a break and rejuvenate your productivity!

Keep your workstation clean

Sometimes our workstation reflects our state of mind. When we’re stressed, we tend to let many things slip through the cracks. The number one thing we forget to do… cleaning our desks. Take some time out of your week and just clean your desk. Whether it be decluttering papers you don’t need anymore or taking some sanitizer wipes to disinfect it from a bad day. It helps to clean your day away for a bright new tomorrow.

Manage Stress

A big factor in any work environment is learning to deal with stress which is a hard to thing do. Our tip, make a to-do list by priorities. If you don’t know what’s a priority for the day or week, we recommend asking your immediate supervisor or boss. This will allow you to be more productive and manage your time on tasks that are required immediately, next week or eventually. You’ll have a concise work schedule, and you won’t feel the need that you need to do everything at once. Pacing your work is a sure way to de-stress!

Know When to Ask For Help

Some people will find this one hard to do, but it’s important for healthy living: asking for help. We put this as a tip because sometimes people feel they’re unable to reach out of fear or pride. No matter what’s holding you back sometimes, we have to ask for help with a simple task or a big project. It’s better for everyone involved if you ask early on, it will not only allow you to have less stress, but it will also show people that you’re responsible enough to know when to ask for help. It’s not a weakness but a sign of maturity. Asking for help is an important aspect of work and your regular life. It’s all about balancing your needs and knowing how much you can handle.

Plan Out Your Meals in Advance

Food is a dangerous minefield at work from snacks to impromptu eating out lunches. We highly suggest that you plan your meals. When you meal prep your healthy lunch on a Sunday evening, it helps you down the line. You’re not going to reach for the carbohydrate-dense foods at the restaurant or the snack bar. A healthy alternative is now in your refrigerator to take to work! Leaving some snacks items that you know are good for you like our Sola nut bars or Sola granola for those times you have a craving also help! Plan your meals, make them in batches, and keep healthy snacks around your desks. What you eat sets the mood for the rest of the day. Make sure you’re putting good food inside your body!

Take Away

How to be healthy is hard when you’re juggling work, life in general and all the other things. At the end of the day, it’s all about investing time in yourself. Check in with yourself every few weeks and try to pinpoint any pain points at work. What’s working? What’s not? Being healthy is a lifelong journey so make the best of it!

Are you looking for healthy alternatives to the carb-loaded snacks in the office? Or maybe find an up and coming brand that will be a hit with your employees and clientele? Sola® might just be what you’re looking for. While the other snacks are packed with processed carbohydrates that add little to no nutritional value, we pride ourselves with making a delicious product line that significantly reduces that carb and sugar intake. Sola causes a minimal-to-no glycemic spike, and we’re committed to keeping the taste that everyone loves while lowering the macros. Bread under four net carbs, gluten-free granola, low on sugar ice cream and yogurt, protein-packed nut bars and low glycemic sweetener. We are expanding into different areas of the food aisle with possible new additions.

Healthier Sweetener Alternative

People have become more aware of the dangers of refined sugars, processed carbohydrates, and artificial sweeteners. They have started to look for alternatives that have not just natural ingredients and don’t cause glycemic spikes but also taste great. Our Sola sweetener blend is comprised of sweeteners that can be found in nature such as erythritol, tagatose, monk fruit, and stevia leaf. Using our unique patent-pending sweetening blend made of a combination of low glycemic sweeteners, we have developed a variety of delicious chef-crafted food without all the carbohydrates. Even our highest net carb product is Sola yogurt coming in at only seven net carbs. Very small amounts of Maltitol is included in the blend, but it is only used to allow the tagatose to brown just like traditional sugar.

Eye-catching Packaging

Red, bold and decisive, our packing is meant to catch the eye and incite a reaction. Sola products will stand out in any food aisle no matter the category. This Instagram-friendly food is made for the social media foodie photographer. Whether it’s a friendly picture or an ‘OMG, I love this’ post Sola products are meant for the everyday consumer.

For the Low-Carb Conscious

Low-carb is catching all over, and consumers are looking for alternatives of their favorite carb-loaded foods. Whether it be delicious low-carb granola or a low-carb bread, consumers are now really looking at the carb content of their favorite foods. We offer a wide range of low-carb products that will resonate with the modern health-conscious consumer. We have shed the net carbs but kept the taste!

It’s Sola Sweet

We’re proud to be a product line that’s low on the sugar and cuts the carbs. It’s all about moderation, and Sola products will be a hit at any business. We’re a small and nimble team looking to make a change in the food industry by making great tasting options that everyone will love but cuts out the bad stuff! Chef-crafted, great tasting foods everyone in the family will love and can enjoy.

The glycemic index is a word we have all seen thrown around when discussing low-carb diets. We have all been down the rabbit hole researching what foods have low GI and high GI. This is a standard that we have been told but what is GI?

How Do You Get the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index was a concept developed by Dr. David J. Jenkins in the early 80’s which was meant to be used as a guideline for food choices for people with diabetes. The concept is used to measure how quickly a type of food causes blood sugar levels to rise. GI ranks food on a scale of 0 to 100 based on 50 grams of carbohydrates minus the fiber when measuring the effect on patient’s blood glucose levels over the next two hours.

Low GI: 1 to 55

Medium GI: 56 – 69

High GI: 70 and higher

What’s the Controversy?

The glycemic index doesn’t consider that people won’t eat 50 grams per serving of certain foods. For example, watermelon has a GI of 72, but you need to eat 50 g which is way more than one serving. This brings up another term Glycemic Load which takes into consideration the number of carbohydrates in a regular serving size. Where GI doesn’t tell you anything about the nutritional information about the food, GL explains the effect of a certain type of food but adds in the serving size.

Glycemic Load = (available carbohydrates (g) * Glycemic Index) / 100

The GL for watermelon is 4 – not bad. The GL is supposed to supplement the GI with more accurate information by including the actual serving sizes and how that specific serving will affect your blood sugar.

Why Does it Matter?

Of course, this isn’t the ONLY thing you should be looking at when switching to a low-carb diet. Calories are important too (concentrating on the quality of calories you’re intaking). The takeaway is that GI does provide an indicator as to how sugar can affect your day to day life, but referencing GL makes us more conscious of what we put into our body based on your personal eating habits. Regardless of whether you’re diabetic or not, glycemic index and glycemic load assists in understanding how foods will affect blood sugar.

Higher intake of low GI foods have shown to improve insulin resistance and glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes.

Take Away

As more sugar and carbohydrate-filled foods take over our grocery, we must be diligent in our awareness of what we’re putting down on our dinner plate. It’s true; we don’t need to know exactly the GI every food we consume, but GI acts a tool that can be used to reduce your sugar intake. Usually, low GI foods already include foods that should be part of a daily diet with nutritionals that can fit any lifestyle you’re adopting.

Low GI Foods

Food	GI
Cauliflower	15
Strawberry	40
Broccoli	10
Plums	24

High GI Foods

Food	GI
Pretzels	83
Rice Cakes	87
Scones	92
Cornflakes	80

As always, make sure to talk to your doctor when you’re making any dietary changes.

References:

Glycemic index diet: What’s behind the claims. The Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/glycemic-index-diet/art-20048478. August 1, 2017

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutrition Care Manual. Glycemic index. https://www.nutritioncaremanual.org/topic.cfm?ncm_toc_id=272751. Accessed  January 16, 2018.

Eleazu, C. O. (2016). The concept of low glycemic index and glycemic load foods as panacea for type 2 diabetes mellitus; prospects, challenges and solutions. African Health Sciences, 16(2), 468–479. http://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v16i2.15

What About Glycemic Load?. Glycemic Index Foundation. https://www.gisymbol.com/what-about-glycemic-load/

High, Medium and Low GI Foods. The GI Diet Guide. http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

Glycemic Index and Diabetes. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/glycemic-index-and-diabetes.html. May 14, 2014

Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange. Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Taylor RH, et al.  https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/34/3/362/4692881?redirectedFrom=fulltext. March 1981.

HOUSTON, TX September 20, 2018 – The Sola Company, maker of the better-for-you foods product line that specializes in healthy alternatives, announced today their Sola low-carb bread line is going national with an Amazon launch of all 3 available flavors.

“Excited to bring Sola bread to market! Finally, and long overdue is a bread that is low in net carbs and tastes awesome,” said Mike Servie, President of the Sola company. “We have tested other breads perceived as healthy, but actually cause huge glucose and insulin spikes. All Sola products are 3^rd party tested for great taste, low net carbs and low or no glucose and insulin release.”

Sugar has permeated many food products in the grocery store. Evidence has continued to come out linking added sugar and carbohydrates to chronic conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes[1]. Organizations like the American Cancer Society recognized the importance of addressing this dilemma by taking efforts to educate patients about diet choices that minimize intake of harmful ingredients like added sugar, without eliminating taste[2]. The Sola company has been at the forefront in promoting customer awareness of the sugars added to different products.

Sola low-carb bread contains 4 grams or less net carbs, and 30% less sugar than regular bread. Made with diabetics in mind, Sola bread causes minimal glycemic response without losing the moist, flavorful taste of bread that we know and love.

The Sola company Has been pioneering conscious eating since it’s inception in 2012. With a product line that provides better-for-you alternatives compared to the sugar and carbohydrate-load foods, Sola has carved the way to easier healthier living. Sola bread will now be available to a national audience following their other low-carb products such as Sola nut bars, granola, and sweetener.

Building on the momentum, Sola has also released a variety pack that includes all their low-carb products with two different flavors loaves of Sola bread, three Sola nuts bars and one pouch of Sola granola.

For The Sola Company’s latest news be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

About The Sola Company, LLC:

The Sola Company is a privately held company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Motivated by a personal journey to lose weight, improve wellness, yet continue to eat the delicious meals he loves, Dr. Bosarge, a leader in regenerative medical research, co-founded The Sola Company with Chef Ryan Turner, a culinary expert in low-carbohydrate diets, in 2012.

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[1] 1. Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg EW, et al. Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(4):516–524.

[2] Cut Calories and Fat, Not Flavor. American Cancer Society. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/healthy/eat-healthy-get-active/take-control-your-weight/cut-calories-and-fat-not-flavor.html. Accessed February 6, 2018.

We have always wondered what SOLA ice cream flavor we were… therefore, we created a quiz! We love our low-carb ice cream with 60% less sugar than your average ice cream and 6 or less net carbs. With a low glycemic spike, it’s perfect for those on a low-carb or keto lifestyle.

Are you the rebel Sola Mint Chocolate Chip or maybe more of a quiet type like the Sola French Vanilla Bean? Take the quiz to find out!

Where can you find Sola ice cream: http://bit.ly/Sola-Store

Or order our other Sola products: http://bit.ly/Sola-Products

The bread aisle can be one of the most challenging areas of the grocery store to avoid sugar-dense, carbohydrate-laden foods. At Sola, we think bread should be low-carb, packed with fiber and protein, and still taste as delicious as ever. Whether you’re looking for a lifestyle change because of personal or medical concerns, our low carbohydrate bread will satisfy all of your carb-cravings without sacrificing taste.

Our fluffy, moist and flavor-packed low-carb bread is diabetic friendly with only 4 or less net carbs, 5 grams or more of protein, and 5 grams or more of fiber! Sola low-carb bread provides the nutrients your body needs while avoiding a glycemic spike from occurring.

After some comparative testing, we’ve found that major leading breads have a glucose increase of 156% – 244%¹ greater than Sola bread. It’s known that high-glycemic foods increase blood glucose, insulin, and fat storage. Meanwhile, low-glycemic foods tend to decrease the formerly stated symptoms². At Sola, we want to make sure that we are using ingredients that help you along the way to cutting out the excess sugars hiding in the food aisles.

Another reason to change to Sola bread is our commitment to taste! We’ve created bread that looks, feels, and tastes exactly like bread without the bad stuff. Whether you want White Wheat, Sweet Oat, or Deliciously Seeded, our bread is here to provide a keto-friendly, low-sugar, healthy alternative bread. No matter your usage for Sola bread, it won’t let you down with its savory taste.

We didn’t want to keep our bread confined to only several locations… so we put up our bread on Amazon! Yes, you read that right, you can now order 2-pack and 3-pack of your favorite Sola bread and get it delivered right to your doorstep. Our mission at Sola is to provide healthy substitutions for everyday staples, while getting rid of all the bad processed carbohydrates and refined added sugars.

We also have our Sola Nut Bars, Sola Granola, and Sola Sweeteners available to purchase through Amazon. No matter where you are, you can indulge in your favorite Sola snacks.