The Dukan Diet (8 page)

Always cook your fish without oil or butter, but moisten it with lemon juice or a little soy sauce, and sprinkle with herbs and spices. Enjoy it baked, poached, or steamed.

Here I include crustaceans and all shellfish: shrimp, crayfish, crab, lobster, scallops, oysters, clams, and mussels, as well as squid and octopus.

Keep these in mind and use them to add a festive touch to your
menu and make it interesting and varied. They are also very filling and satisfying.

• All poultry is allowed except birds with flat bills, such as farm-reared goose and duck, provided you do not eat the skin. You can leave the skin on when cooking and remove it on your plate at the last moment so that the meat does not dry out.
  
• Chicken is the most popular poultry product and the most practical one for the pure protein Attack diet. Everything is allowed except the outside part of the wings, which is too fatty and cannot be separated from the skin. However, you should be aware that different parts of the chicken have different amounts of fat. The leanest part is the white breast meat, followed by the thigh, then the wing. Finally, the chicken should be as young as possible.
  
• Turkey in all forms is allowed, as are Cornish hens and quail. If you have access to game birds such as pheasant and wild duck, which is lean, these are also permitted.
  

For some time now, low-fat ham and smoked turkey or chicken has been available in supermarkets. They have a fat content between 2 and 4 percent. This is far below the fat content of lean meats and the leanest of fish. They are highly recommended and are very easy to use. They are perfect to take with you for lunch.

The same goes for thinly sliced dried beef and the Italian version,
bresaola
, which comes from dried beef fillet. These are very lean and tasty delicatessen products that unfortunately are also relatively expensive. Remember that deli hams and cured hams are not allowed, nor is smoked ham, which is even fattier.

Eggs can be eaten hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, or in an omelet, but always without any butter or oil. Unless you are sure of the source of your eggs, they should be cooked through; undercooked eggs carry the risk of salmonella. If you have access to pasteurized eggs, this will not be an issue. Egg substitutes, fresh, frozen, or powdered, can be an alternative to eggs if you want to cut your intake of fat and cholesterol, which are concentrated in the egg’s yolk. These products, like Eggbeaters, or Better’n Eggs, contain 99 percent egg whites. The other one percent consists of undefined “natural flavor,” coloring, spices, salt, onion powder, xanthan gum and guar gum.

To make your eggs more sophisticated and less monotonous, you can add shrimp or even some shredded crab. Try omelets with chopped onion or a few asparagus tips just for the flavor, ham, and spices. In a diet in which quantities are not restricted, eggs can be problematic because the yolks are high in cholesterol. Anyone with a high cholesterol level should consume no more than 3 or 4 egg yolks a week. But egg whites, a pure protein par excellence, can be eaten without restriction. You can make omelets using just one yolk for every two whites. Some people are allergic to eggs; of course they should avoid them.

If you are not allergic to eggs, do not have a high cholesterol count, and cook them without oil or butter, you may eat 2 eggs every day without running any risk during the brief Attack phase.

In the last decade, I have noticed a reduction in the appetite for meat, especially among women. Vegetable proteins come from soy and wheat (gluten); most come from Asia, in particular Japan.

Here I will discuss seven foods that are very high in protein and low in fat. However,
note that only the first two—tofu and seitan—have the relationship between proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that allows them to be used in unlimited quantities
, like the foods in the seven previous categories. The last five—tempeh, soy steaks or vegetable burgers, textured
soy protein (TSP), soy milk, and soy yogurt—are foods that I would reserve only for vegetarian readers who do not consume meat or fish. For nonvegetarians, these five foods should be thought of only as “tolerated foods,” and used occasionally, assuming you are meeting your weight loss goals. See
this page
for more information about these “tolerated foods.”

Tofu
Tofu comes in several forms, the most common of which are silken and firm or extra firm, and is widely available in supermarkets as well as natural and health food stores.

Tofu benefits enormously from being marinated in the sauce of your choice for a few hours before cooking. To allow it to better soak up the flavor of the marinade, be sure to remove all its water by pressing it between two plates using a weight.

Firm tofu is stored like mozzarella, refrigerated in water that should be changed every 2 days, for not more than 10 days.

Tofu holds a favored position in the Dukan Diet. You can now find herbed tofu, curried tofu, and smoked tofu. You can find tofu dumplings, vegetarian sausages, stir fries, and ravioli made using tofu, all of very high quality and great flavor.

A word of warning!
Not all these
dishes and presentations have been cooked in accordance with our dieting requirements, and you should look closely at their labeling in order to avoid those with a fat content of over 8 percent, and, of course, dishes like ravioli or dumplings are not suitable for the Attack phase of the diet.

Seitan
Seitan, or “vegetable meat,” is made with wheat protein rather than soy protein. Its resistant texture is reminiscent of meat, which allows it to be used in stews, prepared on skewers, or braised.

Seitan can be found ready to use, natural or flavored, in Asian stores, natural and health food stores, and some well-stocked supermarkets. While used primarily by vegetarians and vegans as a source of protein, I think it is high time for it to be introduced to a wider audience, especially people who are trying to lose weight.

On a nutritional level, seitan is a food extremely rich in protein (25 percent) and low in calories (110 calories per 100 grams). It also contains very few carbohydrates, almost no fat, and no cholesterol. Use seitan by the date on the package; it can also be frozen for longer storage.

To cook seitan, pan-frying it gently in a covered nonstick pan over low heat will make it become more tender. Quick-frying it will make it hard. To maintain the best consistency and flavor, avoid using slices that are too thick. Think about marinating the slices in a mix of soy sauce and herbs, spices, and oil before adding it to the pan. You will find a number of delicious recipes for seitan on the Dukan Diet website (
www.dukandiet.com
).

Tempeh
Of Indonesian origin, tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans. Tempeh has a firm texture and a natural nutty mushroom taste. It is rich in protein, with a low fat content and no cholesterol. It is a choice food for vegetarians.

A word of warning!
Tempeh’s carbohydrate content limits its place in my diet, where it can only be used as a tolerated food.

Soy or Vegetable Burgers
Soy and vegetable burgers are useful essentially to vegetarians who do not eat meat. A very large variety of these products is sold by the large food retailers, but the disadvantage of this wide choice of brands and flavors is the mix of very different ingredients.
Some burgers are soy based, whereas others are based on cereals or on vegetables. This variety has a big impact on the nutritional composition.

It is essential to read the labels on these products, as the fat content can vary from single to double digits. It is also important to check the carbohydrate content, which is the limiting factor in my diet. I have selected two brands from among the most widely used products, Boca and MorningStar Farms.

From Boca, choose Boca Grilled Vegetable, Boca All American Flame Grilled, Boca Original Vegan, or Boca Cheeseburger. From MorningStar Farms, choose MorningStar Farms Classic Burger made with Organic Soy or MorningStar Farms Grillers.

Textured Soy Protein (TSP)
Textured soy protein products are prepared using de-oiled soy flour that is mixed with water and heated under pressure. The mixture is then dried and broken up into granules or larger pieces.

Textured soy proteins have numerous advantages. They contain twice as much protein as beef. They are low in calories and do not contain cholesterol. They can be easily stored and can be kept for a very long time. Finally, they are very good value and easy to cook. Their texture is similar to meat, and they are designed to be hydrated and prepared in the same way as meat. In their raw state, they have a crunchy consistency and a hint of peanut flavor, which makes them very appealing as a snack.

A word of warning!
In my diet, as is the case for tempeh, the carbohydrate content in TSP products means that they can only be used as a tolerated food.

Soy Milk
Soy milk is a nondairy drink high in vegetable proteins and low in calories, carbohydrates, calcium, and vitamin D. It does not contain cholesterol.

Soy milk can be used as a milk substitute for individuals who do not drink cow’s milk: vegetarians and people who are lactose-intolerant or do not like the taste of cow’s milk or have a tendency toward high cholesterol.

Soy milk can be drunk plain or flavored and can be used to make all kinds of sauces usually based on milk, such as Béchamel.

A word of warning!
Because of its carbohydrate content, you are limited to 2 glasses of unflavored soy milk per day, to replace nonfat cow’s milk.

Soy yogurt
Soy yogurt is made from soy milk and has the same characteristics. It offers an alternative to people who are lactose-intolerant, who have difficulty digesting dairy products, or who are pure vegans.

With regard to its nutritional and calorific value, soy yogurt is very similar to low-fat milk yogurt, with an average fat content of 2 percent depending on the brand, but cholesterol-free.

You are permitted two 6-ounce natural soy yogurts (no sugar) per day.

Nonfat milk, nonfat yogurt, nonfat sour cream, nonfat cream cheese, and nonfat cottage cheese were developed to make losing weight easier. Just as the transformation of milk into cheese is responsible for the elimination of lactose, the only sugar found in milk, these fat-free dairy products contain practically nothing but protein, which is why they are so useful when we are looking for pure proteins during the Attack phase.

For some years now, milk producers have sold a new generation of yogurts sweetened with aspartame or Splenda or enriched with fruit pulp. While artificial sweeteners and other flavorings have no calorie content, the added fruit introduces unwanted carbohydrates. This drawback is compensated for by the fact that these gratifying treats give you the opportunity to enjoy a sweet and so can help you follow the overall diet program.

So that the following instructions are clear, there are three sorts of 0 percent fat yogurt: (1) natural yogurt; (2) flavored yogurts (e.g., coconut, vanilla, lemon); and (3) fruit yogurts, which have little bits of fruit or a fruit purée base.

• Natural and flavored yogurts are allowed without any restriction.
  
• Nonfat fruit yogurts are allowed, but no more than 8 ounces per day. However, if you want a lightning-fast start to your Attack phase diet, you are better off avoiding them altogether and even more so if you have hit a weight plateau.
  

As I have already told you, and at the risk of repeating myself, drinking 1½ quarts of water a day is indispensable and non-negotiable. Even if you are following the diet very carefully, if you do not thoroughly flush out your system, your weight loss will stop. The waste from your burning of fats will accumulate and extinguish the metabolic fire.

All types of water are allowed, including spring waters, as long as they do not contain too much sodium. If you do not like plain water, you can drink carbonated water, since carbonation has no effect on weight; it is only water high in sodium that must be avoided.

In addition, if you do not care for cold drinks, remember that tea, herbal tea, coffee, and any other hot drink are all assimilated as water and count toward your obligatory 1½ quarts of water per day.

Finally, diet drinks that do not have more than 1 calorie per 8 ounces are all allowed at every stage of the Dukan Diet. Nutritionists are divided when it comes to drinks sweetened with aspartame. Some think that the body detects and compensates for their trickery, whereas others think that their use provokes further cravings for sugar.

As far as I am concerned, my experience has taught me that abstaining from sugar, no matter for how long, never gets rid of the taste or the longing for sugar. So I see no reason to deprive yourself of this calorie-free treat. Furthermore, I have noticed that using these drinks make following the diet a lot easier and that their sweet flavor, strong smell, color, and bubbles, as well as their association with festivities and fun, all contribute to a powerful sensory gratification that soothes those cravings for “something else” that so often tempt those of us who like to snack.