Bye Bye Bisque :(

By Annie Conner


I made a disappointing discovery today…. but before I get into that let me start from the beginning.


My previous entries have been about my “low-carb” quest. For the past two months I’ve significantly decreased the amount of bread, potatoes and pasta from my diet. It’s been tough because I LOVE these foods, however, I realized that I was consuming WAY too much of them and I wanted to see what effect they had on my health/weight. As I mentioned in my last two blogs, I’ve seen many positive results which I won’t get into again but I have had a struggle with finding good “replacement” foods. Restaurants are the most difficult when it comes to low-carb foods and there are only so many salads I can handle in one week.

So, I was overjoyed when I stumbled upon a little soup called Seafood Bisque. I had never had it before and on a whim decided to try it. WOW! Love at first taste. Two amazing “Bisque stops” are George’s (off of Binford and 71st) and Joe’s Crab Shack. My mouth is watering just writing about it. Discovering this little jewel gave me new encouragement and motivation to stick with my low-carb diet because I had just found a delightful replacement. And I came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be unhealthy because it’s soup, right? (You can probably tell right about now that my “health knowledge” of food is very limited) And it’s low-carb too!

But this is what I found today in my inbox. The article below destroyed my hope and love of bisque. I almost wished that I hadn’t read it…ignorance really is bliss in this case. Unless you want to know the truth DON’T proceed.

I do have to say though, articles like these do help you make healthier choices (even if you don’t want to make the healthy choice) and provide you with great “healthy” substitutions. I highly recommend signing up for weekly “diet tips” so you can stay on course with those healthy food decisions.

I just wish it wasn’t about Bisque….

What's Healthier: Lobster Bisque or New England Clam Chowder?

Chowders seem like the perfect food for both cold, wintry days and summertime escapes to the seashore. If you're staring down a menu that features both lobster bisque and New England clam chowder, you might not quibble over which one is a healthier (or not quite as awful) choice. After all, they're both laden with fat and calories, right? Well, yes, you're right — but one of them is almost 200 calories more per serving.

New England clam chowder: 543 calories
Lobster bisque: 710 calories Calories saved: 167 calories

Why it's a bargain: While it's not a total bargain (tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder is a better bet), New England clam chowder wins the distinction because it is made with milk or cream, while lobster bisque is made with heavy cream. Bisque, after all, means thick and creamy, so what would you expect?

What to look out for: Lower calories aside, New England clam is still loaded with almost 40 grams of fat for a two-cup serving. If you have to have it, order it in a cup rather than a bowl.

http://www.dietdetective.com/daily-diet-tip.aspx?issueid=40986