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Thurs Nov 9, 2017

  • Nov 9, 2017
  • 3 min read

For time:

200 Double unders 100 Wall Balls (20/14 - 10') 75/50 Cal Row 50/35 Cal Bike 25 Clean & Jerk (135/95)

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High Fiber, Low Carb Flax Seed Pizza Crust

By Coach Courtney, RD www.vitalitynutrition.ca

This pizza recipe is loaded with fiber and healthy fats from the flax seeds. If you require a gluten-free diet, prefer to eat lower carb, are looking to increase your intake of plant based omega 3s, or just want to try something new - this recipe is for you!

You may be wondering why this recipe would be considered low carbohydrate if there are carbohydrates listed in the nutritional information. In short, the pizza is low in what is referred to as “net carbs” - this may be a term you’ve seen on nutrition labels or heard used by people who closely monitor their total carbohydrate intake. Manufacturers of products marketed to low-carb dieters often do the math for you, proclaiming net carb counts on the package front or prominently on the nutrition label.

Net carbs refer to the carbohydrate in the recipe when fibre is deducted. The flax seeds in this recipe are very high in fibre, thus, most of the carbohydrate they contribute is fibre-containing. If we look on the Nutrition Facts table for the flax seeds used in the recipe, you can see:

Total carbohydrates = 10g Fibre = 8g Net carbs = 10 - 8 = 2g

Fibre is included in the “carbohydrate” category and is the portion of plants that cannot be digested by the human digestive tract. Net carbs (or available carbohydrates) is used to determine the amount of carbohydrate that will affect blood sugar and contribute to total calories.

Note: some types of fibre (soluble fibre) can be fermented by the bacteria in our gut into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These SCFA to provide our body with some energy (calories).

There are many reasons to include fibre in your diet.

  1. Managing body weight: fibre rich foods take longer to digest and therefore result in a feeling of increased fullness (you won’t need to eat as much to feel satisfied)

  2. Lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol: one type of fibre (soluble fibre) helps to lower the bad cholesterol by binding to it

  3. Aids in healthy digestion: by normalizing bowel movements

  4. Regulate blood sugar: by slowing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates

  5. Short chain fatty acids (SCFA): fibre is broken down into short chain fatty acids which is fuel for the good bacteria that live in our guts!

It is recommended that you eat 14g of fibre for every 1000 calories you consume. As a general rule, females should aim for 25g per day and men should aim for 35g per day. Meeting your daily fibre requirements is important because it means you are filling your diet with micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) rich foods that will keep you full, energized, and healthy.

You can eat more than the recommended amount of fibre but make sure you increase your intake slowly to give your body time to adjust. This recipe for Flax Seed Pizza is very high fibre - if your body isn’t use to high fibre foods you may feel bloated or experience stomach cramping! I recommend sticking to two pieces or less as each piece has over 5g of fibre but also drink lots of water. Fluids helps fibre pass through your system!

Ingredients:

  • 240g (1.5 cups) ground (milled) flax seeds

  • 3 eggs

  • 1/2 cup of water

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Add your ground flax seeds to a large mixing bowl. If you purchase the whole seed, you can grind the flax yourself in a Magic Bullet or food processor.

  2. Combine the ground flax seeds, eggs, water, baking soda, and salt

  3. Line a pizza tray with parchement paper and spray with oil.

  4. Spread your flax mixture onto your pizza tray

  5. Pre-heat your oven to 425F and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool.

  6. Add your toppings of choice and bake until the cheese melts

Note: Nutrition Facts are for 1 slice of the pizza crust without extra pizza toppings. I cut my pizza into 12 slices - but they were rather small. You may prefer to do 8-10 slices instead! Adjust the Nutrition Facts based on your yield.

Yields: 12 Servings

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 124

Carbohydrates: 6g

Fibre: 6g

Protein: 4g

Fat: 7g


 
 
 

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