(NAPSA)—More and more Americans are trading their remote controls for gym passes and bread baskets for vegetable plates, with a whopping 21 percent of us following either Atkins or other low-carb diet. Created in the mid-19th century and rediscovered in the 1970s, the low-carb trend is creating a whole new menuof low-carb foods and beverages catering to the healthy lifestyle consumer. Consumers started shedding carbs from their diets when research found that restricting intake of carbohydrates switches your body’s metabolism from using glucose as fuel to burning dietary and stored fats. This process, knownaslipo-lysis, begins when the body enters a state called ketosis after running out of carbohydrates to burn. Additionally, lowcarb diets have been shown to raise levels of HDL (or “good”) cholesterol by 11 percent and lower triglycerides (which have been linked to heart disease and stroke) by 17 percent. New low-carb beverages are making it easy for consumers to maintain a low-carb wayof life while enjoying themselvesatcelebrations and gatherings with friends. Instead of heavy beers and ciders, consumers can indulge with a low-carb beverage without ruining their weight and fitness goals. Thin Ice, a new malt beverage, created by Long Beach Brewing Co., now on the shelves, weighs in with just one gram of carbohydrates and 90 calories—while still Now you can party with a great tasting low-carb and low-calorie malt beverage. having the same alcohol content of a light beer. This is the lowest combination of calories and carbs available in a beer or malt beverage. It’s actually more than 30 times lighter in carbs than the leading hard lemonade, and still lower in carbs and calories than even low-carb beers such as Michelob Ultra. Sugar-free Thin Ice is made with Splenda, the no-calorie, Atkins-approved sweetener. It’s a great addition to every party—even people who aren’t watching carbs or calories will enjoy this refreshing citrus-flavored beverage. “Everybody is more health conscious today, especially at this time of year,” says brewer Mike Herbert. “No one wants to ruin what they’ve accomplished at the gym by enjoying a few drinks out with friends.” Learn more thinice.com. at www.drink
