Weird Brownies

No, they are probably not what you’re thinking…:wink:
A while back, I got an email with a recipe for flax walnut brownies and now that I have tried them, they seem to give me very surprising bg levels.
I am T2 on metformin and mostly always low-carb eating (30-60 grams per day).
Recently, I have had high bg readings (120+ morning, 160s noon, 150s evening) and have been worried that maybe the metformin is not working anymore.

However, since I do have a weakness for dark moist brownies, I decided to make the brownies to use up some flax and walnuts I had. Once I started eating the brownies (hot out of the pan- LOL) my bg readings went down into the 80s and have stayed there!!! all day. Even my fasting bg has been 85-87 every morning, much better than it was ever before.

Since I have been eating these brownies, along with a usual low carb diet (although I have been eating a little less regular food because I have been having a brownie with every meal), for 4 days so far, and the bg readings are all REALLY great, I can’t help but wonder if it is the brownies that are affecting me this weird way. Nothing else that I can tell has changed except brownies (exercise, sleep, meds, diet, etc) .

So I am really curious if anybody else who is on a <60 grams of carb a day diet has this unusual reaction to these brownies (or maybe the same reaction but to another high flax recipe?).
Anyhow, here is the exact recipe with my notes, in case anyone else is interested in trying it - if you do, please post if you had any different bg readings that you think might be caused by these weird brownies - Thanks!

Flax Walnut Low Carb Brownies

1/4 lb salted butter
2 cups powdered erythritol (this ingredient is important to the brownies - we get it online)
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp sea salt
4 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
2 cups flax seed meal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup water
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup Splenda (I prefer zero carb Sweetzfree drops instead)
2 cups walnut meats (if they are smaller pieces, the brownies will be easier to cut)

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9X13 pan.

  1. Cream the butter until fluffy and add the erythritol mixing well.

  2. Beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time.

  3. Add salt and cocoa, beat well.

  4. Add chocolate, beat until fluffy.

  5. Add everything else -vanilla, flax, baking powder, cream, water, Splenda, and walnuts and mix well to combine.

  6. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake for 35 minutes until top springs back, or a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Do not overbake!

  7. Cool, then cut into 40 squares. The texture is much better when the brownies are cool than when warm. Each brownie has about 1 gram of carb. They are not quite like “regular” brownies, but they are a pretty good substitute.

so disappointed after that title. if they work for you Great! any idea how many carbs in this?

The recipe that I got said they had about 1 gram per brownie.

I eat about 30-50 grams of carbs per day. I too have noticed a positive effect of flax on my blood glucose

I found this recipe in an old post from Kristin and tried it. I found if I ate this about an hour or 2 after dinner it would lower my blood glucose, not as much as you, but significantly. So I then threw caution to the wind and added some vanilla Hagen-Das (2 - 3 tablespoons) This is real Ice Cream with sugar in it. I noticed the same effect, a lowering of my sugar, beyond what I would ordinarily experience, and no penalty form the ice cream. Haven't had any lately because even though it's low carb it is not low calorie and I'm trying to loose some weight.

Others here have tried this microwave flax muffin for breakfast and have noticed a positive effect on their sugar. I have this many days for breakfast, but dawn phenomenon covers any positive effect for me. Made in a bowl without the sweetener it can substitute for a hamburger bun.

Kristin's 3 Minute Chocolate Carmel Flax Cake for One

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons melted butter(0 carbs)
1/4 cup Ground Flax Meal (5g carb, almost all fiber- check the packaging)
1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder (2 carbs)
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder (1 carb)
2 tablespoons liquid sweetner or Davinci's Carmel Sugar free Syrup, I use some liquid toffee flavored stevia (0 carbs).
1 Egg (0-1)

How To Prepare: Melt butter in a small microwave safe dish, mine was about 2 1/2 inches x 5 inches and about 1 inch deep. Mix in all ingredients and microwave for 1 minute in the same dish.

Let cool slightly and enjoy.

Others who tried it said it came out soupy. I think I'm using more flax, as mine is like a cake brownie, I also usually add walnuts.

I'm intrigued as your recipe has some other ingredients mine doesn't. I think I'll try it this weekend and see if I notice the same effect you do. Sure would be nice.

Thanks BadMoonT2 for the flax recipe - it sounds like a great alternative to try to the brownies.
As soon as this pan of brownies is gone, I plan to give Kristin’s recipe a try.

I’d be happy to hear about any other good recipes with lots of flax to see if they work as well, too, since I suspect that is what causes my lowering of the bg. I found they have 2.5lb bags of flaxmeal at Sam’s for about $10.

And here I was just trying to use up that bag of flax in the freezer!
Actually have been having quite a hard time finding ways to use flaxmeal that I like - other than Gerri’s wonderful Nut Granola recipe and adding it to Atkins Revolution Rolls.

I have been eating a tiny 1/4 cup of Flax Pumkin granola and I have been having much lower BS in the am. I think its the Flax. I had made some flax bread and it did the same thing, lower my BS. I think Flax is amazing:) hehe

Be cautious about using flax. I used flaxseed meal in a lot of recipes, but I avoid it after doing some research. Carly, I now sub white chia seeds for the flaxseeds in granola. Chia seeds don’t have to be ground like flax.



http://equinexia.jimdo.com/chia_seed_versus_flaxseed.php (this company sells chia seeds, but I checked his research)

http://www.livestrong.com/article/76960-side-effects-warnings-flaxs…

http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/flaxseed-sideeffects.php



If you’re a woman, flaxseeds have phytoestrogen efffects.



From the Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/flaxseed/NS_patient-flaxseed/DSECTION=safety


“One study reports that the menstrual period may be altered in women who take flaxseed powder by mouth daily. Due to the possible estrogen-like effects of flaxseed ( not flaxseed oil), it should be used cautiously in women with hormone sensitive conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids, or cancer of the breast, uterus, or ovary. Some natural medicine textbooks advise caution in patients with hypothyroidism, although little scientific information is available in this area. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil may increase the risk of bleeding, based on early studies that show decreased clotting of blood. Caution is advised in patients with bleeding disorders, in people taking drugs that increase the risk of bleeding, and in people planning to undergo medical, surgical, or dental procedures. Dosing of blood-thinning medications may need to be adjusted. In animal studies, flaxseed has increased the number of red blood cells.



Several studies in humans report an increased risk of prostate cancer in men taking alpha-linolenic acid (which is present in flaxseed) by mouth. One small study of men with prostate cancer reports that flaxseed supplements do not increase prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. Until more information is available, men with prostate cancer or at risk for prostate cancer should avoid flaxseed and alpha-linolenic acid supplements.”

Thanks for the heads up Gerri. I had also read that the omega-3s in flax are inferior as a supplement. Unfortunately the Chia seeds wouldn’t seem to be a replacement for flax in baking, if for no other reason than they are pretty pricey. Another miracle food bites the dust.

Yes, thanks Gerri !
I’ll have to look into the chia seeds, too.
And thanks for the links-

I was bummed. I’m looking for a reasonably priced source & will let everyone know. We need a Tu buying club to buy in bulk! They’re easily ground in a coffee bean grinder, but they don’t have to ground to be digestible… Chia seeds aren’t heavy in recipes like flaxseeds & they don’t go rancid quickly. Very mild flavor. There are white chia seeds & black seeds. They can also be used as a thickener. When soaked for a bit in water, they gel.

I bake a lot of low carb cookies, muffins, breads. My main ingredients are Flaxseed, Almond meal, Coconut Flour, Coconut Oil and other ground nut flours. Yesterday I was bored and made some Almond Meal/ Flaxseed Cookies and some blueberry Muffins. I had several last night after a big bowl of chilli. Before bed # was 88, Fasting number was 88. I had a few with my morning Coffee and bg was 72 at 2 hours. So they are very good at lowering bgs. I don’t worry about the flaxseed, it has kept me very healthy and raised my HDL to 89.