Weightwatchers Reimagned is the new strapline for WW. Why anyone would mess with a name known around the world, is mystifying.
WW vs the Keto Diet compares the two. Obviously, WW wants potential dieters to choose their diet programme. The #1 Weight Loss Diet accolade is from US News and World Report, not from any scientific study. Equally, criticisms of ketogenic diets, don’t give scientific evidence against keto.
Weightwaters vs Ketogenic Diet
WW states: ‘With WW no foods are off limits, but we appreciate that sometimes you might be looking to lower your carb intake”. WW then suggests ‘satisfying proteins’ like skinless chicken and turkey breasts.
WW gives nine low carb recipes.. which aren’t low carb.

Corn, chicken and kale soup (serves 4)
A 340g can of, for example, Green Giant sweetcorn, contains 11.8g carbs per 100g therefore over 35g of carbs. Some people will allow themselves less than this, for their entire carb intake, in a day. This recipe would only be suitable for those doing a lower carb diet, not a ketogenic one.
Stuffed courgettes (serves 4)
This recipe isn’t low carb, if followed precisely. However, it can be adapted to be low carb, by changing to full fat cottage cheese and using olive oil or coconut oil, instead of a calorie-counted cooking spray. The balsamic vinegar would be around 2.7 g of carbs for 15ml. Seven cherry tomatoes (80g) would typically contain around 2.9g of carbs. However at 3.6g carbs per 100g, 400g of cherry tomatoes at 14.4g carbs, might seem be too much for those doing keto rather than low carb, but the recipe serves four.
Cajun turkey salad (serves 2)
To make this recipe low carb, the calorie-controlled cooking spray needs to be switched out for a brush with olive oil. Choose the lowest carb Cajun seasoning you can find. The recipe calls for piquante peppers in brine, but many of these have added sugar and chemical preservatives. You can find peppers without these, however. Cooks & Co Roasted Red Peppers in Red Wine Vinegar, contains grape must not sugar, and zero preservatives. At 2.2g carbs per 100g, 10 grams will have a mere trace of carbs.
Butternut squash, red pepper and soft cheese soup (serves 4)a
A whole butternut squash is around 21.5 grams of carbs. so that’s not much, divided between people. Replace skimmed milk with fresh whole milk and if you want to really cut those lactose carbs, use Lactofree whole milk (fresh or UHT or Just Milk lactose free UHT milk. Obviously, the cooking oil spray needs to be ditched in favour of olive oil, butter or ghee – or even coconut oil.
A fat free natural yogurt is not low carb and may contain thickeners and other nasties, even sugar. An organic natural yogurt with natural probiotics would be great, or a Greek style organic yogurt. If you’ve had Greek yogurt in Greece, you’ll know that there is nothing like Fage Total Greek yogurt, which is around 5% fat, thick because it’s strained and full of probiotics. NB Fage Total in the USA is made there and not the same at all.
Sticking with dairy for the moment.. with regard to cream cheese, there are a lot of brands out there. As a low carber, carbs matter, but a cream cheese with thickeners should be in second place to a more natural product.
Sainsbury’s SO organic soft cheese is a full fat cheese made from organic pasteurised Danish milk. Currently (01/07/20) £1.55 for 250g with 24.5g fat per 100g and only 3.1g carbs per 100g.
Lactofree soft cheese is 17% fat, compared to the 11% fat of the Sainsbury’s own brand organic, but only .1g fewer carbs. No thickeners, Danish (non-organic) milk and prices are £1.30 (ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco), £1.35 (Sainsbury’s, Waitrose) for 200g.
Philadelphia Original is the brand which most people know in the UK and US. In Britain, it’s 8% fat, with locust bean gum as a thickener and added citric acid, Two sizes, 180g and 340g. 4.3g carbs per 100g, and only 9% fat. A higher fat, less carby soft cheese without any thickener and additives is better.
The stock cubes should be organic (fewer additives) and low salt eg Kallo, just so that you as cook and/or diner can adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Chicken, lime and ginger salad with coconut dressing (serves 4)
Chicken should be organic. or free range. Better tasting and better life for the bird. If you keep your ginger in the freezer, you can just grate it as you want. Limes don’t have to be organic, but since you are using the zest, unwaxed is the preference. Watercress, spinach and rocket (or WSR, as it’s known to supermarkets) is often available as a salad bag. Quite often, supermarkets don’t was spinach or rocket. Please DO wash any salad leaves as e.coli 0157 is unpleasant and can even be fatal for the very young or very old.
Coconut oil instead of a calorie-controlled cooking spray, especially because a little goes a long way, it will reinforce the coconut flavour and it won’t burn so easily when frying..
You want the highest fat coconut milk you can get, without additives and thickeners.
Instead of sweet chilli sauce, you could de-seed and finely chop a mild red chilli or two, instead of using a commercial sauce. TIP: Wear unpowdered nitrile or vinyl gloves when handling chillies and remember not to rub your eyes !
For the soy sauce, look for something low carb (often gluten free) and you may want to reduce the quantity.
Kale, panchetta and poached eggs (serves 4)
Pancetta needs to be as fatty as you can find, or you could use streaky bacon. Kale could be substituted with collard greens, green cabbage, spring greens or summer greens. Any kind of shallots will do, but if there aren’t any available, small onions. If you don’t want to spend money on an organic cucumber, just peel it. Many people get indigestion from eating cucumber skin. Malt vinegar wouldn’t be the ideal choice. but any other vinegar is fine..
Courgetti Bolognese
Website error not displaying the recipe 01/07/20. However this is simple. Just use your favourite Bolognese recipe, opting for the lowest carb pasta sauce you can find, if you don’t make it yourself. Instead of spaghetti (even the supposedly low carb stuff), spiralise some courgettes (zucchini) or buy them pre-prepared in a supermarket.
Spicy tofu and vegetable casserole (serves 4)
This has been designed for vegetarians as a winter recipe. With mixed beans, parsnips and carrots, it’s likely to be very carby.
Plain tofu isn’t that carby, but it is bland. IF there aren’t vegetarians present, lard or dripping could be used instead of the calorie-controlled cooking spray, to add flavour. Otherwise, olive oil or butter or a combination of both. As the ingredients include cumin seeds and curry powder, coconut oil could also be used. Instead of mixed beans in tomato sauce, look for the lowest carb beans that you can find. If you want to spice it up, you could add Harissa paste.
The 200g each of carrots and parsnips could be subbed with something a bit lower carb, such as celeriac (celery root) and swede (rutabaga). Smoked haddock with poached egg (serves 1)
Swap out whole milk or Lactofree whole milk for the skimmed stuff. When it comes to the egg poaching, you can add a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to the water to keep the egg white white and ensure it holds together. Why not have two eggs, if you like them.
HAMMOND & MAY: POACHING EGGS (VIDEO)