Low carb round up

The roll out of low carbohydrate food products continues in the US with a chain of travel 'pitstops' and two ice cream manufacturers announcing new lines this week.

Ice cream maker Kemps has introduced a range of premium low-carb ice creams while TravelCenters of America has put together a new menu for travellers keen to stick to their Atkins- inspired diets.

'Kemps Carb Promise delivers six delectable flavors for only three-to-four net carbs,' said Rachel Kyllo, vice president for marketing at Minnesota-based Kemps.

The flavour line - distributed at leading supermarkets - features vanilla, butter pecan, chocolate peanut butter cup, vanilla fudge nut sundae, toffee fudge chunk, caramel 'cow' tracks.

In the same week, Ohio-based company Velvet Ice Cream launched new additions to its lower-carb line. In March, raspberry fudge, oregon cherry fudge, and mint chocolate chip will be available in the supermarket freezer.

According to the company, all the products have six to 10 grams of carbohydrates per serving, and 33 per cent less fat than Velvet's natural line. 'They'll be available in revamped packaging, trimmed in green with a "lower carb" banner and new carb calculator information on the side panel,' said the company.

Out of the home and on the road, a network of travel lodges is also keen to access the growing trend for low carb foods - approximately 30 million Americans are following the diet - with TravelCenters of America (TA) introducing a new menu featuring a range of low carb products.

The travel network has launched a range of carb-friendly "wraps" - sandwiches wrapped in a flour tortilla instead of a bun and filled with steak, chicken, bacon and cheese.