LCS, one of the most common problems I encounter in clinic and a serious obstacle when it comes to healthy outcomes.

It’s not in the medical dictionary because I completely made it up. Layer of Crap Syndrome is suffered by people who eat an otherwise very healthy diet, but just scatter a layer of junk food in between and on top of their meals. Sound familiar?!

It tends to be adults that present with this syndrome; they have learnt to like salads and vegetables and quality lean protein, but they’re also addicted to the hedonic hit that comes from a surge of processed sugar, salt and saturated fat.

Let’s take Exhibit A, a person who has scrambled eggs and berries for breakfast, a huge salad with chicken for lunch and fish with butternut squash and lots of green vegetables for dinner. When a diet is that good, it doesn’t matter if the odd cookie or bowl of ice cream sneaks in but what if – in one day – that person also had a bag of Doritos, some cookies and some gummy candies? Every day!

When this person experiences stubborn weight loss they often say: “But I eat healthy!” And it’s true that they do. But if they also eat badly, then they will accumulate junk-based calories, trigger insulin surges from high sugar items and block the uptake of good nutrients. Did you know that bad fats such as fried foods can block the uptake of brain-boosting, metabolism-supporting good fats?

When it comes to healthy eating, it’s important to consider what you DO, but what you DON’T DO too. Yes, it’s absolutely acceptable to have some treats (I tend to have a rule at home for one sweet thing a day) but try not to kid yourself if the reality is that the treats really do add up. A whole layer of rubbish on top of a healthy diet is counterproductive.

If you have LCS, try upgrading your treats to make sure they are genuinely nourishing. I love these crash-free cookies because they are so packed with protein and fibre that you get a much slower release of sugar into the blood stream. That means more sustained energy and you’re less likely to “crash” (which triggers irritability, fatigue and reaching for more junk).

These cookies are not low-calorie. But because they are nutrient dense, you really will be able to stop at one or two, feeling very satisfied. You can also feel good about quality ingredients. When you line up the ingredients for this recipe, you’ll feel OK about putting these things in your body. Next time you reach for Doritos or Chips Ahoy, take a look at the ingredient list and imagine the component parts lined up in a row. How do you feel about consuming them now?

So, give this recipe a whirl and let me know what you think. Have a great weekend, one and all!

Crash-free Chocolate-Chip Cookies (makes approximately 16)

Ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4-5 tbsps Extra Virgin coconut oil, (melted)

2.5 tbsps milk (any variety, I use flax milk)

1/2 cup sucanat (brown sugar will do)

1/3 cup Linwoods seed mix (you could just use milled flax seed but I like the mix!)

1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips (allergy friendly)

Method:

Set oven to 325F.

In a large bowl combine the almond flour, baking powder, salt, 4 tbsps oil, milk, sucanat. Mix until dough comes together.

Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and the seed mix. Combine again, using your hands at the end to form the dough. If it's not sticky enough, add the extra tbsp of coconut oil.

Divide dough into approximately 16 balls. Use your hands to roll the dough into compact balls and then flatten into pucks.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until they have spread and are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing cookies from the sheet.

Catherine Burns is a qualified nutritional therapist. For more details: www.natural.bm, 505-4725, Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook and @naturalbda on Instagram