Not your Abuela’s Chicharrones

One of the biggest challenges with low carb eating is getting rid of your crunchy snacks. You know like potato chips, pretzels etc. Having done this for a year and a half I hardly ever get those urges but in the beginning it was a WAY more difficult. When exploring my options for snack alternatives I discovered that pork skins were ideal for a Ketogenic lifestyle. PORK SKINS?!?!?! YUCK! #1 I didn’t eat pork #2 weren’t those bad for you? #3 THE SMELL! I told myself that I would rather be miserable. That was until I was in Central Market here in Dallas and stumbled across a display for “Artisan Pork Skins” having grown up in Houston, Texas, these were obviously not your Abuela’s Chicharrones (as we called them in Spanish).  I picked up a bag of “Cracked Black Pepper” went home braced myself and was pleasantly surprised.  The smell was not overwhelming at all, they were light, and had an AMAZING FLAVOR! This triggered my curiosity and found out there was a WHOLE UNIVERSE of pork skin options out there, I didn’t have to suffer from the ones that I got from my local gas station! I will caution you that these are meant to be an occasional SNACK! That being said yes, in excess pork skins just like anything else will do your body harm (come on there is a whole technique called "water torture"). However, making better brand and quality decisions provides for a more realistic frequent option.  Not only only as snacks that but pork skins make excellent binders for burgers, breading for chicken fingers, and substitutes for croutons on salads.

 Below are my top pick for Pork skins:  All these can be found on Amazon and most specialty grocery stores. 

Pork Clouds

Pork Clouds rinds are among the healthiest options available. They are kettle cooked using 100% natural Olive Oil. Besides the fact that they are cooked in GMO (Genetically modified organisms)-free olive oil, they are also flavored with natural rock salt. Made from pure pork skin, these rinds offer a crunchy snack that is healthier than most options.
They come in Classic Black Pepper and a unique Rosemary 

4505 Chicharrones 

4505 fried pork rinds are also a fantastic alternative made with 100% natural pork, hormone, antibiotic, and gluten free. A single serving of 14 grams contains 80 calories with zero net carbs.

They come in Classic Chili and Salt, Smokehouse BBQ, and Jalapeño Cheddar

Field Trip Crispy Cuts 

Field Trip Crispy Cuts are among the few options that are gluten-free and non-GMO. The Field trip rinds are made from 100% natural ingredients without preservatives or any artificial flavors.
The interesting part is that the field trip pork rinds are fried in pork fat, which means that they are not associated with any other external oil.
They Come in Parmesan peppercorn, Island BBQ, and Sweet chipotle

Epic Pork Rinds 
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Epic’s claim to fame is that they use the entire animal rather than just the back or belly to make sure nothing goes to waste. They also pride themselves in using naturally raised, antibiotic-free pigs. These pork skins use simple seasonings combined with unique processing techniques. Rather than frying the pork rinds in their own fat, EPIC takes a new approach that creates a pork rind that contains 40% less fat per serving than the leading fried pork rinds. This process means you end up with a satisfying and tasty pork rind that is just a little bit healthier for you.

They come in Chili Lime, Crackling Maple Bacon, Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Pepper