For much of her life, Judith Emily Cabigting, known to most as Coach J, had a deep love for sweets, such as cakes, pastries, and anything sugar-laden. She baked them all not as a profession but as a passion. It was a hobby that felt more like second nature, a joyful indulgence. But in 2019, her relationship with food took a dramatic turn.
That year, a corporate client introduced her to the low-carb diet, a way of eating that would challenge everything she had believed about health and nutrition. It wasn’t an easy shift. For more than a decade, she had been a vegetarian, a lifestyle she had adopted to help heal from ovarian cancer. “I believed that food could heal our bodies,” she said. “But I never expected my journey to take this direction.”
What followed was a complete dietary transformation. From avoiding meat entirely, she pivoted to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate way of eating, cutting out the very foods she had once loved — bread, rice, and sugar. The transition was stark, and with it came a realization that, in the Philippines, where rice is served at nearly every meal and desserts are unapologetically sweet, finding low-carb alternatives was nearly impossible. Rather than give up, she turned to her kitchen.
Like many who venture into low-carb eating, Coach J first sought to recreate the foods she missed. “At first, I was just baking for myself,” she said. “But nothing tasted right.” She scoured the internet for recipes, tested variations, and failed — repeatedly. Baking without traditional flour and sugar is a science unto itself. The first breads she made were dense, crumbly, far from the soft, pillowy texture she craved. “I thought, maybe this is just how low-carb bread tastes,” she recalled. “But I wasn’t satisfied.”
She kept experimenting, adjusting ratios, sourcing better ingredients — many of which were expensive and difficult to find at the time. Then, on a whim, she posted her creations on social media. Friends and acquaintances, many struggling with diabetes, weight management, or other health concerns, took notice. They had questions. They wanted to try. They wanted to buy.
At first, she hesitated. “I wasn’t confident,” she said. “But people needed options.” What started as small-batch orders from her home kitchen quickly scaled. By 2020, she had formally launched Keto Goodies Ph, one of the first dedicated low-carb and sugar-free bake shops in the country.
Selling low-carb pastries in a carb-loving nation was no easy feat. “The biggest challenge wasn’t the baking,” she said. “It was education.” Filipinos have long equated “sugar-free” with “healthy,” but not all sugar substitutes are truly low-carb. Some alternative sweeteners still cause blood sugar spikes, and many so-called diet products are far from keto-friendly. “Diabetics and people with health conditions are meticulous,” she explained. “If their blood sugar rises after eating something, they’ll know immediately that it’s not truly low-carb.”
She took it upon herself to educate her customers, explaining the science behind the lifestyle, breaking down misconceptions, and advocating for transparency in food labeling. It was an uphill battle, but one that has paid off. Today, low-carb eating in the Philippines is on the rise. Once-scarce ingredients — like almond flour and erythritol — are now easier to find, with more local suppliers entering the market. This accessibility, she said, has lowered costs and encouraged more home bakers to experiment.
Unlike many bakers who guard their recipes as trade secrets, Coach J took a different approach. She started sharing her knowledge freely, launching workshops, online tutorials, and a Facebook community called Low Carb Bakers Ph. “I believe in empowering people,” she said. “The more people who learn how to bake sugar-free, the more lives we can change.” Her students are diverse — some are home bakers looking to start businesses, others are parents of children with ADHD or special dietary needs. Many, she noted, aren’t even following a low-carb diet themselves, but want to provide healthier alternatives for their families. “I always tell them that if I can do it, anyone can,” she said. “I never went to culinary school. But I made it happen.”
As demand grew, so did the need for structured learning materials. Earlier this year, Coach J released an e-book titled Low-Carb Baking 101 with Coach J, featuring 40+ recipes for breads, pastries, and even sugar-free coffee drinks and smoothies. “The biggest struggle for new bakers is getting the texture right,” she said. “So I break everything down — techniques, ingredient swaps, tips for making it work.” Since its launch, the book has been downloaded by over 200 people, many of them from overseas. A print version may soon follow.
Keto Goodies Ph’s best-selling treats. (Photo by Rolando/Simpol.ph)
At Keto Goodies Ph, some of the best-selling treats include the Low-Carb Brownie Pistachio Crunch Cake and the Low-Carb Brazo de Mercedes, a flourless meringue roll that is naturally suited for keto baking. But her most popular item is the Low-Carb Pistachio Cake, a sugar-free take on the viral Dubai-style pistachio cake. Rather than simply replicating the trend, she rebuilt the dessert from the ground up, creating a version that was lower in carbohydrates but just as indulgent. The cake layers are made from sugar-free chocolate, the filling is a pistachio yogurt mousse, and the whole thing is topped with a low-carb caramel sauce. Even the chocolate decorations are sourced from Keto Kusina Food Products, a company specializing in sugar-free confections. “Everything, even the chocolate, is keto-friendly,” she said.
“This holds me accountable,” she said. “Since I bake low-carb every day, it reminds me to stay on track.” She has seen the impact of low-carb eating firsthand — not just in her customers, but in herself. “I used to suffer from migraines, ulcers, acidity, and ovarian disease,” she said. “Now, I feel healthier than ever.”
For those interested in starting a low-carb baking business, Coach J offers three key lessons. First, she said, understand the lifestyle. “Customers will ask questions. If you believe in what you’re selling, you’ll build trust.” Second, be transparent. “If you offer both regular and low-carb products, make sure customers know the difference.” Lastly, label your products accurately. “Proper nutritional info builds credibility and helps people make informed choices.”
Through her bakeshop, workshops, and advocacy, she hopes to make low-carb living more accessible. “I always tell people that you don’t have to give up sweets,” she said. “You just have to make them healthier.”
