Atkins is one of the low-carb diets, and one of the earlier very popular ones. (There were also the Stillman diet, in the 1960s; and much earlier, the ‘Banting’ fad.)
Later, ‘South Beach. came along. Then came the ‘Paleo; variations.
If you do a web search on ‘low carb diet’ and ‘Paleo diet’, you’ll probably see the gamut.
These can be very useful, especially for people who have blood sugar issues; or whose health problems require rapid weight loss. (You should consult your doctor, before starting any weight-loss program.)
But I’ve got a problem with people who are fanatics, and think that ‘everyone’ should eat this way.
We definitely need to eat more whole and better quality carbs - all of the refined sugar that we are eating, for instance, is definitely helping to kill us.
But the whole world can’t give up carbs entirely. For one thing, we couldn’t feed all the people on the Earth, now, without grains and other starches.
I think some folks go overboard ‘ideological’, about this.
Just my opinion...
-JT
One observation I've made over the years of observing fads and diets is that no matter which you follow, you will find you are eating more whole foods. You'll shop the perimeter of the store almost exclusively and just get very select things like Tea, Coffee, etc. out of the aisles.
To make the point, my grandmother used to say: "When you cook, your ingredients shouldn't have ingredients." She grew up during the depression and her entire life was lived out of the garden and feedlot. Fresh, canned and later frozen, but all whole food. She passed at 90 and never had a regular prescription.