Breadmakers feel pain from Atkins diet

Pennlive.com ^ | Nov 8 2003 | DAVID SHARP, AP

[carlo3b]

 

Breadmakers feel pain from Atkins diet

By DAVID SHARP
The Associated Press
11/8/2003, 1:18 p.m. ET

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Some bakers around the country are seeing a similar drop in business: With millions of people trying the diet created by the late low-carb guru Dr. Robert Atkins, overall bread sales are flat or down slightly, while bread-bashing seems to be at an all-time high.

A sign in Stephen Lanzalotta's bakery reads, "Senza il pane tutto diventa orfano." In Italian, that means, "Without bread everyone's an orphan."

But fewer customers are buying his European-style breads and pastries these days — thanks to the Atkins diet, many regulars are cutting back on carbohydrates. Lanzalotta says the low-carb diet has contributed to an estimated 40 percent drop in business at his shop, Sophia's.

Some customers have even stopped by to apologize.

"They'll say, 'I'm sorry. I haven't been in for six months because I'm on the Atkins diet,'" said Lanzalotta, whose muscular arms are a testament to long hours spent kneading dough.

The National Bread Leadership Council, which says 40 percent of Americans are eating less bread than a year ago, has scheduled what it calls a summit this month in Rhode Island focusing in part on low-carb diets and how to educate the public that breaking bread is still part of a healthy lifestyle.

"It's too bad that we just can't eat all foods in moderation. But no, we have to do something dramatic all the time," said Judi Adams, president of the Wheat Foods Council and a registered dietician, referring to the Atkins diet. "We have to look for this magic bullet."

Estimates of the number of Americans on low-carb diets vary widely, from 5 million to 50 million. Their boycott of bread has exacerbated a sluggish sales trend that was in place before low-carb diets became popular, said John McMillin, a food industry analyst with Prudential Equity Group Inc. in New York.

When Lanzalotta opened his bakery, bread accounted for 75 percent of sales. Now it accounts for just 15 percent. He boosted his dessert offerings and began offering sandwiches to try to make up the difference. He also adapted by selling artwork, including his own paintings.

At Standard Baking, co-owner Alison Pray said sales are nearly flat after previously growing 10 percent to 15 percent a year.

Pray sees plenty of couples stopping by, but often only one partner is eating. The other is cutting carbs.

She's a bit incredulous when customers ask if she produces anything consistent with the Atkins diet. "This one person asked me, 'Can you make a low-carbohydrate bread?' I said, 'I wouldn't know how to do it,'" she said.

Others are adapting. At Anthony's Italian Kitchen, owner Tony Barassa said his customers are ordering Syrian wraps without the wrap and panini sandwiches without the panini. They're also ordering meatballs without the spaghetti.

On Atkins, people can eat cheese, eggs and meat as long as they strictly limit carbohydrates and avoid refined carbs like white flour. White bread, pasta, potatoes and other carbo-loaded foods are blacklisted. The diet was once scorned by the medical establishment, but recent studies have shown that people lose weight without compromising their health.

The Wheat Food Council's Adams, who is based in Colorado, believes low-carb diets are just another fad. And she wonders if they're really helping.

She noted that the nation's obesity rate has continued to grow as flour consumption has declined. Wheat flour consumption has dropped by about 10 pounds a year per person since 1997, she said, calling Americans' tendency to eat too much of everything the real problem.

"We eat 300 more calories a day than we did in 1985," Adams said. "We supersize everything. We eat constantly."

Big Sky Baking Co. in Portland appears to have avoided the worst of the low-carb fallout because its whole wheat bread is the kind recommended for carb-cutters who can't resist a slice every now and again.

Owner Martha Elkus recognizes that times are changing. "The food pyramid has been turned upside down," she said.

Bread bakers aren't the only ones hurting. The pasta industry, the tortilla industry, bagel makers and even brewers of beer have taken their lumps for having too many carbohydrates.

The Tortilla Industry Association held a seminar last spring titled, "An Industry in Crisis: The High-protein, Low-carb Diet and Its Effects on the Tortilla Industry." The National Pasta Association has a "Diet Matters" section on its Web page that focuses on low-carb diets.

Joshua Sosland, executive editor of Milling and Baking News in St. Louis, said it's difficult for consumers to find good information amidst all of the hype that served to overshadow the science behind the diets. Often overlooked is the fact that bread and grains remain an important part of the federal government's diet guidelines.

"Here we have about the most healthy thing in the diet," Sosland said, "and it's being treated like it's poison."

Bakers are changing their products even as they seek to get out the message that bread remains part of a healthy lifestyle.

Flowers Foods' low-carb bread, "Nature's Own Wheat 'n Fiber," has proven to be the company's most successful new product launch to date, said Mary Krier, spokeswoman in Thomasville, Ga.

George Weston Bakeries Inc. has launched "Carb Counting" bread under its Arnold label that carries the Atkins seal. Maine-based Lepage Bakeries has introduced Country Kitchen "Lower Carb" wheat bread.

Panera Bread, a fast-growing chain that offers soups, salads and sandwiches in addition to bread, is also making changes to meet the evolving tastes of its customers. The company is testing three whole-grain breads with fewer grams of carbohydrates per slice.

"Our view of it is not to resist (the low-carb trend) but to recognize it as a real niche," CEO Ron Shaich said.

[jennyp]

Low carb biscuits - mmmmmmm... Now if they could only breed bees that make low-carb honey...

[Marysecretary]

It has more substance and it tastes better. As an advanced diabetic on insulin, I HAVE to eat carbs. Insulin works on carbs. I ended up in the hospital early one morning because my blood sugars went down to 43. It was quite a morning. I never want to repeat that. The nurse at Joslin told me it was because I wasn't eating enough carbs. So, I can enjoy them a bit now. My husband measures everything out for me, bless his heart. I cheat when I'm out though. I don't know if I could do Atkins because I have renal failure and I can't eat a lot of meat anyway because it doesn't digest well for me. I'm not horribly overweight although I used to weigh 205 for a lot of years. I'm around 163 now. I'd love to lose about 15-20 pounds but I don't think Atkins is my salvation here. Mxxx

[Politicalmom]

Could you please explain the net carb thing??

Does one just subtract the fiber grams from the grams of carbs? And why??

[CajunConservative]

Could you please explain the net carb thing??

Does one just subtract the fiber grams from the grams of carbs? And why??

From Atkins Website:

You Don't Need to Count All Carbs the Same Way

Once you know which carbs impact on your blood sugar and which do not, you can eat more of foods that give you a "free ride."

Carbohydrate is a major category of food, including all the fruits, vegetables, grains and starches. If you choose to adhere to the Atkins Nutritional Approach™ for a lifetime, you must bring some exacting standards to the process of deciding what carbohydrate foods you intend to eat. That way you can fashion a great way to eat long term—not simply a weight-loss regimen.

When doing Atkins, you will control the number of grams of carbohydrates you eat and will focus on certain food groups rather than others. One reason you will need to do this is because not all carbohydrate found in food is created equal. Most carbohydrate is digested by your body and turned into glucose—and most nutritionists refer to this as digestible carbohydrate. However, some carbohydrate can be digested by your body but not turned into glucose (glycerin is one example), and some carbohydrate is not digestible at all, such as fiber (see Fiber: A Special Kind of Carbohydrate), and is therefore eventually excreted by your body. These last two types of carbohydrate don't have an impact on your blood-sugar levels. Understanding the different behavior of carbohydrate in your body can help you make smart food choices.

Food labels indicate how much fiber is in a product, but you cannot necessarily rely on food labels. Unfortunately, in 2001 the Food and Drug Administration rejected a request by numerous health-food manufacturers to allow nondigestible and nonmetabolized carbohydrates to be listed separately on packaging. Such labeling would have given diabetics and other people with glucose/insulin disorders the information upon which to make health-promoting decisions.

The Carbs That Count

The fact that fiber is not converted to blood sugar makes for an interesting benefit for people doing Atkins, allowing you to sneak in a few extra carbs in the form of high-fiber foods. Be aware that “sneaking,” is most definitely not the same thing as cheating.

Let's compare a cookie made of white flour and sugar with a couple of fiber-rich crackers. Both contain 10 grams of carbs, but there the similarity ends. Eat the cookie and you'll send all 10 grams of carbs coursing into your bloodstream. But when you chomp into the crackers (which have, say, 4 grams of fiber) only 6 of those 10 grams impact on your blood sugar. Basically, you can deduct the grams of fiber from the food's total carb count. The net number of grams are the carbs that count when you do Atkins. (For more on Net Carbs, see The Skinny on Net Carbs.) In the case of those crackers, you got a 4 gram free ride. Consider the possibilities! By merely choosing fiber-rich foods over their flab-inducing, refined counterparts, you can benefit your health and get more bang for your carbohydrate buck. And determining which carbs count is simple: Check the total fiber grams listed on the food label and subtract that number from the total grams of carbohydrate listed. (For more information, see How to Read a Food Label.)

[CajunConservative]

For those looking for something sweet for the holidays. This looks really really good. Classic Almond Flour Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened at room temperature

1/2 cup full fat cream cheese

1 cup Splenda

5 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter, cream cheese and Splenda well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix almond flour with baking powder and add egg to mixture a little at a time while beating. Add lemon and vanilla extracts. Pour into greased 9"-10" Springform pan, ring pan, (or 9" round cake pan) and bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes.

You can change flavors for this cake by using different extract flavors and even food color if you like!

Makes 12 servings. 6.1 effective grams of carbohydrate per serving.

[Politicalmom]

Thanks. : )

[Trampled by Lambs]

atkins bump

[CajunConservative]

I would love to imbibe in the egg nog and the home-baked cookies and the jelly-filled macaroons

First of all congratulations on your weight loss. Now the fun part of maintenance begins ;) One thing that helps in making this a lifestyle change is finding substitutes for the things we used to love. Here's a couple of recipes for egg nog that looks really good.

Classic Egg Nog

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Splenda

2 eggs, separated

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brandy or rum flavoring to taste(use the real thing they have 0 carbs)

1 teaspoon eggnog flavored oil (LorAnn or Amish brand) [optional]

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped with sweetener of choice Ground nutmeg and/or mace

Beat 1/2 cup Splenda with egg yolks. Add salt, stir in 2 cups cream and 2 cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Beat egg whites until foamy then gradually add remaining Splenda, beating to soft peaks. Add to cooked mixture and blend thoroughly. Add vanilla and flavoring(s). Chill at least 3-4 hours.

Pour into punch bowl or cups. Dot with "islands" of whipped cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg and/or mace.

Serves 4. 4 grams per serving.

EGG NOG

4 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup artificial sweetener

2 tablespoons artificial sweetener -- to taste

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon brandy extract

1 pinch salt

3/4 cup ice water

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Blend together egg yolks, 1 cup cream and 1/2 cup plus 2 tbls. sweetener. Cook in a saucepan, stirring constantly with a spoon or spatula for 5-7 minutes. The egg yolk will start to curdle a little. Put this mixture back in the blender and blend for a minute or so. It will get thick and creamy.

Blend it up until it's mixed well and pour into a container. In a separate bowl, beat 1 1/2 c. heavy cream until thick. Gently blend it into the egg mixture. Mixing it too much will break it down and it won't be thick (I learned this from experience). Add nutmeg to taste and refrigerate until chilled. The longer it is in the fridge, the less "eggy" it will taste. It's pretty good for "fake" egg nog!

2302 Calories (kcal); 241g Total Fat; (90% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 1666mg Cholesterol; 391mg Sodium

[CajunConservative]

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded coconut - unsweetened
7 packets Splenda
2 egg whites
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix cream with sweetener and extracts. Add coconut and mix well. Let stand for 1 hour. If mixture feels dry to the touch after 1 hour, add a little more cream.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whip egg whites until peaks form. Fold into coconut. Using a teaspoon, place a small amount of coconut mix onto a well greased cookie sheet, repeating to make approximately 16 cookies. Bake until slightly browned (usually 12-15 minutes). If tops have not browned in 15 minutes, you can place them under the broiler for a few minutes (watch them carefully!) Allow to cool before serving.

Makes 16 cookies. 1.9 carbs per cookie.

[Trampled by Lambs]

Please go ahead and add me to the ping list. Thanks!

4 days on atkins, 4 lbs gone, just 66 to go! (lol)

[carlo3b]

WOW, what wonderful recipes.. Thanks so much.. :)

Not for the faint of heart, or fainting women... this is definitely a Southern thing!  Yehaaaaaaaaaaa!

TEXAS PARTY TIME 5 ALARM CHILI

• 2 1/2 lb Lean ground chuck
• 1 lb Lean ground pork
• 1 cup  Finely chopped onion
• 4 med. Garlic cloves; finely chopped.
• 1 can Beer (12 oz.), not necessarily your favorite.. whew
• 8 oz canned tomato sauce, or 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 cups Water
• 3 Tbs. Chili powder
• 1 Tbs. Red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbs. Ground cumin
• 2 Tbs. Beef flavor instant bouillon (or 6 cubes)
• 2 tsp Oregano leaves
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco (or any good hot sauce will do) ,to taste
• 1 tsp Flour
• 1 tsp Cornmeal
• 1 Tbs. Warm water

1) In large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown half the meat; pour off fat. Remove meat.
2) Brown remaining meat; pour off all fat except 2 Tbs..
3) Add onion, garlic; cook and stir until tender.
4) Add meat and remaining ingredients except flour, cornmeal and warm water. Mix well.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer covered 2 hours.
5) Stir together flour and cornmeal; add warm water. Mix well. Stir into chili mixture.
Cook covered 20 minutes longer.
Serve hot. Makes 2 quarts.

[carlo3b]

Go for it, we are in your corner.. Yehaaaaaaaaaa!

LowCarb Leftover Turkey Chili

• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 cans (15 1/2 oz each) kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes, crushed
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 cups cooked turkey, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt


1) Place a 3 quart saucepan over medium high heat, sauté bell pepper, onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender crisp.
2) Add beans, tomatoes, wine, turkey, chili powder, cilantro, red pepper, oregano and salt. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heart to low and simmer mixture, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
3) Garnish with additional chopped onion and/or cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese!
Makes 6 servings.

[CajunConservative]

Thanks! :0)

Mock Potato Soup

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1 small onion
3 cups chicken broth
3 slices thick bacon diced
3 slices ham, diced (optional)
3 tbsp butter
1/2 c heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
shredded cheddar cheese

Separate cauliflower and cut into small pieces. Boil with chopped onion in chicken broth until tender. Place aprox 2 cups of cooked cauliflower in food processor with 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Add butter and cream and pulse until creamy. Combine remainder of cauliflower with cooked bacon (and ham if you're using that as well) salt, pepper and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix with pulsed mixture.

Note: To get a somewhat thicker soup, a pinch of "not/Starch" from Expert Foods may be used.


Makes 6 servings. 5 carbs per serving after fiber reduction.

[carlo3b]

What a great recipe, I am a big fan of cauliflower, as a replacement for potato and rice in our meal planning.. keep'm coming... LOL

[Major_Risktaker]

Yummmmmy! Next year some other Doctor
will say Italian bread is good again and
sell a million books telling us about it.

[Major_Risktaker]

Yummmmmy! Next year some other Doctor
will say Italian bread is good again and
sell a million books telling us about it.

[carlo3b]

I believe it, who would have thought that some doctors would be advocating more bacon and lots of beef!!!!!! Who would have thought? Anything is possible.. LOLOL