No carbs for you! Companies are rushing to put out products

The Boston Globe ^ | January 11, 2004 | Naomi Aoki

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Everyone from Subway Restaurants to Anheuser-Busch is jumping on board the low-carb bandwagon this New Year just in time to help folks with that evergreen resolution to shed unwanted pounds.

But dieter beware. Cutting carbohydrates is no magic ride to thin, fit, and healthy. Not at least according to nutritionists who simply refuse to budge from their trying old weight loss formula: Eat less and exercise more.

[Dudoight]

I also wonder about the increase in the problems children have such as attention deficit disorder, autism, hyperactivity, etc. Could the large measure of food additives, preservatives, chemicals, etc., influence the development of these conditions we hear so much about these days? I know I once bought a bakery Cherry Pie from a local market, had a piece in the evening and couldn't get to sleep that nite. Red Dye? Who knows? I was raised on home grown food (preserved or frozen from our own gardens and chickens). I guess shelf life and appearance are very inmportant in sales and marketing, thus the additives. But...to what health effect?

[LuLuLuLu]

I think you're spot on about the additives. And I'll add to that food allergies.

Before anyone starts flaming me, I've read a number of threads here, and I understand that there are real cases of ADHD and allergies. I simply question the increase. It seems more than coincidental that as children become less active and eat more junk they have more problems.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Take the case of two Subway sandwiches. The Atkins-Friendly Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap has 40 grams fewer carbohydrates than its Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich, but packs an extra 100 calories and 7.5 grams of saturated fat. Those extra calories represent about a pound over the course of a month, Beranbaum said."

I guess Beranbaum missed the scientific study that proved that people on a low-carb diet with 300 calories per day MORE than a high-carb diet STILL lost weight.

[SamAdams76]

I hope for the sake of business, and for the sake of the health of consumers that this Atkins thing is actually the good thing it appears to be.

A low-carb (I prefer to call it "normal-carb") diet only works if the diet is properly followed and that exercise is a major component of the program. At least that is my experience.

I went from 300 pounds last April 1 to 199 pounds presently, which puts me in the normal weight range for my 6'3" height. I would still like to get to 190 but those last few pounds are proving to be stubborn! Nevertheless, I have gone from size 48 "relaxed-fit-elastic-waistband" trousers to having size 34 trousers fit comfortably and I feel great.

But exercise is key. I walk several miles a day and even in the current cold snap, I get out there and walk. Yesterday, it was -8 degree but I still went for my usual Saturday morning 2.5 hour walk (about 10 miles). During the week, I walk at least five miles a day - more when I can.

Also, I never bought into the Atkins plan as written. I elected to go on what pretty much amounts to a "whole food" diet. A whole food diet consists of mostly meat, vegetables, fish, berries, nuts, yogurt, olive oil, eggs, cheese, etc. If it is a "whole" food or made from "whole foods" (such as cheese), I eat it. If it comes in a package at the supermarket with a bunch of weird ingredients like "high fructose corn syrup" and "hydrogenated vegetable oil" then I avoid it.

The only problem I have with the Atkins diet is that they promote these low-carb "candy bars" and other junky stuff like that. Also, a lot of low-carbers want to literally "have their cake and eat it too." I am not convinced that Splenda-flavored cakes and pies is the way to go. In my opinion, things like cakes and pies should be eliminated from your diet whether they have a lot of carbs or not. (Perhaps they can be an occasional treat once you have reached your weight goal.)

As for the Subway sandwich, I did try one this week (without the ranch dressing which I refuse to eat because it has a bunch of artificial ingredients) and it was pretty good. I would like to see more restaurants offer this kind of fare as I'm getting tired of bringing a can of sardines or a bag of nuts to work with me everyday.

[DooDahhhh]

Anyone know how many carbs Jim Beam has??

[Sarah]

'If we could just find a way to fill a Lexus with carbohydrates, it would cost less than a Ford Escort'

That was SO FUNNY!
I can tell you though, that cooking for a large family gets much family as the kids get older and refuse the easy/ cheap/ high carb meals like noodles, grilled cheese, grain, rice and whatever.
There are lower carb combo's like lentils and other beans and whole grains, but they're long to prepare and cook.
Flour and Sugar have been cheap fillers for too long!

[dd5339]

As a recently diagnosed Adult Onset Type II Diabetic thanks for posting that information.

My nutritionist stresses balance above all else. If I eat a carbohydrate, I've got to offset it with a protein/fat.

Having been at the diet thing for less than a month, with a combination of CORRECT diet and exercise I'm down 7 1/2 pounds.

Semper Fi

[ko_kyi]

Uncle Sam wants you to drop that low-carb green salad with blue cheese and pick up the nice bowl of apple jacks. Uncle Sam thinks you aren't eating enough carbs.

[ko_kyi]

I have never heard of any diet, Atkins or otherwise, that doesn't work much better if you are exercising.

[Caipirabob]

LOL! A worthy theory... : )

[FreedomGuru]

First of all the title of this article is wrong, Atkins and other "low carb diets" don't promote No Carbs. We cut carbs especially junk carbs to start the fat burning. I've tried the low fat diets numerous times, only to gain more weight. I finally started the Atkins diet a year ago and shed 58 pounds rather easily.

"Low-carb is just another fad diet," said Dr. Caroline M. Apovian, director of Boston University's Center for Nutrition and Weight Management

This shows how much some doctors know before opening their mouths. Atkins 1st diet revolution book was published in 1973.Some just refuse to admit that they are wrong.

[McBuff]

The only creditable health statistic I'm interested in is the one my wife mentioned to me last year. . ."you know honey, she said, you don't hardly ever see an 80 year old obese person."

Bingo! I dropped 50 pounds in 2003 and will drop another 50 this year. I don't exercise except for golf.

People are on low-carb BECAUSE IT WORKS!!!!

[FreedomGuru]

The subway wraps are great, can't wait to try all the other products mentioned here if they REALLY are near-zero carbs I don't do low carbs to lose weight (although it DOES help). For me, it reverses my cholesterol ratios from very bad, to very good

Don't know the nutritional values of the Subway wraps, but I have been using low carb Tortillas by LaTortilla Factory, the large ones (about 9")have 19 grams of carbs, with 14 grams of fiber, no added sugars. And they taste like real food. Many of the "low carb" baked goods are horrid, plus just how much soy can one person eat :) And there are smaller sizes also, I've found these as a better alternative then the low carb breads, and I don't eat them every day, they still have wheat. Some of the low carb breads being promoted still have corn syrup and such in them, so buyers beware. :-)

[Beck_isright]

""Low-carb is just another fad diet," said Dr. Caroline M. Apovian, director of Boston University's Center for Nutrition and Weight Management."

Translation: I can't make any money off of it so I'm slamming it.

[Beck_isright]

"I hope for the sake of business, and for the sake of the health of consumers that this Atkins thing is actually the good thing it appears to be."

The AMA reversed itself last year which is why the restraunt and food manufacturing industries are cranking out the foods. You should have tried this diet when all of these products were not available. It was brutal.

[Beck_isright]

Nice information! I noticed a 20 point drop in my cholesterol in the first 3 months on the diet. With the Subway meals (both very good I might add) and now my wife and I found low carb pizzas at Sam's, this diet will be easier to follow and I'm sure we'll see more people jumping on the bandwagon.

[kevkrom]

Anyone know how many carbs Jim Beam has??

Most hard alcohols have 0 grams of carbs. Wine generally has a small amount, with berr and liqueurs having a higher amount per serving.

[Beck_isright]

Sam's is now carrying Micheal Angelo's low carb pizza and pizza wraps. They are not bad either if you add more pepperoni and mushrooms to the toppings.

[Ditter]

Intresting to hear about the Cherry Pie. I have discovered I am allergic to corn in all its forms. Corn syrup is used as a sweetner in most baked goods. I no longer eat bakery baked goods, ice cream, yogurt & a host of other things. Everything has a list of ingredients, read & compare when you have strange symptoms.

[DooDahhhh]

Very valuable info you have there. I have been on this Atkins deal about 7 days and would kill for a good pasta. Actually it is makin me mean! I hate bacon, I hate eggs, I want toast and jelly. The fact is I am 110 lbs. and 5' tall so weight control isn't a factor. But the book said you could lower blood pressure with this and how I would like to get rid of Doctors!