Low-Carb Food Craze May Have Missed Atkins Wave

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 8.23.2004 | Brad Dorfman

[NYC GOP Chick]

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Food manufacturers who have stocked store shelves with low-carbohydrate versions of everything from spaghetti sauce to ice cream may find they are eating the costs themselves, as the low-carb fad peaks, analysts and industry observers said.

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"It's typical that one rushes into the party just when the party is breaking up," said William Leach, food industry analyst at Neuberger Berman.

Sales of low-carb branded foods surged $815 million, to $1.13 billion, in the 12 months ended June 13, according to market research firm Information Resources Inc. That includes both new brands like Atkins and Carb Solutions and extensions of existing brands -- like Unilever's Carb Options versions of Skippy peanut butter and Lipton soups.

But the number of people in the United States who say they are on low-carb diets like Atkins peaked in January at 9 percent, in a survey conducted by the NPD Group. It has since leveled off at about 7 percent, Harry Balzer, a vice president at the market research firm, said.

"The awareness has probably peaked," Balzer said.

The industry could have wasted "hundreds of millions" of dollars in reformulating and repackaging products as low-carb, Ken Harris, a consultant who works with consumer products and retail companies for Cannondale Associates. "Just to bring a product to market is very costly."

SAME FATE AS LOW-FAT?

Leach compared the low-carb trend with the low-fat phase in the early 1990s.

Nabisco, now a unit of Kraft Inc., launched the SnackWells brand of low-fat cookies and crackers, which was initially a hit with customers. At the beginning, retailers could not get as many packages as they wanted.

"It reminds me of 10 years ago, you had this fat phobia," Leach said. "SnackWells, one year it was on allocation. The next year you couldn't give them away."

IRI also said that the low-carb craze could go the way of low-fat. Brands like SnackWells and WOW! chips -- made by PepsiCo Inc.'s Frito-Lay unit with the controversial fat substitute olestra -- grew for about five years and have declined ever since, IRI said in a report this month.

"However, consumers may sustain interest in selected naturally low-carb products as they did with naturally low-fat yogurts," the report said. Popular foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates include bacon and eggs.

Even though the trend of people on low-carb diets seems to have peaked, it could be a while before low-carb consumption wanes, NPD's Balzer said.

"I bet it's going to be a year or so before we see declines in low-carb consumption," Balzer said, adding that consumers are likely to try various low-carb products to see if they want to include them in their normal eating habits. "If we're nothing, we are a nation that's tries."

Some of the newer low-carb products could also be repackaged to take advantage of the next big trend in food, Harris said, noting that some consumers are starting to focus more specifically on sugar than on overall carbohydrates.

But the focus on obesity remains a hurdle for food companies, Leach said.

"It's hard to be a food company and really take obesity seriously because your job is to sell food," he said.

[Uncle Hal]

You can say what you want about Atkins, but you will definitely lose weight if you stick to it. My wife and I have been on our version of Atkins for nearly 7 months. My wife has lost 35 pounds and I have lost 30 pounds. My wife would like to lose another 10 pounds or so. I am where I want to be. We combined the diet with a brisk 45 minute walk every day. Plus my wife goes to Curves 4 times a week. Going on a diet is all about control and will power. Nobody had worse eating habits than we did. If you want to do something like this you can do it. It is all in your head, I still have my nightly martini, so life is good.

[ClancyJ]

We are doing the South Beach. Lost 8-10 lbs first two weeks. I was cooking my head off. But overall - I like it. Have lost 20 lbs. My husband lost 20 and 40 pts off his cholesterol.

The cracked pepper steak is my favorite recipe - wonderful.

We now don't have the cravings for the chips, potatoes, etc. Absolutely amazing - never thought I could give up chips. We eat as much as we want and we still lose 1 lb a week or so.

Here is a dessert we developed - we live on this stuff.

Cool Whip Free
1/2 t Rum Flavoring
1 T (or to taste) Sweet & Low Brown Sugar
Strawberries

Mix rum flavoring and S&L Brown Sugar in Cool Whip. Dip strawberries.

This can be used with other fruits, sugar-free chocolate syrup, etc.

[Jmouse007]

Sorry but lo-carb foods, cookies, health bars, et. al., being produced by food manufacturers taste like cardboard crud. I would use other/stronger language but I am not to let any "unclean thing proceed out of my mouth" but only what "gives grace to the hearers." There is nothing gracious to say about the stuff, it is TERRIBLE, like eating saw dust!

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[blackdog]

I know. I'm a four shot espresso man topped off with enough hot water to make one cup or mug. I gave up drip/perked/pressed coffee a few years back. I use a stovetop espresso maker($12.00) and a hand plunger milk foamer($18.00). I use the foamer to make hot chocolate for me and the kids. Try it sometime. Best hot cocoa on the planet. Foams so thick you can mistake it for marshmallow.

[jennyp]

I tried Atkins and I tried traditional (exercise and rabbit food). The results from traditional are better. Atkins is just too unrealistic a diet to keep to for very long.

4 years & 20 lb. for me. It'll stop working for me any day now... :-)

[zoyd]

10 mile run in 85 degree heat -- six pounds.

Plus, you get metabolism benefits, and exercise benefits.

And if you keep running regularly, you can eat whatever you want. See coverage of any distance running event in the world -- no fatties, high carbs.

[dakine]

A diet is by definition whatever people/animals/etc. consume... Some people are fat...key is to burn same amount of calories as comsumed...easy enough..

all "diet" gimmicks are just that....

[LouisWu]

I lost 180 pounds of ugly fat in one afternoon...in court... the day of my divorce.

[BibChr]

That's so sad. I'm sorry.

Dan

[Ladysmith]

And still loaded with junk like hydrogenated oils.

The less processed the food, the better my system likes it. Eggs, meats, nuts, cheeses, lots of veggies, and apples - can't live without the apples, regardless of carbs.

[MHT]

80 oz of water a day! That's running, not walking, to the bathroom!

[upchuck]

Thousands and thousands of pounds could be lost if we could figure out a way to eliminate high fructose corn syrup from our diets.

I'm a big fan of products sweetened with Splenda®.

[dread78645]

I cannot accept the sanity of a diet that says that pork rinds are good for you.

Compared to what folks would normally snack on, pork rinds are a better choice.

1oz serving	Pork rinds (Rudolf's)	Peanuts (Planter's Dry roast)	Potato chips (Lay's Classic)
Calories	160	166	158
Calories from fat	90	130	90
Total fat	10g	14g	10g
Saturated fat	4g	2g	3g
Monousaturated fat	2.5g	7g	2g
Cholesterol	40mg	-	-
Sodium	270mg	230mg	180mg
Total Carbohydrates	-	6g	15g
Protien	18g	7g	2g

[BibChr]

Dang... who'd've thought that??

Dan

[Corin Stormhands]

And if you keep running regularly, you can eat whatever you want.

In my case it would have to be a new set of knees. My running days are long gone.

[Miss Marple]

I really think that which program works for a person depends on one's body chemistry.

I was on Atkins for 6 months and lost about 20 pounds. I was miserable, craving bread, orange juice, and potatoes.

I eventually went off it gained the weight back and then some.

I went on Atkins again and the second time, lost nothing. My cholesterol went up to the roof.

I joined Weightwatchers along with my sisters, and we have all lost weight (I have lost 17 pounds since the beginning of May) and find it a very easy diet to stick to.

Pepople should evaluate the choices of diets and find the ones which work for them. I am not going to attack Atkins, because I know it has worked for many people. It just didn't work for me.

Why do you feel it necessary to attack Weightwatchers? If it doesn't work for people, then they should find something else which does. At my weekly meetings are plenty of people who have lost 30+ pounds, and the leader has been a member for 20 years and has held her weight at the same level the entire time.

I find it puzzling that people need to get upset about diet plans. People should just find the one that works for them, rather than attacking those they don't like.

[Rutles4Ever]

I'm on Weight Watchers again, myself. I did it two years ago and lost thirty pounds in six months. Of course I fell off the wagon and gradually put it all back on... But the accountability is what helps me the most...

[FormerLib]

Why do you feel it necessary to attack Weightwatchers?

That's an easy one, all during my childhood and teen years, my mom and sisters would go on that and I ended up having to eat the food they'd make for the diet.

Quite honestly, it tasted like drek. And they never seemed to lose any weight in the process.

Weightwatchers may work for you and good luck with it, but it brings back memories of many meals I'd rather have missed.

[Miss Marple]

Well, I am not eating drek. I am eating eggs, oatmeal, salads, barbecued chicken, lots of vegetables, and even a light beer or two, as well as martinis and french fried shrimp on weekends.

Weightwatchers has changed quite a bit. You are quite free to try whatever works for you, but I think your understanding of the program is out of date.