Getting the lowdown on low-carb bars

Dayton Daily News ^ | 9.02.03 | Kevin Lamb

[SamAdams76]

I generally agree with this article except for the usual gratuitous and uneducated comments about the low-carb diet being "unbalanced" and a "short-term solution." Having been on a low-carb diet since April, I have never eaten so many fruits and vegetables in my life and I have never felt so good. I think I'm eating this way for life.

If anybody thinks I'm going to add hydrogenated vegetable oils, refined flour, refined sugars, high-fructose corn syrup and starches to my diet so it can be "balanced", forget about it.

Anyway, I agree about the low-carb bars. They are little better than candy bars and many people have "stalled" their weight loss with them. Many of these bars have hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans-fats), and other harmful ingredients. They are nutritionally inferior to "real" foods like meat, fish, eggs, cheese, vegetables, berries, nuts, etc. I'd rather have a 1/2 pint of blueberries than a low-carb snack bar. Sure, there are more carbs in blueberries, but they are rich in antioxidants and other beneficial things and the carbs in blueberries are "low-glycemic" meaning that they won't send a rush of insulin into your body (unless you gobble a whole mess of them). Blueberries are a far superior snack than low-carb bars in my opinion. Blueberries grow on bushes and low-carb bars are developed in a lab and mass-produced on the assembly line with a mile-long list of chemicals and additives.

They are also outrageously expensive. I'd much rather have a handful of smoked almonds, a wedge of cheese or a 1/2 pint of blueberries when I'm in the snacking mood.

[Maigrey]

ping for you Carlo!

[kylaka]

How are you doing with it Sam... I'm considering it myself.

[fini]

Like all products, the low carb bars vary between manufacturers. I look for high protein bars with little fat and carbs. Most taste like chocolate flavored "saw dust," but there are a few good tasting ones. However, the expense keeps me from completely replacing candy with protein bars.

Like the article mentioned, you have to read the nutrition label and do the math. I too have noticed that sometimes total calories are more than the total sum of fat, carbs, and protein. When you see that reject the bar- who knows what else is incorrect.

[BlueAngel]

I started Atkins on Memorial day of this year. I've lost 23 lbs. I continue to stay away from sugar, flour, pastas, etc. I don't even crave them anymore.

I feel that this is a diet that I can live with. I always gained weight on the low fat diets.

[Maigrey]

i'll agree with you also. Looking at the nutritional values of one of these low-carb bars versus whole food, I'll take a whole food than a refined low carb bar (and the whole food tastes better, too! Fresh peach, anyone?

[Exit148]

Finally! South Beach is getting a little more attention!

When you REALLY look at the labels on those bars, you get an eyeful. A lab concoction with flavor.

The alcohol sugars are also seen in the 'no-sugar' candies that are coming out all over the place, in all brands. That's fine if you have a sweet tooth and can stick to one serving, but ---- go over the few small pieces in 'one serving' and those sugar alcohols, which by-pass the digestive process, go straight to the gut and can ruin your day.

I'm always suspicious of who is making a negative comment on lo-carb anything. It always seems to be someone in the nutrition or dietetic fields. Everyone has an agenda, and I never know who is in it for their own furtherance. (is there such a word?)

Low-carb is easy, once you've detoxed all the sugars out of your system. Good food, the way it used to be, is the way to go.

One other thing, while I'm at it ---- The term "lo-carb" is being tossed around as tho it is a negative thing. The term should be "proper-carb. That describes these diets better.

[DannyTN]

Well I also have a problem with the continued bashing of fat. They always call Atkins a "high protein" diet, but Atkins called his diet a high fat diet. In fact he dared people to be "unashamedly unafraid of fat".

Turns out all those antioxidant vitamins people thought they were getting from vegetables are mostly "fat soluable" no fat, no vitamins.

And they've preached fiber to us both as a filler and to promote regularity. I've read that vegan teenagers are 8 times more likely to need laxatives. And I've seen one report that said some fibers promote colon cancer.

[R. Scott]

Being diabetic, I tried some of the low carb bars.
Not only did their taste and texture leave much to be desired, I didn’t see much difference in blood sugar levels.

[Reeses]

high-fructose corn syrup... Fresh peach, anyone?

A peach, minus the water, is 90 percent sugar. Half the sugar is sucrose (cane sugar), 1/4th glucose (blood sugar requiring no digestion), 1/4th fructose (an isomer of glucose). Nutritionally, it is similar to eating 2 fun size Snickers candy bars with a glass of water. I don't get where fruitarians come up with modern non-naturally occurring high-fructose fruit being healthy for you. If someone can explain this to me I’m all ears.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Sugar alcohols are best avoided, but lo-carb bars without them are fine. The article seems to be confusing lo-carb bars with lo-carb candy. The Atkins Advantage and Morning Start bars don't cause any problems with weight loss, at least in my experience.

[SamAdams76]

How are you doing with it Sam... I'm considering it myself.

Since April 1st, I have dropped 75.2 pounds. This is as of my last weighing last Sunday morning. I weigh myself tomorrow so that total is sure to increase then.

Exercise is a major component of my plan. I do two daily walks of 3 miles or more. One in the morning before breakfast and another one at lunchtime. Keeps the metabolism cranking.

I get fed up with people who say that a low-carb diet is "unbalanced" and have the perception it is some wacked-out "all-meat" diet. I have more vegetables than I ever did before in my life. When you aren't having side-dishes of rice and potato all the time, you are more inclined to have vegetables.

[annyokie]

Thanks, buddy! I told my late FIL the same thing. (He was a diabetic.)

Have you met your goal yet?

Best Wishes!

[SamAdams76]

The only fruits that I eat regularly are berries. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. Once in a while, I might have a few grapes or a piece of melon or cantalope. But that's about it. I find most other fruits too sweet for my taste. And I definitely drink no fruit juice. I had a small glass of apple juice at breakfast over the summer and it was sickenly sweet. Never again.

[SamAdams76]

Getting there. I do my weekly weigh-in tomorrow morning. As of last Sunday, I was down 75.2 pounds. I'd like to lose 100. Just now fit into a waist size 36 for the first time in about 15 years. I was a size 50 waist when I started this! I tried on a pair of my old pants a few days ago and it was comical. I just couldn't believe I used to be that big.

[bluefish]

Heh heh.. I've always wondered why "Fruits and Vegetables" are lumped together in the various dietary dogma. They are two radically different things in my view, primarily because of the sugar issue with fruits. Mind you, there are some fruits that are lower in sugar and that contain enough fiber to be healthy. Apples (not apple juice) might be a good example.

Loved your peach info. You'd think people would know. Eat a peach and your hand afterwards feels like it had just been stuck in a vat of honey.

Snickers bars have peanuts in them. Would your comparison be more appropriate with something like, say.. Two Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (I trust the peanut butter isn't real). Heh.

[annyokie]

Congratulations! You're about ready for boot camp again! Keep those old pants as a reminder and you'll never go to Krispy Kreme anytime soon.

[depenzz]

>I started Atkins June 23rd and as of this date I have lost 23 pounds.
>My system resisted, during the first period I had to go to 5 to 10 grams of carbs. I averaged about 2.5 pounds a week on that amount. I want to lose about 5 more pounds and then start maintaining. That is going to be a job for me because I don't think I can add many carbs to my daily diet without starting to go back up. I am not really looking forward to it but I also can't wait to get started on maintance.
>I feel that its the best thing that has happened to my system in many years, I feel great and I feel I am doing my body good. I don't miss anything except the frosty from Wendys and ice cream . I will try some of both soon. LOL
I am going in for blood work when I meet my goal. Prior to starting I had blood work done and my colestrol was up a little and also my blood pressure. My blood pressure is down to normal now and I can't wait to see my colestrol.

[bluefish]

SamAdams76, congratulations! 75 lbs ('scuse me, 75.2!) is an amazing feat. Virtual high five from another low-carber (who occasionally falls off the wagon but keeps climbing back on).

[IronKros]

i've low-carbed for a while now and lost over 30lbs. But man did I miss ice cream. Now here in Texas there is a local company called 'le carb' ice cream. The name is off putting put the ice cream is delicious. Wal-mart's sell them. It is not the perfect low-carb snack, but it keeps you from falling off the wagon.