This was from the Atkins newsletter and on the site:
http://atkins.com/Archive/2004/9/27-531387.html
Atkins Responds
Jacqueline Eberstein, R.N.
With all the press surrounding the Atkins Nutritional Approach™ in the past year, I can’t help but notice that confusion and misinformation continue to abound. And nowhere is that more evident than on the Internet, where Web sites, message boards and chat rooms devoted to the topic of “low carb” have multiplied. I spent more than 28 years working side by side with Dr. Atkins and share his commitment to this nutritional philosophy, so I feel more than able to clarify a number of issues. To better understand your questions, I combed the Internet and have addressed the findings right here in this newsletter. I hope the following will serve as helpful and conclusive responses to your most pressing concerns.
Overheard:
“Things have changed since Dr. Atkins died and his wife sold the company. All these new, low-carb products make it harder than it was in the old days to follow the plan. Not only do they stall my weight loss; they don’t seem compatible with the Atkins philosophy.”
What we want you to know: While Atkins Nutritionals produces food products, this in no way undermines our commitment to the basic principles of the Atkins Nutritional Approach™ (ANA™). The ANA is based on healthful, whole foods, emphasizing the consumption of nutrient-rich vegetables, protein sources like fish, poultry, tofu and red meat, as well as a balance of natural fats. This philosophy has remained the same for more than three decades and will never change. However, advances in food technology are making it possible to create a larger variety of low-carb products that taste more and more like the foods they can replace. At Atkins, we create products under the strictest ingredients guidelines, a standard to which many other companies do not adhere. For example, Atkins does not use any added sugars, hydrogenated oils, bleached white flour or artificial colors in its products. We are also scrupulous about providing scientifically verified Net Carb counts and realistic serving sizes. Still, these products should be used responsibly, as substitutes for whole foods—either as treats or when no healthful alternative is available. They are not meant to replace the nutrient-dense, whole foods that should make up most of your meals.
Keep in mind: These products were designed to make doing Atkins easier and more convenient, but they are not necessary to do Atkins properly. If you find that eating any low-carb product hinders your weight-loss progress, simply stop eating it, or cut back until you discover your tolerance threshold. Usually, overconsumption, rather than the product itself, accounts for stalled weight loss.
Overheard: “I read that Atkins is changing its stance on fat, and now it's recommending only lean meat and less red meat. Is this because Atkins is trying to become more mainstream and compete with all the other low-carb plans out there?”
What we want you to know:
Atkins has not changed its stance on fat. First of all, Atkins has never been about eating
just steak, bacon and eggs. Second, in the context of a controlled-carbohydrate eating plan, research shows that consumption of any type of fat—with the big exception of manufactured trans fat—is not detrimental to weight-loss efforts or physical health. In fact, recent research has repeatedly shown that the ANA is heart healthy. We do recommend, as we always have, that fat come from a variety of sources so you get a healthy balance of the monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated types. You may not know that many foods contain a combination of fats. For example, beef, which is often considered to be high in saturated fat, actually contains more than 50 percent mono- and polyunsaturated fats. In addition to its nutritional benefits, fat is the primary energy you use in the initial phases of Atkins, allowing you to also burn your own excess body fat.
Is the ANA a license to gorge on any one type of food? Of course not. Dr. Atkins always encouraged those doing Atkins to enjoy the bounty of delicious foods that come directly from Mother Nature, which intrinsically offers a variety of unprocessed proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and to eat until you feel satisfied but not stuffed. This is the same message we at Atkins endorse today.
Overheard:
“I just don’t like vegetables. Are they a necessary part of doing Atkins properly? I’ve heard you can do Atkins without them.”
What we want you to know:
You heard wrong—very wrong. Refer to chapter eight of
Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, and you’ll see our position in black and white: “If some misguided individual tells you that you won’t eat vegetables when you do Atkins, wave this chapter (with a stalk of celery, for good measure) at him or her. You do and you should.”
In fact, for most Americans, doing Atkins means eating a lot more vegetables than they did before. Fortunately, the most nutrient-dense veggies are usually the lowest in carbs as well. We don’t have to list for you the dozens of health benefits of plant foods: From their fiber, vitamins and minerals to their disease-fighting phytochemicals, vegetables and fruits are health enhancers and life extenders.
If you’re not a natural lover of vegetables, don’t despair. Atkins allows various options from which to choose. You can eat only raw vegetables in salad if you despise cooked vegetables. Or if raw vegetables upset your stomach, you can concentrate on cooked ones. Start exploring the produce aisles—there are countless types of plant foods. Surely you haven’t tried and rejected them all. When you find one you like, even just a little, experiment with different ways of preparing it. Often, sautéing (or even microwaving) a vegetable with a little butter and garlic or another favorite flavor enhancer can turn just palatable into deliciously pleasing.
Overheard:
“Since I have started doing Atkins, I have problems with bad breath and also constipation. What can I do about these side effects?”
What we want you to know:
Constipation is one of the most common, and most easily rectified, side effects of switching to a controlled-carbohydrate lifestyle. For most people, it is only a problem in the first two weeks, when your body is adapting to a new way of eating. If constipation is making you uncomfortable, first make sure you are not skimping on vegetables. During Induction, you need to consume four cups each day. Go beyond iceberg and romaine lettuce to higher-fiber options such as spinach, green pepper and other crispy, raw vegetables. And of course, be sure you’re drinking a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day and exercising. We also recommend you supplement your fiber intake with additional fiber in the form of oat or wheat bran, ground flaxseed or psyllium husks (stirred into water).
About your breath: When your body primarily burns fat instead of glucose for fuel, it generates ketones—the by-products of fat burning—which are released in your urine and breath. Typically, “ketone breath” lasts only a few weeks. While you could consider this side effect a good sign that your new lifestyle is working, if you find it annoying, you can try drinking more water to dilute the concentration of ketones. Parsley is a natural breath freshener, or you can use peppermint-oil drops or sugar-free mints and gum sweetened with xylitol.
Overheard:
“It seems like Atkins has become very ‘corporate’ since Dr. Atkins’ death and is now only interested in making money.”
What we want you to know:
The loss of Dr. Atkins was a blow to me personally and to all of the others who worked for his company and for millions of people whose lives he changed for the better. Until he passed away, he continued to do more of what he loved best—being a doctor—and less managing the food and information-services sides of the company. He instilled his belief system in the people he chose to run his company. He wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The employees at Atkins are committed to keeping Dr. Atkins’ message about controlled-carbohydrate nutrition and its benefits for weight control, good health and disease prevention alive. His vision for changing the way the world eats to promote good health will always be the company's foundation.
Years before the first Atkins food products appeared, Dr. Atkins envisioned their creation to make controlling carbohydrates easier, given our busy lifestyles and demands on our time. As the market for low-carbohydrate products has grown and food technology has advanced, we have stepped up to the plate. As the originators of the low-carb revolution, we are committed to providing the highest-quality products that our experienced food scientists can create. Atkins will grow and adapt with the changing times, without ever sacrificing its integrity or losing sight of Dr. Atkins’ core beliefs. For example, if a new body of research shows us something we didn’t know before about health and nutrition, we will pass that knowledge on to you and accordingly amend any information we publish. Dr. Atkins believed in good science and, of course, good common sense.
Atkins Responds
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