For starters, Carbohydrates is NOT a food group. Carbs are a macronutrient along with Fat and Protein. Carbohydrates [despite claims by some Nutritionists that you need 150g/day to survive] are the only macronutrient which serves NO function other than providing energy. Protein and Fat are required by the body to build certain tissues. Even Cholesterol is used for vital bodily functions...But, your body can make Cholesterol if need be.

Second, and most important --

Food Groups:

Fats & Oils -- Quantity not limited on Atkins. Only restriction is no Trans-Fats and no Polyunsaturated Fats for Hi-Temperature applications.

Meats, Nuts, and Beans -- Meats [except liver and shellfish] are not limited on Atkins [at any stage.] Green Beans are allowed throughout Atkins and are counted as a Vegetable for Induction purposes. Peanuts (which are actually a bean, not a nut) are allowed [along with nuts] in OWL and later. All other beans can be added back in Pre-Maintnance. Meats and Beans allowed during induction are sufficient to meet USDA recomendations.

Dairy Products -- Cheese is limited to a few ounces on induction. Milk is not allowed on induction. DANDR is not clear on when it can be added back. I believe AFL addresses this, though. Cream is allowed (a few ounces) throughout the diet. Butter is unrestricted. The quantities of Cream products (Cheese, Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, etc...) are sufficient to meet USDA recomendations.

Fruits -- Fruits are restricted during induction. Avocados, Olives, and Cucumbers are allowed throughout the diet. Quantities [of these three] allowed during induction are sufficient to meet USDA recomendations for Fruits. Berries and other lower-glycemic fruits can be added back during OWL. Higher Glycemic fruits are not addressed in DANDR, but I believe AFL addresses the issue.

Vegetables -- Quantities are limited to 2-3 cups [which includes some Beans and Fruits also] during induction. This is sufficient [even allowing for full recomended intake of fruit] to meet USDA recomendations. Tubers [except Daikon and Radishes] are not allowed until Pre-Maintance. See my note on Tubers below.

Whole Grains -- Whole Grains are the ONLY food group cut out [entirely] during induction. Whole Grains can be added back during Pre-Maintnance. The quantities [pre-maintnance and later] are limited only by your CCLL/CCLM. For most people, their CCLL/CCLM will not be high enough to meet USDA recomendations for Whole Grains. Whole Grains are therefore, the ONLY food group Atkins fails to meet USDA recomendations for. See my note on Whole Grains below.

Tubers, Vegetables, Fruits, etc... -- I believe the government erred in not listing Tubers as a seperate food group. I would define Vegetables as the edible flowering part of a plant. Tubers do not fall within this definition. Tubers are the Starch/Sugar sack of a plant. They serve a function similar to the Liver in Animals (storing excess carbohydrates for later use). Tubers are almost pure starch/sugar and starch/sugar stored for later use is almost ALWAYS very high glycemic. Normally, higher than Refined Sugar. Tubers are so nutritionally and botanically different from edible leaves/flowers, therefore...Tubers should be considered a seperate food group. If they had to stand on their own, they would be empty calories. They are low in vitamins and minerals [despite claims by the potato industry] and are very high in carbs/calories compared to other plants. Tubers have gotten a free ride by being called vegetables. THEY ARE NOT VEGETABLES BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.

A number of Fruits have been misclassified as vegetables and vice-versa. There is not currently a sufficient legal definition to prevent such misclassification. Legumes are sometime considered vegetables (The USDA lists them with meats and nuts). They are not vegetables. They are closer to fruits...than vegetables, but are in reality neither.

Whole Grains have little nutritional value. Touted for their fiber content and "many" vitamins and minerals...most whole grains [naturally] are almost void of minerals and are rather low in vitamins (< 2% for most). Their fiber content (as a percentage of carb/calorie content) is in fact much lower than vegetables, legumes, nuts, and many fruits. In order to reach your RDA of fiber, one would need to eat 1/2 loaf [or more] of Whole Wheat Bread. Oat [and other] brans are slightly higher, but still would require several cups a day to meet your RDA of fiber. In reality [despite claims by nutritionists and the wheat industry,] grains [including whole grains] are for the most part nutritionally deficient, empty carbs/calories...which have no place in a healthy diet. In fact, grains tend to lower HDL (Good) Cholesterol and increase Triglycerides which increases one's risk of a Heart Attack.