New products pass carb test, but how about taste test?
By Linda Giuca / Hartford Courtant - Scripps Howard News Service
February 2, 2004
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In the initial phase of the Atkins diet, carbohydrates are limited to 20 grams a day for the first two weeks. That figure allows only certain vegetables and no fruit, grains or bread. (To put that carbohydrate figure in perspective, an English muffin has about 25 grams of carbohydrates, a baked potato with skin about 50 grams.)
In the second phase of the diet, the dieter can add 5 grams of carbohydrates a week as long as he continues to lose weight. Even when the carb allowance increases, it still doesn't allow unlimited starchy foods. Getting the most for the least amount of carbs is the goal, and that's where the new low-carb foods are gaining ground. A carb-counting bagel weighs in at half the number of carbohydrates as a regular bagel.
A group of Hartford Courant writers, some of whom have followed the Atkins diet, put some of these new foods to a taste test. We liked certain items; we hated others. Overall, however, those with Atkins diet experience conceded that even the mediocre foods would taste pretty good after a few weeks of deprivation.
One caveat: A diet rich in these packaged or prepared low-carb foods will fatten the amount spent on food each week. A package of Atkins Corn Muffin and Bread mix, which produces 11 muffins or a standard loaf, costs $5.99. A box of Jiffy cornbread mix costs less than $1. Frozen dinners made by Mike's Life Style Gourmet cost $5.99 to $7.99, comparable to prices for takeout food at some prepared-food counters or to-go operations.
Price aside for a minute, here is our take on how some of these new foods taste:
Hood's Carb Countdown milk: The milk tastes chalky, said one taster, while another's first impression was a salty flavor. The tasters liked the chocolate milk better and agreed that the chocolate helped to mask any flavor deficiencies. The milk has 3 grams of carbohydrates in an 8-ounce serving, compared with about 12 grams for regular milk and 31 grams for chocolate milk. Price: $3.49 a half-gallon.
Atkins Nutritionals' Quick Cuisine Corn Muffin and Bread Mix: Instead of muffins, we made this mix in a loaf pan, as directed on the package. The additional ingredients - 1/3 cup oil, 2 eggs and 1/3 cup heavy cream - are high in fat. A serving of the bread gets slightly more than half of its calories from fat. The panel gave the bread's texture and flavor a thumbs-up with some reservations. "Add some melted butter and cheese, and it's not bad," said one. Said another: "The initial shock is jolting, but the more you chew, the more it grows on you." A ¾-inch-thick slice has 170 calories and 8 grams of net carbs. Price: $5.99.
Atkins Nutritionals' Quick Cuisine Fudge Brownie Mix: It's hard not to like something chocolate, but these brownies just aren't worth the calories or the carbs, reduced as they are. The chocolate flavor is insipid, the texture gluey. One 2-inch-square brownie has 170 calories and 9 net carbs. Price: $5.99.
Arnold Carb Counting Whole Wheat Bread: Whole wheat usually has more flavor than plain white bread, but the taste can't make up for the tough texture. One slice has 60 calories and 5 net carbs. Price: $2.99.
Klondike Fudge Bars: These frozen treats on a stick were the clear-cut winner of the tasting. "Only 3 grams of carbs? I could get into these," said one taster. Another praised the creamy mouth feel and lack of an aftertaste, often a problem with products sweetened with sugar substitutes. (The Klondike bars use Splenda sweetener.) Each bar has 100 calories and 3 grams of net carbs. Price: $3.99.
Thomas' Carb Counting Plain Bagels: Our tasters won't buy this product anytime soon. In their minds, half the carbohydrates as regular Thomas' plain bagels isn't enough to make the nasty flavor and texture of the reduced-carb version palatable. The bagels have a fermented flavor and unappealing spongy texture. One bagel has 140 calories and 18 net carbs. Price: $2.99.
Mike's Life Style Gourmet frozen dinners: Although other brands of frozen dinners may have comparable carbohydrate contents, Mike's is one of the first to promote the carb count on the cover of the package. The tasters tried two of Mike's eight offerings. The roasted creole salmon, with sides of spinach, broccoli and mushrooms, was fresh, not fishy, tasting a bit dry, but that may have been the fault of over-microwaving. The braised beef short ribs in a claret wine sauce were tender and juicy. Neither dinner looked quite as good as the package photograph, probably because the entree and side vegetables cook together in one tray rather than in a partitioned dish. The salmon dish has 8 grams net carbs, the short ribs 13 grams. Price: $7.99, salmon; $6.99, short ribs.
"New products pass carb test, but how about taste test?"
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