As we don't have access to that many low carb products in the UK at the moment, I'd be interested in hearing the views of those of you in the US and Canada who do.




Carb Craze Out of Control?
Atkins Warns Consumers About Competing Low-Carb Products

By Daniel K. Hoh


April 16 — Wherever food is sold nowadays, you're bound to see the words "low carb" nearby. In the last few years, hundreds if not thousands of new food products have landed on grocery store shelves claiming low carbohydrate content, hoping to attract dieting Americans.

Now, the originator of the low-carb craze, Atkins Nutritionals Inc., is warning consumers to exercise caution when buying low-carb products. Atkins, which has its own low-carb line, suggests its rivals may not have your best interests in mind.

But some experts say the Atkins warning may simply be an effort to beat out the competition, rather than help consumers buy what's right.

Part of the problem is that the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates such products, has not yet defined what low carb means. Food industry advocate group Grocery Manufacturers of America petitioned the FDA last February to establish clear guidelines for claims made by these types of food products, but the agency has yet to issue a response.

In the meantime, says, Atkins medical director Dr. Stuart Trager, any food product can be labeled as low carb. "But it still may have a net carb count that is significantly higher than what is appropriate for someone following a healthy controlled-carb weight loss or weight-maintenance program. … Besides that, a food can be low in total or net carbs and still be unhealthy."

In addition, Trager maintains competing products can contain additives, transfats and added sugars as replacements that offer no nutritional value. Atkins products doesn't contain any of these ingredients, but instead use fiber, fiber derivatives, and select starches and proteins to substitute for removed carbohydrates.

Commented Keith Ayoob, associate professor of pediatrics and registered dietitian at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, "It sounds like the Atkins folks are finding a little competition in the marketplace and they'd like to hedge it."

"It seems self-serving," says Elizabeth Ward, a nutrition consultant in Reading, Mass. "I don't see any mention of the proliferation of their own products or of the licensing agreements they have with countless other food companies to carry the Atkins logo."


Read the rest of the article at:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Livi...g_040416-1.html

It is true you have to watch the labels carefully. I got some new soy crisps, thought they were 8 net carbs, but that was for one serving and in the tiny bag--there were 2 servings. Whoops. I ate them before I looked.

I'm afraid that the current LC "craze" will fade away in a year and be dismissed as a "diet" that doesn't work simply because people that are looking for the "magic bullet" to lose fat did not bother to read the many books out about the LC lifestyle. Their idea of LC was eating a LC candy bar with their baked potato and believing that would cause them to lose weight.

I hope I'm wrong, but judging from the people I interact with daily...........

I don't think so. Its been going on for 30 years and is getting stronger. Even doctors are starting to recommend it. That's not a craze. Back when I first did CAD in the early 90's low carb was REALLY underground. I did run a low carb e-mailing list back then with a recipe archive ftp site. There were NO low carb products back then and sweeteners were pretty lame. I think aspartame was about it.

I think the low carb products are going to work nicely into maintenance. To a lesser extent during my weight loss phase.

Nancy,
By "craze" I mean widely accepted by the mainstream population.

Time will tell, but I predict that in a year or so there will be a backlash on LC because a large majority of people attempted to go LC and did it incorrectly just because they were too lazy to read the books.

Please do not misunderstand. I'm dedicated to the LC lifestyle and am 80 plus pounds lighter to thank for it. I do not look at Atkins or any other LC plan as a fad in the least!

I sincerely hope that you are correct and the majority of the people accept the LC message AND understand it's principles . Again, time will tell.

It's like the new Bud Lite commercial, where they say "All lite beers are low in carbs. Choose on taste."

Sure, all lite beers are low in carbs - compared to a Krispy Kreme doughnut! But if you read the labels, you'll see lite beers ranging from around two to over six carbs per 12-oz serving. (And if I'm not mistaken, Bud Lite falls in the six carb category). If you're counting every carb, and especially if you plan on having two or three or more beers, you better know what you're drinkin'!

I'm not sure why people get worried about other people failing their favorite diet. Their behavior is completely out of your control. Some percentage will fail, some will succeed. Its always been that way with every diet, always will be. Some people will take responsibility for their failure, some won't they'll blame the diet.

Still, you meet one person that has lost 100 or more pounds on a diet and that's a pretty big testimonial of what people can accomplish. You meet two people, you're starting to really believe. They manage to keep the weight off, while being healthy and happy and what a positive reinforcement that is to others out there.

If you throw a pot of spagetti on the wall, some of it will stick, but most of it falls on the floor. And the folks that stick to Atkins and shed the incredible amounts of weight that we hear some do are incredibly motivating to other people. Some percentage of those people will do likewise. Another percentage will fail for reasons that have nothing to do with anything but their own ignorance or laziness.

The difference with this and low fat is that virtually none of the low fat spagetti stuck to the wall. This spagetti has sticking power.

I've found with a lot of the new products hitting the market, they do contain things that I'm trying to avoid (primarily transfats), but for those that are sensitive also beware of added sugars and high fructose corn syrup found in many of the new products as well; they can trigger cravings in those that are sensitive to those things even though they may be lower in carbs. The caution to read the labels before you purchase or eat one of these new products is a good one!
I've also noticed that the carb counts on a lot of the newer products are more appropriate for someone who may be in pre-maintainance or on maintainence or doesn't need to lose weight, but is just making an effort to cut their carb intake for better health. 9 grams of carb for a "low carb" muffin (that also contains hydrogenated fat)? Not for me.
I think that it's quite likely that the proliferation of low carb products hitting the market will start to slow and some of those products will start disappearing from market shelves over the next few years as the numbers of low carbers decline, but I don't think we'll ever go back to the "no low carb products" days. Those that are good, useful and fit into a healthy low carb plan will hopefully stick around. Those that aren't, I would bid good riddance to anyway.

Love that Nancy. I'm the spagetti sticking to the wall . I want to be the role model that others will say "wow look what she did on lc". My sister still does the I can't believe you eat all that fat and loose wt as she was popping easter chocolate. I off course came back with I can't believe your eating all that sugar and still keeping your wt down . we all have our problem foods. Mine is sugar and other carbs.

As for the lc "craze" I do think that we need to read labels as has been mentioned. I think we need to use those items only occassionally and keep to natural foods. I'm not sure of the true intent of the Atkins new advertisements but I really like the new piramid they are proprossing and have it stuck up on my wall as to me it makes sense. I hope that their intent is good. I do love their endulge chocolate peanut cluster thing... need to limit myself for the cost and because it brings me back to my past way of eating to many snack foods.

Whether or not the "craze" lasts isn't an indicator of the merit of the plan. I know plenty of people who lost significant amounts of weight on low-fat and have kept it off. Their "secret" was not eating whole boxes of "fat free" cookies and such. They ate fruits and veggies, meat, whole grains, and used the low-fat goodies as treats, not staples.

I think this is the way I plan to approach low-carb goodies. They'll be nice for a treat, but not a steady diet. I think as long as you eat your "real" foods, there's a place for the goodies as well. The quality products that people support will be the ones that "stick to the wall" when the rest fade away.

Who cares if the interest in and popularity of Low-Carbing fades? I almost wish it would, and have gotten to the point where I don't even discuss it with someone who hasn't read at least one book on the subject. I have never cared what kind of diet anyone else follows, and don't mind if people don't follow my diet, either. It is kind of nice to have a friend or two who "gets it" but it doesn't really affect me one way or the other.

Am I crazy? (ok I just mean about this one thing, not in general.)

Liz

Oh and as usual I agree with Nancy and Potatofree.

Liz

I got to the point where I dont discuss it with anyone who isnt familiar with it, and if someone tries to nit pick I just say you are right, I am killing myself and drop it.

I dont feel I need to justify my choice for eating the way I feel is healthiest for me to anyone. You agree, great, you dont thats great too. Dont try and convert me, I wont try and convert you. If you are sincerely interested and have honest questions you want to discuss, thats one thing, but if you have this holier than thou you are killing yourself and I know better than you and I pity you attitude, save it. If thats the case I pity you too.

I just do my own thing and let everyone else do theirs. The one place it upsets me is when I go around and I see the plan attacked on a public message board for example and no one defending it, and a lot of ignorance thrown around... chances are I will go in and say what I feel is important and leave. I will personally feel better just knowing that the correct information is up there and those reading it can see both sides too. Aside from that I wont waste my time arguing with children.

I am not out to convert the masses.

Atkins is just plain too expensive. I'm glad they got lots of competion now. I'll take a half gallon of great tasting Breyers Low Carb ice cream (2 for $7.00 sometimes!) in lieu of Atkins 4 measly cups of over icy ice cream for $6.00!

And Atkins chips, $1.99 for a tiny bag! Bah, taste all right, but I only bought once at that price.