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Atkins Diet Foods

What to Eat, What Not to Eat, What to Phase In Afterwards

There is a lot of confusion about Atkins Diet foods, but the Atkins Diet is actually simpler than many people think; the foods that the diet allows are basic, unprocessed foods that are generally considered healthy, with only a few restrictions.

What the Diet Specifies

According to Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, the Atkins dieter should eat ample protein and fats, while restricting certain carbohydrates. That is where the confusion comes in. Fruits and vegetables are primarily carbohydrate foods, containing little fat and protein, but significant amounts of fiber. People who have only a superficial knowledge of the diet's requirements assume followers don't eat these important foods. However, the plan specifies at least two cups of salad and an additional cup of other vegetables daily during the most strict induction phase.

When a person is following the guidelines as written, most people will not notice. A typical day might be an omelette and bacon for breakfast, a large salad with grilled shrimp for lunch, and a steak with vegetables and sugar-free jello for dessert. Furthermore, the Atkins plan does not advocate over-consumption of fat. While the two-week induction period does not restrict fat of any type or quantity, the later phases require the dieter to be judicious in fat consumption, including enough to trigger the satiation impulse and to maintain proper health, but not excessive amounts. Later Atkins books recommend avoiding unhealthy fats.

Atkins Diet Foods

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here's a sampling of the kinds of foods you can eat when following a very strict low-carb plan.

• Beverages: club soda, decaf coffee, decaf tea, herb tea (without sugar), iced tea, mineral water, seltzer, water
• Cheese: boursin, cheddar, chevre, cream, colby, feta, mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, swiss, and any real cheese (no processed cheeses like Velveeta)
• Condiments and Seasonings: anything that does not contain sugar
• Dairy Products: butter, creme fraiche, heavy (whipping) cream, sour cream
• Fats/Oils: animal fats that are part of the meat you eat, butter (not margarine), vegetable oils (olive, walnut, peanut, sesame, safflower, rapeseed)
• Fish: anchovies, cod, halibut, herring, pollock, salmon, sardines, tuna, trout, and any other non-processed fish
• Meats: bacon, beef, ham, lamb, mutton, pork, veal, venison, and any other non-processed meat
• Poultry: capon, chicken, cornish hen, duck, goose, quail, turkey, and any other non-processed fowl, along with their eggs
• Shellfish: calamari, clams, crab, lobster, oysters, shrimp, scallops, and any other non-processed shellfish
• Sweeteners: acesulfame-K, aspartame, saccharine, stevia, sucralose (Splenda)
• Vegetables: alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, bean sprouts, bok choy, broccoli sprouts, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, greens (collard, turnip, beet), jicama, kohlrabi, any lettuce (iceberg, romaine, boston, bibb, etc.), mushrooms, okra, olives (if not processed with sugar), onions (including leeks, scallions, and shallots), palm hearts, peppers, radishes, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini, and any fresh herb.

Forbidden Foods

• Sugar in any form is stricly forbidden.
• Caffeine is to be avoided.
• Highly processed products such as deli meats are discouraged. These products often contain hidden sugars that will sabotage weight-loss efforts and induce cravings for sweet foods.
• Starchy vegetables are not allowed in the early phases of the diet. Corn, peas, most legumes, grains, and potatoes are not permitted.

The following are allowable foods on the Induction Phase of the Atkins Diet. For foods with carbohydrate, limit total intake to 20 grams of net carbs

.

Protein Foods

Most protein foods, such as meat, seafood and eggs, have little or no carbohydrate. However, there are some things to watch out for. Check out Protein Foods on a Low Carb Diet for details.

Vegetables

The bulk of the carbohydrate in the diet comes from vegetables. It is important to know the carbohydrate counts of the vegetables you are eating. 12-15 grams per day (not counting fiber) should come from vegetables. Low Carb Vegetable List

Cheeses

Most cheeses have less than a gram of carbohydrate per ounce, but check labels carefully, as some have more. Atkins allows 3-4 ounces per day during induction. Cream cheese included, but specifically not cottage cheese, farmer's cheese, or other fresh cheeses.

Fats and Oils

People embarking on the Atkins eating plan are cautioned not to attempt to do a low-fat version of the diet. Adequate fat content is vital to the success of the diet. Atkins advises eating a balance of natural fats, and no trans fats at all. Here are some of the things Atkins says about fats and oils:

• Eat plenty of cold water fish and other foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids (but if pregnant be aware of FDA guidelines about fish consumption).
• Olive oil, especially those labeled virgin or extra-virgin, should be emphasized.
• For stir-frying, canola, peanut, and grapeseed oil are recommended, especially if "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed".
• Avoid corn, soy, safflower, and sunflower oil except in small amounts, and not heated (these have high amounts of Omega-6 polyunsaturated fat). Again, cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils are recommended. [Note from Laura: sunflower and safflower oils are now available made from seeds bred to have high levels of monounsaturated fat, and low levels of polyunsaturated Omega-6 fats. These are usually labeled "high oleic".]
• When choosing mayonnaise, choose regular full-fat mayonnaise, preferably using the guidelines above for types of oils used.
• When choosing salad dressings, the same rules apply, and watch for added sugars.
• Butter and other sources of saturated fat (e.g. coconut) are acceptable, but again should be eaten in balance with other fats.
• Don't use margarine unless it is trans-fat free.

Beverages

Water is the vastly preferred beverage. Atkins advises 8 8 oz glasses per day. If you are hungry and it isn't a mealtime, try drinking water first - you might just be thirsty. Soda water or carbonated water with sugar-free flavorings are OK.

Do not drink any beverage with sugar in it, including juice and cider. Herbal teas, or decaffeinated coffee or tea are good choices, although some people can get away with drinking caffeine (you have to experiment to see if it triggers cravings or slows weight loss). Diet sodas sweetened with sucralose (Splenda®) are acceptable. Clear broths are usually very low in carbs (but, as always, read labels).

Special Additional Foods

Small daily amounts of the following foods can be added (count the carbs):

• 2-3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
• 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream or one ounce of sour cream
• 10-20 olives
• half a small avocado
• controlled-carb convenience foods, such as low carb snack bars

Extra Fiber

Atkins recommends psyllium (the main ingredient in Metamucil® and other fiber supplements) and flax seed meal for more fiber.

Sugar Substitutes

Atkins prefers sucralose (Splenda®). Small amounts of saccharine (such as is in Sweet N Low®) are acceptable. Note that the powdered forms of these sweeteners have added carbs, usually 1 grams per packed. Where to Find Liquid (No Carb) Sources of Sucralose (Splenda®)

Foods Forbidden on Atkins Induction

Basically, the rule is that anything not on the Acceptable Food List isn't allowed. These include but are not limited to the following:

1. Grains and anything made with them, including bread, cake, pastries, or anything else made of flour
2. Any food that includes added sugars (list of ingredients that mean "sugar"), which is most processed food
3. Fruits and fruit juices
4. Dairy products except for cheeses and cream in limited quantities as noted on the acceptable foods list
5. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, beets, corn, etc. (starchy veggies are listed at the bottom of the low carb food list).
6. Legumes (beans and peas)
7. Watch out for deli salads, which often have added sugars
8. No alcoholic beverages
9. No nuts, although they are encouraged after Induction

What Foods Can Be Added After Induction?

1. Nuts, as noted above - 1-2 ounces per day are encouraged.
2. More vegetables
3. Fresh cheeses (cottage, ricotta, etc.)
4. Seeds (such as sunflower seeds)
5. Other foods as listed on the Atkins Carbohydrate Ladder
6. Other naturally low carb foods - examples: coconut milk, unsweetened soy or almond milk, shirataki noodles, some soy flours, and other specialty low carb foods.

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