colette_heimowitz : Sweet Nothings

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Sweet Nothings

Sweet Nothings

Do you think sugar is as dangerous as alcohol and tobacco? According to a just-released report in the research journal Nature, added sugars in processed foods and drinks are responsible for so many cases of chronic disease and premature deaths that they recommend their use should be regulated, just like alcohol and tobacco. This finding matches what Atkins has proclaimed for 30 years. Americans consume 156 pounds of added sugar each year on a per capita basis, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Imagine it: 31 five-pound bags for each of us. Just to be clear, added sugar is, as the name implies, a caloric sweetener added to a process or prepared food. The classic added sugar, of course, is the table sugar most people add to their tea, coffee, cereal--you name it. Natural sugars in fruit, vegetables, dairy products and other whole foods are integral--meaning not added. The easiest way to banish added sugars is to follow the Atkins Diet. At its heart, Atkins is a low-sugar diet and a no-added sugar diet.

The Atkins Diet, which is backed by more than 80 peer-reviewed and independent studies, is the only program of its kind that empowers you to avoid sugar. With Atkins, you are encouraged to consume whole foods; many of you report that you stop craving foods with added sugar. Instead, vegetables, berries and other fruits, nuts/ seeds , Greek Yogurt, as well as a variety of protein sources and olive oil and other healthy, natural fats leave us satisfied and in control of our appetites. And because the sugar intake is low, we will be more likely to burn body fat for energy.

Further, a 1999 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (vol. 69, p. 445) found that the rate of growth of Body Mass Index (roughly speaking, how fat we all are) since 1968 more or less paralleled, year by year, the increasing number of new condiments, candies, snacks and bakery foods introduced in the United States? So our rising level of obesity equals not fat consumption, but junk food carbohydrate consumption. And most of those foods—including supposedly healthy low-fat breakfast cereals—are now sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup just as soda is. Big doses of corn syrup are just what the human metabolism doesn’t need. And all this new press that vilifies added sugar (plus new research to support it) backs up what we’ve known all along. Atkins is not just effective for weight loss; it’s also a prescription for good health.

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Tell me how your world (and body) has changed since starting Atkins and eliminating most added sugars from your diet. I’d love to hear! Please share your thoughts with the Atkins Community and also let me know what you’d like to hear about in the future.

Published Tuesday, February 07, 2012 11:13 AM by colette_heimowitz

Filed Under: Nutrition

Comments

chetcamper said:

Hi! I have a question are veggie chips a good snack? Not while on induction but for OWL?

February 07, 2012 11:39 AM EST

jbcheesehead said:

It's pretty obvious that to many people sugar is very bad. However, I do not want to have freedoms taken away from all U.S. citizens because SOME have problems with something like sugar. Being a libertarian I feel people should individually be allowed to do what they want with their life. I also feel the flip side of doing what you want means you must be careful to not take away the freedom of others while you are living your life. But this is not something the Government should interfere with. Although at the beginning it may sound like a lofty idea, there will always be people who overuse or abuse the power of the Government to promote their own agendas. These agendas may not always be agendas for the good of the people living under them. Therefore, I feel the less Government interferes with our daily choices, the better off we are. It's the only way we truly can protect our freedom. None of us deserve to be treated like children while some in Government feel they are the only "adults" who should control us because they think they are more educated or sophisticated than the masses.

February 07, 2012 12:21 PM EST

mils333 said:

Hi Collette:
I know first hand the difference removing sugar makes in my life. I had the double whammy of high cholesterol and diabetes. The Atkins lifestyle has brought my cholesterol down around 150 and my A1C's range between 5-5.4 consistently for the past 5 years!
I have experimented with this, and the minute I add in higher carb foods (whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and dried fruits) everything spikes, especially my blood sugar. I am fortunate to have a doctor who, like myself, see's the virtue of a low carb lifestyle.
What I discovered is that "for me" carbs are my sensitivity. When I rid my body of simple carbs and glutens, I have a life with more energy and less joint and muscle pain. And, there is the added bonus of my weight stabalizing at an appropriate level too. These days I do not even use artificial sweetners, nor stevia. I am living my life in a more "natural" style, and feeling more focused everyday. (No More Mood Swings!)
I agree with this article fully. Thank you for posting this. Milly

February 07, 2012 01:06 PM EST

turtlewinks said:

Not only have I dropped 40 lbs and counting, I have much more energy, and significantly less joint pain. To the point I am now off high dose aspirin and only take 1 arthritis med a day. btw - I was able to titrate those meds down within 3 days of starting this WOE just in case you thought it was the 40lbs off that made the difference...of course that doesn't hurt right:-) I also no longer take any meds for my acid reflux...as I don't have it anymomre.

If you watch the video "sugar the bitter truth", you will open your eyes to the role that government plays in adding these poisons to our food supply - all in the name of "saving money" and exporting foods which cost less to produce so they make more of the almighty dollar. God forbid should we care about the health and well being of our citizens. But then look at the sky high costs of medicare. Imagine what we could save as a country if these poisions were eliminiated and we saw the subsequent decline of chronic illness which can be attributed to the HFC.

February 07, 2012 02:17 PM EST

colette_heimowitz said:

Hi chetcamper , veggie chips may be ok in OWL, but it depends on the ingredients and net carb count ( total carbs minus fiber). If your carb tolerance allows, it will be fine. let's see how you do first with adding berries, and nuts.

February 07, 2012 03:24 PM EST

colette_heimowitz said:

jbcheesehead , I would tend to agree with you which is why I did not get into the whole taxation issue in the blog. However, there is something to be said about personal responsibility for those folks who over consume sugar, become obese, develop Diabetes, then expect the government to pick up the tab. Something has got to give. I say rather than tax sugar, lets do a full out education program to empower people to avoid excessive sugar. The stats are alarming and something needs to be done soon;
Diabetes currently costs the USA $130 billion annually, growing to $250 billion by 2015

23.6 million Individuals in the U.S. are estimated to have diabetes

An additional 57 million people are estimated to be pre-diabetic

1.6 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed every year among individuals age 20 years or older

February 07, 2012 03:35 PM EST

beaninno said:

Hi Colette,

I love sushi! Can I have roasted seaweed on induction? Thanks!

February 07, 2012 11:28 PM EST

tjames165 said:

Hi Colette,

I started Atkins on January 8, 2012 and it's the best thing I could have done. Physically and mentally I feel such much better. I have lost 30 lbs but I have gained a positive attitude about my health and this life style change. I feel so energetic that I don't want to sit around in the house anymore. Since I have lost some weight, my knees don't bother me anymore. My blood pressure has improved. I was not on any medications but if something did not change I would be heading that way.

I feel empowered to make better decisions. I initially started this journey to lose weight. I have gotten so much more than I bargained for. I never dreamed I could feel this good. A few years ago I started Atkins but just did not have the will to hang in there. This time, I blog with other Atkins members and they keep me encouraged.

I find myself constantly looking for information on low carb living and have changed my thinking from weight loss to making better food choices. I eat low carb because I enjoy how I feel. I used to be so sleepy after lunch but now, I can continue to work for hours and my brain does not seem to be in such a fog. I intend to keep Atkins as my new life style and I find it very easy to turn away those refined foods that were robbing me of good health.

February 08, 2012 05:26 PM EST

deep 31 said:

HI - day 10 on atkins- Have not lost a single pound- did dr. b's diet last year- had only lost 10 lbs with his diet in 3 months - got into ketosis 3rd day- strips read moderate ketones for 5 days- but no weight loss or inch loss- may be I had my periods on Day 7th- I had to Quit atkins on Day 8th- bad migraine- ended up in hospital- was on IV for two days- was off diet for two days- back on diet this monday again- is coconut palm sugar safe to eat- Splenda and artifical sweetners do not set well with me

February 08, 2012 11:42 PM EST

beaninno said:

That's awesome tjames165! Keep up the good work! You inspired me!

February 09, 2012 11:13 AM EST

colette_heimowitz said:

YES, you can have roasted seaweed on induction

February 09, 2012 08:57 PM EST

colette_heimowitz said:

coconut palm sugar is sugar and will interfere with fat burning. You can try Stevia which is a natural low carb alternative to Stevia

February 09, 2012 09:01 PM EST

ebergstrom said:

Awhile back, I read the back of a sugar-free catsup bottle and discovered that stuff is loaded with salt! So I wrote Heinz and asked about this. The reply was interesting. There is a move by food companies to cut back on salt in condiments but it will be done very gradually by every company, because the public is so used to the taste with it, with the government setting the gradually lower limits. Otherwise, people would just switch brands and the company that made the healthier product would lose business. This is in response to the comment by JBCheesehead (I assume you are in Wisconsin, too).
For kids, we have public school lunch programs that are terrible and, for a lot of kids, these are free, so low-income parents have no choice. Jamie Oliver started the move toward inexpensive healthy foods for these programs, but it is slow to catch on because it is easier to heat up pre-formed breaded chicken patties and serve serve them with macaroni salad than make baked chicken and veggies from scratch at the same cost or less.
At least, or so I hear, we no longer give newborns sugar water as their first meal, it's a step in the right direction.

February 10, 2012 10:28 AM EST

sjwhite23 said:

Second week of induction and I have headaches every day from sugar withdrawals. I make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid it turning into migraines. I don't mind it so much though, it reminds me that I'm doing the right thing. It's hard eating out at some restaurants when 95% of the entrees are crap and all I can order is a salad or a piece of chicken. I'd rather make a delicious low-carb meal at home with fresh ingredients.

I don't like the government interfering with many things. Our bodies are not equipped to digest poptarts, cheese puffs, and many chemicals in processed. Humans survived eating what grew out of the Earth and animals they could hunt for food. I think it's important to educate. Stop buying cheap processed food. Get back to the basics. Let's eat the food we are intended to eat. Spend money on our health instead of saving money on food. I know many people who justify buying fast food because it's "cheaper". It might seem cheaper because the total is only $6 for one meal, but it is more expensive than preparing a healthy meal from scratch. Your health deteriorates, which is more costly for the individual (medical bills), the family (insurance policies), insurance companies, and insurance policies increase for everyone else.

We have the power to choose what goes into our bodies. The ingredients are available for us to read. There is no one to blame but ourselves. Not the government, nor the food companies. WE have a responsibility to educate ourselves. The research is out there for us.

February 10, 2012 02:40 PM EST

DeborahNC said:

tjames 165, Had to say, your story matches mine almost to the letter. I hated the tired feeling in the afternoon, the headaches if I didn't have enough sugar or caffeine, feeling foggy and having no energy. And MOODY! I always forget how good Atkins feels, because I have never made it past induction/first few days of OWL. Being here is giving me the courage to keep going all the way to lifetime maintenance.

February 10, 2012 03:16 PM EST

mortai said:

hi, i don't know how to get answers for this. hope you can help:

i started reading the book-
amazing!
already my mom also wants one as well!

i have some questions -
i live in israel and we eat a bit differently

liquid sucraluz? (it say 0 carbs)
Dried vegetables (dry onion, dry mushrooms )
Microwave - i cook my vegies in the microwave - any recommendations ?

fresh kohlrabi
Wheat bran (on the product it says 25 grams of carbs and 42 grams of fibers - doesn't make sense )
Oat bran
products that have added suger but not a lot of carbohydrate (mayonnaise, Syten)

Caraway
benefiber - fiver you can add that melts in any food & drink :
http://www.benefiber.com/index.shtml

Beet - fresh and cooked
Preserved lemon juice? (is it better to have fresh lemon juice ?)
Cucumber in vinegar

February 15, 2012 09:10 AM EST

keller90m said:

Since returning to Atkins- and after the sugar withdrawals wore off I have to say I feel better ,sleep better and have a better mood/attitude. I discovered that I am carb intolerant as I no longer have a swollen belly all day long.

March 05, 2012 03:07 PM EST

birdietweet said:

My moods have completely leveled out since I quit sugar. It's been one of the most dramatic changes for me! I love this plan and have made it my forever lifestyle way of eating.

May 03, 2012 11:31 AM EST

susanmm3 said:

I am just getting started & have a couple of questions. If I add fiber to something, will that reduce the net carbs it it? Also, If I plan on doing a lot of strenuous activities that day, would it be better to add carbs? Thanks

May 06, 2012 02:25 PM EST

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