Recommended Atkins’ Food
The foods to eat as recommended by Dr Atkins differ completely from those recommended by the US department of Agriculture Health Food Pyramid which was created in 1992. The Pyramid shows breads and grains as the main foods we should be eating. This however has not resulted in a slim and healthy population. Dr Barry Sears has been responsible for a series of books promoting his food philosophy The Zone Diet. He too believes that carbohydrate consumption needs to be strictly measured and controlled.

Recommended Atkins’ Food : Unrefined, Unprocessed Foods

The simplest way to learn the recommended foods on Atkins’ diet menu plan is look at Atkins’ food pyramid:

1. Protein sources such as eggs, meat, poultry, fish are the first foods to eat on Atkins’ diet…then
2. Vegetables such as cauliflower, salad greens, broccoli, spinach, asparagus
3. Fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, avocado and pears, cantaloupe
4. Vegetable and seed oils, dairy and cheese, legumes, nuts
5. Whole grain foods; brown rice, oats, barley, corn.

There are no prescriptive amounts of recommended foods,  but Dr Atkins did suggest sensible eating and not gorging.

In fact, although many Atkins’ dieters eat more calories than usual, they still lose weight. They do not need to measure anything or count the proteins, fats and non-starchy vegetables allowed during the diet.

All they need to know is the Atkins’ diet food list. High-fat foods such as butter, mayonnaise, guacamole, sour cream are allowed and they considerably enrich the taste of meals, making Atkins’ diet easier.

All dieters should never fail to read the labels carefully, because manufactured meat, for instance, could be processed, thus including hidden carbs.

Recommended Atkins’ Food : Differences Between USDA Pyramid and Atkins Food Pyramid

When Dr. Atkins suggested that dieters should eat meat, eggs and fats on a daily basis, it seemed a bit odd. It was exactly the opposite of what the USDA recommended.

Since obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases were almost epidemic, Atkins’ ideas aroused great controversy. The USDA Food Pyramid has high-carbohydrate foods as the food to be consumed daily.   However, there is considerable on going debate about  which food pyramid is most likely to result in a healthy and slim population. Another group believes in the energy in- energy out concept. Eating more than you burn will result in excess fat and an increase in weight.

The worrying concern is that Americans and their children have become fat (60 percent of adult Americans are overweight and 35%  obese) and the increasing rate of obesity is not slowing. There is confusion because of contradictory messages about which is the best eating plan.

Dr. Atkins’ diet has been embraced by many because  it allows people a good choice of nutritious foods and results of people on the Atkins’ diet are positive . 

Recommended Atkins’ Foods