A sample Induction menu containing 2,000 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrate was analyzed using the highly regarded " Nutritionist V " program( the computer program used by nutritionists worldwide). Results of the analysis found the menu to meet or exceed Recommended Daily Intake( RDI) requirements of nineteen of the twenty-four vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and the remaining few( panthothenic acid, sodium, magnesium, copper, chromium and molybdenum) can easily be replaced with a supplement( see page 134).
Once they complete Induction and begin the next phase of the program, individuals can raise their carbohydrate gram count. This phase prescribes even more nutrient-dense, green, leafy vegetables and fruits such as strawberries. With these additions, the plan far exceeds requirements for fiber.
The second part of this criticism is more thought-provoking. I, for one, am deeply committed to finding a vita-nutrient solution for most health problems. This means that I believe no eating pattern contains optimal nutrition, and that all of us can improve our health by taking vitanutrients that are targeted to our individual health problems, disease risks and nutrient deficiencies.
That said, let ' s look at the essential-nutrient contributions made by the foods people eat on low-fat diets. These foods are low in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and the essential fatty acids, our number-one deficiency in this country. They also may be low in nutrients we get from meat, such as vitamin 1312 and carnitine. And if people overeat foods made from white flour-which is often the case on low-fat diets-they will be low in half the B complex nutrients( the half that isn ' t included in the mandatory enrichment) and most of the essential minerals. People on a low-fat diet need supplementation desperately.
Fallacy # 5: People doing Atkins may feel tired, weak and lacking in energy.
Fact: Fatigue may occur during the first few days of doing Atkins, while the body adapts to the switch in metabolic pathways. It typically takes about three to four days for the body to convert from a sugar metabolism to a primarily fat metabolism. Your body can store carbohydrates for only up to forty-eight hours, so you can be confident that your metabolic switch will occur, as long as you are doing Atkins properly.
After the transition, those people who were tired at first usually report high energy and clear thinking throughout the day. The explanation is simple: They have rebalanced their nutrition so that their blood sugar is stabilized. They avoid blood-sugar peaks and valleys throughout the day, putting an end to mood swings and periods of lethargy. And those people who consume a full vitanutrient program are much less likely to feel weak or tired even at the start of Atkins.
Fallacy # 6: You eat too much protein when doing Atkins, which is bad for the kidneys.
Fact: Too many people believe this untruth simply because it has been repeated so often that even intelligent health professionals assume it must have been reported somewhere. But the fact is that it has never been reported anywhere. I have yet to see someone produce a study for me to review, or even cite a specific case in which a protein-containing diet causes any form of kidney disorder.
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