Look at this misinformation at this website!

[cleochatra]

http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/atkins-diet.html

Pay attention to the claims of what we eat and check out that sample menu, and tell me some people aren't living in a fog.

Sometimes I don't know what to think about these kinds of places that 'educate' people.

[Effie]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

"Most Vegetables" restricted?

I've never eaten this many vegetables in my life!!!

[sadie147]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

what a bizzarre sample menu..what's with the 'tossed salad, no dressing' ?

Difficult program to follow long-term for those who enjoy eating chips, breads, fruits or other carbohydrate-containing foods

maybe they could create a white bread , chip and cookie diet for those ppl?

[cleochatra]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

FWIW, for my own information I ran a sample menu of their rendition of WW with our Atkins maintenance menu... Check this out.

As an aside, here is a quick comparison between Atkins and Weight Watchers in quantifiable values. You'll see how incredibly similar these two menus are, and yet how much better for questionable blood sugar the Atkins version is over its WW counterpart. I used fitday to calculate the totals of the Atkins versus the totals of the WW that they provided.



Weight Watchers Sample Menu:

Breakfast:
1 cup light nonfat vanilla yogurt
1.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat granola

Lunch:
Ham and Cheese tortilla-
6-inch tortilla
1.5 ounces reduced-fat Swiss cheese
2 ounces lean ham
12 cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets

Dinner:
6 ounces steamed flounder
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon
1 cup linguine topped with 1/4 cup marinara sauce

Snack:
1 banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
16 ounces cappuccino made with nonfat milk


Nutrition Analysis of Sample Menu:*

1491 calories
202 carbohydrates


Atkins Sample Menu


Breakfast:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/8 cup flax seed meal
1 packet splenda

Lunch:
Ham and Cheese tortilla-
6-inch low-carb tortilla
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese
2 ounces lean ham
12 cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets

Dinner:
6 ounces steamed flounder
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon
1 cup spaghetti squash topped with 1/4 cup alfredo sauce with pignoli

Snack:
1 Wasa crisp bread
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon peanut butter
16 ounces herbal tea with 2 Tbsp cream


According to fitday totals, this would equal

1311 calories
50 carbohydrates

Now tell me how Atkins is less effective and less healthy than Weight Watchers, according to this college!

[slimndown]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

You know, they have a 'contact us' link......they might actually do some research if they received a whole bunch of emails....

[cleochatra]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

I was thinking about sending them the 'sample menu' that would slam-dunk their theory into the circular file.

Why does every nutritional school I've ever visited website-wise pigeonhole Atkins according to the 14-day induction? It is so vastly irresponsible and intellectually dishonest.

[slimndown]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

You think they would have used the info off of the Atkins website, too. Especially if they wanted to portray something that WAS factual. Go figure.

[ttdriver]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

Nutrition Shortcomings:

• Deficient in several vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, folate and calcium. Metabolic acidosis coupled with inadequate calcium and vitamin D intake can increase calcium bone loss, leading to the development of osteoporosis. OH? Then why was my bone density scan off the charts? And I'm a post-menopausal (surgery induced) woman of nearly 50.
• Eliminates virtually all carbohydrate foods to promote ketogensis. Possible complications of ketosis are dehydration, constipation and impaired cognitive function. OH? I eat 40-50 grams of carbs a day. I also drink a ton of water which keeps me WELL hydrated. Constipation? Hardly. I go 3 times a day. Impaired cognitive function? WTH?
• Excess total dietary fat and saturated fat intake may increase total blood cholesterol levels and LDL-cholesterol. High fat consumption increases fasting plasma free fatty acids which, in turn, have a pro-arrhythmic effect in cardiac tissue. After 4 years of maintenance, my cholesterol ratio is 1.12. Anything under 5 is low risk.
• High protein consumption increases the kidney uric acid load resulting in elevated serum uric acid levels and possible gout. Kidney stone formation is also associated with excess protein intake. Hmmm, wonder why I eat at least 100 grams of protein a day, and don't have gout or kidney problems? I know lots of people with kidney stones who don't eat meat at all!
• Diet plan virtually devoid of fiber and phytochemicals derived from carbohydrate-containing plant foods. OH? Let's see, my carbs from today came from baby spinach (ain't that a plant?), celery, broccoli, and romaine lettuce ...
• Difficult program to follow long-term for those who enjoy eating chips, breads, fruits or other carbohydrate-containing foods. NEWSFLASH: People who eat chips and bread aren't doing Atkins.

Betty

[soliwit]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

*sigh* when will they EVER learn to look beyond induction and then WHEN they look at induction make it the right one, not one that they made up themselves...........

[cleochatra]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

I sent 3 emails. Not perfect, but hey.


Hi there! I was reading this http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/atkins-diet.html fact sheet regarding the Atkins, Diet, while looking at a Weight Watchers sample menu, and I hope you don't mind if I was to take a minute and make some comments regarding the information at your website.

This site treats the first 14 days of induction as the whole diet when, in fact, that is not the case.

The site says

Foods Allowed: All types of meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, cheese, butter, cream, oil, nuts, few non-starchy vegetables, artificial sweeteners.

True... however, most low-glycemic vegetables are, in fact, allowed during the first 14 days of this diet. 3 cups a day is the minimum of salad vegetables a person is to eat a day, and a person may elect to make one of those cups a vegetable which would have a slightly higher glycemic index than your general salad veg. An example might be asparagus. As the person progresses through Atkins, he or she is eating between 3-7+ cups of vegetables per day, which ends up being quite a bit more than the recommended daily allowance as recommended by the FDA. Also, artificial sweeteners are limited to no more than three servings per day.

Problematically, the site also then states

Foods Restricted: Bread, pasta, cereals, rice, fruits, juices, most vegetables, sweets, snack chips and dairy products.

This, while being true in the induction phase of this way of eating, is only true for the first 14 or so days of the diet, also known as the "14-day induction period". After these 14 days, Atkins dieters add in the fibers, dairy products and lower glycemic fruit, as well as more vegetables.

To show an example, I've taken your sample menu from the Weight Watchers Diet and ran it against what a typical Atkineer would eat in maintenance. You will see that both menus are quite similar, with one difference being that there is quite a difference in the number of carbohydrates which are eaten.

Weight Watchers Sample Menu:

Breakfast:
1 cup light nonfat vanilla yogurt
1.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat granola

Lunch:
Ham and Cheese tortilla-
6-inch tortilla
1.5 ounces reduced-fat Swiss cheese
2 ounces lean ham
12 cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets

Dinner:
6 ounces steamed flounder
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon
1 cup linguine topped with 1/4 cup marinara sauce

Snack:
1 banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
16 ounces cappuccino made with nonfat milk


Nutrition Analysis of Sample Menu:*

1491 calories
202 carbohydrates


Atkins Sample Menu


Breakfast:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/8 cup flax seed meal
1 packet splenda

Lunch:
Ham and Cheese tortilla-
6-inch low-carb tortilla
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese
2 ounces lean ham
12 cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets

Dinner:
6 ounces steamed flounder
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon
1 cup spaghetti squash topped with 1/4 cup alfredo sauce with pignoli

Snack:
1 Wasa crisp bread
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon peanut butter
16 ounces herbal tea with 2 Tbsp cream


According to fitday totals, this would equal

1311 calories
50 carbohydrates


As well, the "Nutritional Shortcomings" are misleading, as they would encompass what someone who followed the 14-day induction diet indefinitely may encounter...again, it is misleading to state that someone following the ACTUAL Atkins plan would, in fact, be eating an incredibly healthy diet.

Nutrition Shortcomings:

• Deficient in several vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, folate and calcium. Metabolic acidosis coupled with inadequate calcium and vitamin D intake can increase calcium bone loss, leading to the development of osteoporosis. Not true, especially when calcium is not only ingested in this way of eating, but calcium supplements aid in normal health functions. Adding to this, many who exercise increase their bone density merely through exercise, which also is beneficial to warding off osteoporosis.
• Eliminates virtually all carbohydrate foods to promote ketogensis. Possible complications of ketosis are dehydration, constipation and impaired cognitive function. Again, this might be true were one not eating carbohydrates such as vegetables, fiber and the many things we ARE, in fact, allowed to eat.
• Excess total dietary fat and saturated fat intake may increase total blood cholesterol levels and LDL-cholesterol. High fat consumption increases fasting plasma free fatty acids which, in turn, have a pro-arrhythmic effect in cardiac tissue. This is not the case, as my blood tests actually improved as a result of this way of eating versus the standard American diet.
• High protein consumption increases the kidney uric acid load resulting in elevated serum uric acid levels and possible gout. Kidney stone formation is also associated with excess protein intake. I eat no more protein than does the typical Weight Watchers dieter.
• Diet plan virtually devoid of fiber and phytochemicals derived from carbohydrate-containing plant foods. Again, this is wholly incorrect based on the sample menu I provided which actually allows for MORE fiber than the WW menu you provided.
• Difficult program to follow long-term for those who enjoy eating chips, breads, fruits or other carbohydrate-containing foods. I enjoy eating low-carb breads, WASA crackers made from flax (a recipe I make) and fruit while following Atkins. Chips?! Who needs them. They made me fat!

While following Atkins, I have lost 104 pounds to date, I walk 4 miles a day, and my doctor has removed me from anti-depressants, blood pressure medication and acid reflux medication. My blood pressure is normal and my blood tests came back wonderfully!

I am not a registered dietician, but if people are to honestly evaluate the true Atkins way of eating, one would see that your site treats the first 14 days as the whole diet when, in fact, that is not the case. It is merely the stepping-off point to a way of eating which actually quite resembles the Weight Watchers menu that is touted at the website for your college.

I hope you don't mind my writing.

Respectfully,

[soliwit]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

Very well written Cleo, great !!!!

[Lisa M]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

Excellent letter to their site, Cleo. Along with a really awesome comparision you did there with the two ways of eating.

What really bothers me even more, as a well educated college student who has learned everything from A-Z about researching on-line resources from the best teachers I've ever had.....they don't have the back bone of "citations" to back up where they are getting their information. And any good "reliable" source on the web such as a college site (for goodness sakes!), would cover their tails by putting out their "credible" resources besides the one they decided to rip apart and call it justifyable.

They have ONE (count it, 1) "resource" that they've taken from Dr. A's book, and from what I can see since I've read the book myself atleast 4 times all the way through, they've miss quoted and miss represented the information in such a way to promote the "bad" part of Atkins and not looking at their research for informative or convencing information to be biased enough for any "joe" reading the web. Grrrr!

Phew...done being anal for the moment. Moving along. lol.

[Lisa M]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

Hey, Cleo...who'd ya e-mail that too? There's like a lot and I wondered if you just cc'd all of them? lol....now see that would be funny because then one would be wondering, "why's my name here?" and yell at the other. lol. Okay, so it was funny to me for a second. I want to e-mail them my 2cents.

[Brook]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

I refuse to follow the link because ticking myself off reading stupidity in the first 10 minutes I"m awake isn't smart for setting the day/night's tone.

heh

[cleochatra]

Re: Look at this misinformation at this website!

Thanks, guys! I look back and I know I could have done a better job, but I hope the menus, if nothing else, make the point that Atkins is easily as healthy as WW!

Lisa, I emailed to the entire department (I think) and 2 individuals beyond that.

Brook. I fully understand. I think this was my day to be vocal.

I was in a debate with a WW poster at another board who told me how unhealthy this WOE is. So I went and looked for a sample WW menu...found the site I linked to and ended up writing them a letter, too!

*lol*