Just for the heck with it...

[neutronnorman]

A link Low-Carb Pavilion - Larry King Inteviews Dr. Robert Atkins

[Slapshot]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

Good link.

Talk about summing it up better than anyone could ever do:

KING: OK. But how about the concept that every cardiologist
I had to talk to, and I've had heart disease, so I know --
I mean, I had a heart attack and heart surgery -- says fats
are bad because fat -- obviously, when you think of a fat,
it builds plaque, plaque is what constricts the system.
Bang, you're in trouble.

ATKINS: Well, that's what they say. But on the other hand,
there is a lot of evidence that shows that all of that
thing about fat was done on studies where there was a lot
of carbohydrate. Now, when there is a lot of carbohydrate,
your fat takes a different metabolic pathway than when
there is very little carbohydrate. When there is a lot of
carbohydrate, fat turns into triglyceride, which is bad for
your heart, and that's a bad thing. But when you don't eat
carbohydrate, then it turns into energy.

[Slapshot]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

Another interesting nugget (given the back-and-forth on this board about nitrates):

CALLER: Hello. In your book you say that you should not eat
bacon or sausage with sodium nitrate. How important is it
to stay away from sodium nitrate?

ATKINS: All right. That's a minor point, because that's
just a -- to talk about the fact that nitrates -- nitrates
are a little dangerous.

KING: What are nitrates?

ATKINS: That's one of the ingredients that if you eat a lot
of them, you can run into some medical problems.

KING: Did you say don't eat sausage and bacon or do eat
sausage and bacon?

ATKINS: Well, I allow a moderate amount because I don't
think it has enough -- when you can get the organic type
without the nitrates in it you can have all you want.

KING: Where do you get organic...

ATKINS: In the health food stores.

KING: You get organic bacon?

ATKINS: Well, you get the kind of free range bacon that
doesn't have nitrates in it, yes.

[Slapshot]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

One final nugget (for those who don't want to read the whole thing):

CALLER: Hi, gentlemen.

I'm interested in the Atkins products and how you feel that
they may inhibit or help the weight loss program.

KING: You sell products?

ATKINS: Yes. Atkins Nutritional sells products. And it's
some very good products. We're not the only company that
does it.

KING: Where do you get it, health food stores?

ATKINS: Health food stores carry them. You can logon to the
website and call Atkins Nutritionals.

KING: What kind of products?

ATKINS: Well, we have chocolate things and they're called
Advantage Bars, protein bars. We have about 80 different
products. I mean, the whole breakfast, a lot of -- we have
low carb bread. We have chocolate drinks and other drinks
that are delicious and we will have ice cream in a few
months.

KING: You ship it out?

ATKINS: Shipped out right away.

[neutronnorman]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

If I recall, I think nitirtes metabolize into nitrosamines, and those
fkersare highly carcinogenic.

Norman

[susan423]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

Yeah, I thought that was kind of strange. How everyone talks on here how bad the bars are and that Dr. Atkins made them for emergencies only.
But he didn't say any of that in this interview.
Also he said specifically "you can expect to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks"
Again not what I heard from around here. I don't think he even asked that person how much they weighed.
I haven't read all of it but it looks interesting.

[Slapshot]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

Yeah, I thought that was kind of strange. How everyone talks on here how bad the bars are and that Dr. Atkins made them for emergencies only.
But he didn't say any of that in this interview.
Also he said specifically "you can expect to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks"
Again not what I heard from around here. I don't think he even asked that person how much they weighed.
I haven't read all of it but it looks interesting.

I think he dumbed it down a bit for CNN/Larry King. It was very sound-bite-ish. I wouldn't read too much into it.

[susan423]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

I think he dumbed it down a bit for CNN/Larry King. It was very sound-bite-ish. I wouldn't read too much into it.

Ok, that's what I thought but it was just strange to hear the doctor himself say those things

[Elizellen]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

From what 'oldtimer' Atkineers have written the original Atkins bars were very different from the current ones and contained different ingredients.

[msanjelpie]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

It was excellent... bringing him back from the dead...

You have to remember he is trying to 'sell' the diet, so he is going to say what he has to say to get the majority of people to 'buy' into the diet... There just wasn't enough time for him to explain all the little ins and outs...

I liked the question about the marathoner... I cracked up at the one about mad cow disease (how far did they have to reach for that question?)

Thanks for posting this!

[FwL]

Re: Just for the heck with it...

Not to mention the fact that Dr A was promoting a "lifestyle" ... not just a two week induction or an OWL period. He called it a "70 year diet" in the interview and pointed out how a two week induction is a blip on the screen when you look at 70 years.

Somebody who is trying to lose weight and get their carb addiction under control can run into a lot of trouble with "low carb" foods... while somebody on lifetime maintenance might be able to eat them in moderation without any problem at all.