What do you consider a frankenfood

[pandagirl]

What do you consider a FrankenFood? I see a lot of talk of frankfoods, how bad they are, and how the Doc would never have wanted them. OK, I get that, and I will defenatly agree from my limited experience the bars can be very bad.

What I don't get is the same people I see posting the evils of the frankenfoods (esp in the induction forums) I see in other posts saying how they use the Carb Countdown milk, lo carb tortillas or the Carbquik flour. I have had none of these products myself, so I don't know how they will affect me.

I understand the need to do a clean induction free from anything but whole foods, and to add foods back in an organized manner. But to see posts loaded with such hatred towards these foods in one forum (IE Induction), then another post praising them in another forum (ie OWL) often by the same poster. This just smacks of hypocrasy and hyperbole. It makes the posts against the frankenfoods seem like propaganda.

So I guess my question is, are these LC produts (ie the tortillas, milk, carbquik etc) NOT considered frankenfoods? I'd certinaly consider them frankenfoods! Or is it only produtcs with sugar alcohols that given such dubious status? And if they are, why the double standard?

[selfxuntitled]

mostly anything that isnt a natural food or has natural ingredients. frankenfoods are processed foods such as kraft singles, hotdogs, locarb products etc.. eat fresh foods as much as possible

[AllieCat0817]

I think it's up to the person to decide what their body can and can't handle. Furthermore I think it makes sense that if you are in a losing phase and especially just starting out to avoid all frankenfoods as much as possible. Once you are done losing, if you find that these 'foods' don't hurt you (no gains, no cravings etc) then have them if you want.

[Perry]

My definition of Frankenfood: Any food not specifically listed on the Acceptable Foods for Induction/OWL lists. No double standards, here.



ha

[not2late]

Re: What do you consider a frankenfood

I understand the need to do a clean induction free from anything but whole foods, and to add foods back in an organized manner. But to see posts loaded with such hatred towards these foods in one forum (IE Induction), then another post praising them in another forum (ie OWL) often by the same poster. This just smacks of hypocrasy and hyperbole. It makes the posts against the frankenfoods seem like propaganda.

So I guess my question is, are these LC produts (ie the tortillas, milk, carbquik etc) NOT considered frankenfoods? I'd certinaly consider them frankenfoods! Or is it only produtcs with sugar alcohols that given such dubious status? And if they are, why the double standard?

Most people use the term frankenfood as any highly processed, artificial food. For example, Cheez Whiz is a frankenfood. I can't speak for anyone else but I typically use the term "Frankenfood" to describe the bars and shakes.

As for Induction versus OWL and the low carb products, well, quite frankly, some products aren't acceptable for Induction because they contain ingredients not on the Induction acceptable foods list nor comply with the Induction Rules. For example, low carb tortillas typically contain wheat flour. Grains, including their flours, are not allowed during Induction. However, grains can be included during the grain rung of OWL. Some low carb products contain fruit. Again, the only fruit allowed during Induction are the "vegetable-fruits" like avocadoes, olives, eggplant, tomatoes, etc. But fruit like berries and apples are not allowed during Induction.

What it boils down to is if the food is acceptable for your particular phase of Atkins. I can "legally" eat potatoes and carrots because these foods are "legal" for my phase of Atkins (starchy veggie rung of OWL). Likewise, I can eat blackberries, apples, oranges, pineapples and other foods because they are "legal" for my phase of Atkins. During Induction I couldn't eat them because they were not appropriate for the Induction phase.

That's why the OWL board was born---because that phase is different from Induction in terms of food choices and carb levels. When I joined ADBB, there was only this general board and the Induction board to discuss Atkins. The OWL folks had no where to post specifics to their phase and even if they did identify that they were on OWL, newbies reading their posts would still post threads like "I thought carrots were not allowed but soandso posted they are eating carrots adn you guys didn't say they couldn't" or "why can soandso eat 30 net carbs daily? I thought we could only eat 20?".

The other thing is OWL is the time you can experiment with different foods to see how they affect your body. By the time you OWL, you are familiar with your body's weight loss pattern, your carb tolerance level and the signs of that your body isn't responding well to a food, you can tell if a food is affecting you and you know from following the OWL rules that you need to drop that food.

So, to summarize the 'legality' of the low carb foods depends on your phase of Atkins that's why some foods are treated much differently on the Induction and OWL boards.

I hope tht clears up any confusion for you.

[island reina]

Shouldn't Frankenfoods be okay, if you've lost most of your weight though?

[AllieCat0817]

What kills me is when people holler about 'oh I'm not losing, I'm stuck, I'm stalled'..... then they list their menu which is full of crap products. THAT kills me.

[not2late]

Shouldn't Frankenfoods be okay, if you've lost most of your weight though?

That depends on how your body reacts to low carb products. Elleth one of the admins is in Pre-Maintenance and she found that she can't eat the low carb bread and lose weight. During her OWL, 2big found that she couldn't eat some of the artificially sweetened low carb foods because she wouldn't lose weight if she did. So it really depends on your body.

[pandagirl]

Re: What do you consider a frankenfood

That's why the OWL board was born---because that phase is different from Induction in terms of food choices and carb levels. When I joined ADBB, there was only this general board and the Induction board to discuss Atkins. The OWL folks had no where to post specifics to their phase and even if they did identify that they were on OWL, newbies reading their posts would still post threads like "I thought carrots were not allowed but soandso posted they are eating carrots adn you guys didn't say they couldn't" or "why can soandso eat 30 net carbs daily? I thought we could only eat 20?".

The other thing is OWL is the time you can experiment with different foods to see how they affect your body. By the time you OWL, you are familiar with your body's weight loss pattern, your carb tolerance level and the signs of that your body isn't responding well to a food, you can tell if a food is affecting you and you know from following the OWL rules that you need to drop that food.

So, to summarize the 'legality' of the low carb foods depends on your phase of Atkins that's why some foods are treated much differently on the Induction and OWL boards.

I hope tht clears up any confusion for you.

I understand that the foods are acceptabe for the later phases. and that theyre are seprerate forums. But you don't think that posting "Frankfoods are teh result of corperate greed!!: in the induction forum, then posting "oh I love the Carb Countdown milk!" in another forum is hypocritical and confusing?

I can link examples if you like, tho I don't want to single anyone out.

[Perry]

Why don't you just ask the person who made those comments?

[not2late]

Re: What do you consider a frankenfood

That's why the OWL board was born---because that phase is different from Induction in terms of food choices and carb levels. When I joined ADBB, there was only this general board and the Induction board to discuss Atkins. The OWL folks had no where to post specifics to their phase and even if they did identify that they were on OWL, newbies reading their posts would still post threads like "I thought carrots were not allowed but soandso posted they are eating carrots adn you guys didn't say they couldn't" or "why can soandso eat 30 net carbs daily? I thought we could only eat 20?".

The other thing is OWL is the time you can experiment with different foods to see how they affect your body. By the time you OWL, you are familiar with your body's weight loss pattern, your carb tolerance level and the signs of that your body isn't responding well to a food, you can tell if a food is affecting you and you know from following the OWL rules that you need to drop that food.

So, to summarize the 'legality' of the low carb foods depends on your phase of Atkins that's why some foods are treated much differently on the Induction and OWL boards.

I hope tht clears up any confusion for you.

I understand that the foods are acceptabe for the later phases. and that theyre are seprerate forums. But you don't think that posting "Frankfoods are teh result of corperate greed!!: in the induction forum, then posting "oh I love the Carb Countdown milk!" in another forum is hypocritical and confusing?

I can link examples if you like, tho I don't want to single anyone out.

PM me the examples, if you want.

Again, the stuff I tend to be against are the "meal replacements" like bars and shakes---stuff that are known stallers and are the bane to the newbies who aren't losing weight. Imo, we've been brain washed by Slim Fast and other similar diet plans that a bar or a shake is better than real food or, worse, is integral to the diet. These foods are what I consider part of the corporate greed thing--they aren't vital to the diet and you can eat real food for the same nutritional content as these bars and shakes.

Low carb tortillas, the low carb dairy beverages, salad dressing, etc. are what I consider to be "convenience foods" because there are suitable low carb recipes/substitutes for these things out there. Some of them are 'frankenfood', some of them aren't.

But no matter if the food is a real food or a frankenfood, if it's not appropriate for your phase of Atkins, then you shouldn't be eating it.

[BikerGoddess]

If you read every single post I've written, you'll find that I advise different approaches to different people in different situations. I do absolutely think everyone should avoid Frankenfoods for *at least* the first two weeks. However, I get that people have emergencies and unavoidable situations, and I know that sometimes you're better off with a little cheat than a big cheat.

People are different and are capable of different things. And I'm nothing if not pragmatic. In induction, everyone really should do their best to not have anything not on the allowed foods list. I'm quite emphatic about that.

But if the choice is between a shake for breakfast or quitting Atkins, I'd probably say the shake is better. If someone is in Maintenance, then I'm fine telling them chocolate is ok once in awhile.

See, the thing about Atkins is that it's a lifelong thing and you have to make it work for you. It doesn't do any good if you don't stick with it. Sure, it would be nice if everyone could do it exactly right all the time, but that's not ever going to happen.

If you see what appears to be contradictory advice, take a look at the whole situation - many of us tailor our advice because we do realize the wide variety of people visiting here.

Laura

[earlychildhoodeducator]

Hypocritical or not, there is a wealth of outstanding information and support on this board to help guide us through what for most of us will be a life altering experience. Just like in life, we will not always agree on the details and sometimes you take advice and sometimes you leave it, it's just that simple. There are plenty of real people here who are willing to open up and share their experience but don't always have the same exact perception of every situation. Such is the beauty of human nature! Take what you need, leave what you don't and just enjoy the knowledge that is here.

[2big4mysize]

technically any food that does not exist in nature is a frankenfood SPLENDA is a frankenfood by that definition.

When I started low carbing in 2002 frankenfoods were very clearly defined by the folk coining that term as any food with the fake carb counts using what I called the mythical magical counting noncounting carbs like the sugar alcohols, the hydrogensated startches and other carbs that appear in those magic net effect carbs boxes.

Fiber is the only carbohydrate in humans that enters the mouth and comes out the other end without having been metabol;ized in any manner. Low Carb compamies petetioned the FDA to be allowed to count those mythical magical low blood sugar impacting carbs as fiber and the FDA stood firm and said NO!


During the past yr some folk on ADBB began using the term frankenfood for all foods labeled low carb and that is where a lot of confusion over what frankenfoods are came from. A low carb tortilla that is using aprotein isolate as the flour instead of wheat carbohydrates does not fit the frankenfoods definition nor does the Hood Carb Countdown Milk. there are no carbs not counted other then fiber in either of those foods.

[MotherNature]

I, personally, think all frankenfoods should be avoided during the Induction phase. After that it is up to each person individually to decide what their body can tolerate. As long as a frankenfood does not stall you or cause cravings, it is up to each person to decide if they want to include it in their diet. Also, you need to be sure that you are not reinforcing your old bad eating habits with the candies, ice creams, and bars when you reach the point where you can have those. You work too hard to lose the weight to replace your old bad eating habits with new bad eating habits. Each of our bodies is different. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another. You have to decide what works for you personally and go with it. Just use common sense and read the ingredients and then decide if you want to put it in your body.

Cathy