“The Foundation of the [Atkins] Diet is Vegetables”

Posted by: Brian on August 23, 2010

Hmmmm.  Interesting article in the NY Times about a new the new book book “The New Atkins for a New You,’’ the latest update of the Atkins low-carb diet.  Dr. Westman is an associate professor of medicine at Duke University Health System and one of three co-authors.

Now, I have not read this book, but am always on the lookout for diets that are backed by scientific research.  And this book is the update of the Atkins diet and is very timely.  From Dr. Westman:

Atkins is a way of eating that promotes good, healthy whole foods. Period. The science of it is that these are foods that don’t raise the blood sugar much. Atkins has always been about eating the good sources of carbs, protein and fat. What I want to get out there is that Atkins is healthy eating.

I think the public perception is that it’s beef and bacon. That has been perpetuated by two sources: the media, which want controversy, and the vegetarian element, who don’t want you to eat animal products. You can eat seafood and fish. You can have lots of different protein sources — chicken, eggs, cream and cheese.

The second wrong perception is that there are no vegetables on Atkins, that it’s a no-carb diet. We talk about it right up front. You have to have vegetables. The foundation of the diet is vegetables.

And btw, vegetables should be the foundation of any diet.