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Most people think Atkins, when they hear low-carb diet. In fact, Atkins is often used as a synonym for low-carb diet. The Atkins plan is seen as either the Gold Standard against which all other low-carb diets are compared or is considered to be the only way to do low-carb.

There are quite a few low-carb diet plans on the market today, each of which espouses a particular approach to low-carb eating. Johnny Bowden reviewed most of the popular ones on the market.[i] Some of the books and their plans are downright silly, based mostly on magical thinking; others present a mish mash of scientific and pseudo-scientific explanations for their program; while still others make their recommendations based upon research evidence (controlled clinical trials, not simply observational studies, anthropology/archaeology; natural science and physiology).

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The basic low-carb weight loss plan restricts (note I did not say eliminate) daily carbohydrate intake to less than 50 carbohydrate grams per day. The usual intervention/weight loss grams are set between 20 and 50 grams. High on the restricted list are the simple sugars (glucose, sucrose, lactose, and dextrose) and anything made with them such as ice cream, cake, cookies and pie. This list includes fruit juices. Second on the restricted list are the grains wheat, corn, rice and all foods and alcohols made with them such as corn chips, breakfast cereals, breads, pastas, crackers and so on.. (Potatoes are included in this list.) Other than these foods, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are allowed in addition to all proteins and fats (with the exception of Trans-Fats, which are forbidden).

Atkins advocated a high fat diet. His 2 week induction period limited carbohydrates to less than 20 grams a day. From there, carbohydrates could be increased slowly, 5 grams a week, until the person began to gain weight. Atkins was concerned that people on the extremely low fat diets being recommended by the USDA Food Guide were not getting enough of the essential fatty acids (essential because they are necessary to life) in their diets. He is to be admired for sticking to his guns in the face of overwhelming criticism and abuse. It wasn't until 2007[ii] that his diet was proven to be the most effective of any of the other so-called healthy diets in fashion both for weight loss and for all the other health parameters such as cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure. In addition, the women on the low-carb diet stuck to it longer

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