Atkins Diet

Induction Phase: Atkins Diet Food List

This list will let you know what foods to eat, what to avoid and what foods to phase in later on.

The foods allowed during the Atkins Diet Induction Phase are as follows:

Carbohydrates should be limited to an intake of 20 gm.

Proteins:

Mostly all protein foods such as eggs, seafood and meat contain little or no carbohydrates. But some things need to be considered, such as the protein foods allowed, on a Low Carb diet. A major portion of carbohydrate in our diet is because of vegetable intake, thus, it is very essential to know the carbohydrate count of vegetables. Approximately 12-15 gm of carbohydrates excluding fiber should be included in vegetables.

Cheeses:

Approximately less than 1 gm of carbohydrate is found in 1 ounce of most cheeses but there are some varieties of cheese that have more carbohydrates, so it is important to read the labels given on the packaging. The Atkins diet allows a person to take in around 3-4 ounces of cheese per day. Cream cheese can be included but farmer’s cheese, cottage cheese and other fresh cheeses aren’t allowed.

Oils and Fats:

People who are following the Atkins diet are not supposed to follow their own low fat version of this diet because the body needs a specific amount of fat. The diet plan given in the Atkins diet has been prepared keeping in mind the adequate fat required by our body. A balance of natural fats is required but Trans fats should not be included in the diet.

A few points about fats and oils:

  • Olive oil, particularly virgin and extra – virgin olive oil should be used.
  • Omega-3 fatty acid foods such as cold water fish etc should be included. In case you are pregnant, please follow the FDA guidelines for eating fish.
  • Stir frying should be done in canola oil, peanut oil or grape seed oil. Cold pressed and expeller pressed oils are the best.
  • Corn, safflower, soy and sunflower oil should be avoided and if needed, they ought to be used unheated in small amounts. These oils have high Omega 6 polyunsaturated fat. Try to use cold pressed or expeller pressed versions. NB from Laura: safflower and sunflower oils are available created from seeds have high levels of monounsaturated fat and lower levels of polyunsaturated Omega 6 fats.
  • If mayonnaise is required, it is better to have regular full fat mayonnaise made from the oils given above.
  • For salad dressings, also use the above oils and be careful of added sugars.
  • Butter, coconut etc. which have saturated fats should be eaten in small quantities in balance with other types of fats.
  • Margarine should only be used if it is free from trans- fat.

Beverages:

The best beverage to have, according to the Atkins diet is water. At least 8 glasses containing 8oz of water must be consumed daily. If you have hunger pangs before mealtimes, it is best to drink water, as it curbs the hunger. Also, your body may just be craving for water. Water can be substituted with carbonated water containing sugar free flavorings.

Any beverages with sugar are a taboo in the diet, including juices and ciders. Herbal tea or decaffeinated coffee is allowed. Some people may be able to drink caffeine but you may have to test and find out if it has any effect on your cravings or weight loss. Diet sodas which have sucralose are OK; e.g. Splenda®. Clear broths are acceptable because they are low in carbs but be sure to read the calorie count on the label.

Additional Foods which can be eaten:

Small quantities of these foods can be added to your diet plan for daily consumption (calculate the carbs):

  • Lemon or lime juice- using 2-3 tablespoons can make the food interesting
  • An ounce of sour cream or 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream
  • You could add 10-20 olives
  • Half an avocado
  • Low carbohydrate snack bars as convenience food

Additional Fiber requirements:

Fiber can be added to the diet food intake as it is very important for digestion. Flax seed meals are a good option and so is psyllium which is recommended by Atkins as it is the most important ingredient in Metamucil® and other supplements for fibre.

Sugar Replacement:

Atkins has recommended the use of sucralose also known as Splenda®. Saccharine is allowed in small quantities (e.g. Sweet N Low®). The powdered sweeteners usually have 1 gram of carb per packet.