Atkins Diet and unprocessed foods

When you first begin the Atkins program, you may be tempted to take advantage of many of the low-carb products on the market today. There is a wide variety of packaged items that are specifically manufactured to be low-carb. These include low-carb snacks, low-carb baking products, and low-carb substitutes (such as pasta or bread). While it can be tempting to fill your shopping cart with all these delicacies, it is best for your diet and your health to use them sparingly.

One of the most important things to remember about the Atkins diet is the focus on raw, unprocessed foods. The center of the diet, as the food pyramid of the Atkins diet shows, is fresh vegetables and fresh meat. Added to the mix are natural cheeses, a selection of fruits and, ultimately, whole unprocessed grains. There are no packaged meats, canned vegetables or instant items.

There's a reason the Atkins food pyramid shows these foods in their raw state. There are great health benefits in minimally processed foods. Raw, whole foods retain more vitamins and nutrients than foods that have undergone chemical and industrial processing. Processed foods are more likely to be contaminated with chemical additives that can cause a lot of problems.

Raw, fresh food ingredients are the best basis for a healthy diet. Many dieters depend on foods that are technically allowed on the plan, but are not good for health. An example is bacon. Many people on the Atkins diet eat a lot of bacon. Many even use it as a daily part of their protein food. However, bacon contains high amounts of sodium nitrite, an ingredient known to cause cancer. The more bacon they eat, the more they expose themselves to this chemical and many others.

The Atkins pyramid and the Atkins diet books recommend unprocessed, unrefined and unprocessed foods for a reason. If people follow these recommendations, they will lose weight and experience health transformations. By eating fresh and natural foods, you provide your body with the nutrients you need for optimal health.

Back to packaged and processed low-carbohydrate foods. Technically they are part of the low-carb program. They can be used in moderation as a replacement for your favorite carbohydrate-rich foods. In no time at all, low-carb breads and baked goods can help you get over your appetite and add variety to your Atkins diet plan. However, a glance at the labels of these products shows how chemically processed these items can be.

It is recommended to use these products sparingly. For some individuals, packaged products low in carbohydrates cause cravings for carbohydrates. This can make staying on the diet even more difficult. If you find that low-carb processed foods want you to bounce on carbohydrate-rich foods, it is best that you stay away from these products. These products can also have hidden carbohydrates that increase your daily carbohydrate level without you realizing it.

If you experience a stall in your weight loss on the Atkins plan, re-evaluate your commitment to unprocessed and unrefined foods. If you've eaten too many low-carb foods, you can eat hidden carbohydrates and eat more than you need. Try to eliminate these products and redirect your diet to unprocessed and unrefined foods, as shown on the Atkins Diet Pyramid. If you're going shopping, spend time on the outside edge of the store where the fresh, unprocessed food is located. This will help you avoid the temptation of packaged foods that can lead your diet astray.

From time to time, you may have to rely on packaged meats, fruits and vegetables. We lead busy lives and convenience foods are part of life. It's understandable that you may need to use some soup, bacon or canned vegetables in your daily life. However, make an effort to focus your diet on a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed foods. Your health and weight loss efforts will be greatly rewarded.