 |
| The Atkins Diet came from Dr. Walter Bloom's Bacon and Egg Diet |
The modern-day Atkins Diet targets young people who are only mild to moderately insulin resistant. If you don't fit into that model, Atkins 20 and Atkins 40 might not work very well.
If you need a reliable low-carb diet, Old-School Atkins is often the best way to go.
Here's how to do the Atkins Induction Diet published in 2002 correctly.
Are you sick and tired of weight-loss diets that promise you that you can lose 15 pounds in 2 weeks?
Are you ready to buckle down and put in the effort it takes to finally get slim and trim?
If so, the Atkins Diet can help you get there!
From the very first day on Atkins Induction, the name that Dr. Atkins gave to the initial phase of this revolutionary diet program, you'll learn how to make honest-to-goodness healthy food choices that will satisfy your appetite and allow you to start whittling away at those needless excess pounds.
Atkins Induction is not the Atkins Diet.
SSimilar to the ketogenic program that Dr. Walter Lyons Bloom developed in 1962, when doing research on metabolic changes during a zero-carb diet, Induction is only the first phase of the Old-School Atkins Nutritional Approach to living.
The very first step.
If followed correctly, it will strengthen your weight-loss efforts and increase your chances of finally gaining complete control over your weight.
Originally, Bloom used his innovative bacon-and-egg diet in a published scientific study that compared fasting to a zero-carb diet. Bloom and colleagues wanted to observe the metabolic changes that occur during the total absence of carbohydrates.
Bloom's diet consisted of bacon and eggs for breakfast, with meat and salad for both lunch and dinner.
Nothing more.
 |
| The idea for eating meat and salad for lunch and dinner came from Dr. Bloom's metabolic studies. |
Through trial-and-error, Dr. Atkins came up with a realistic weight-loss plan that enabled his patients, and eventually his readers, to personalize the program to fit their tastes, lifestyle, and metabolic individuality.
Unlike traditional diet programs that tell you exactly what you can and cannot eat, the Atkins Diet allows you to create a personal diet that you can comfortably live with for the rest of your life.
Over the years, the Atkins Nutritional Approach to weight loss has continued to evolve since its humble beginnings in 1972.
From an Induction Diet that only allowed 2 cups of lettuce, celery, radishes, and cucumber per day to the last version that offered dieters a huge list of acceptable greens, vegetables, and special foods to choose from, Phase 1 of the Atkins Diet continues to encourage lots of healthy choices that were not available in 1972.
Today's Atkins Induction also has different rules.
Why Did the Atkins Induction Diet Evolve?
With so many different Atkins programs floating around the internet, you might be very confused. Most diets don't change. However, the different versions of the Atkins Diet came about because Dr. Atkins' patients were breaking the rules.Many patients were not just eating protein and salads in 1972. They were also adding cooked vegetables to their meals to make them more satisfying.
When these patients finally admitted to Dr. Atkins that they were eating vegetables and still losing weight on Atkins Induction, Dr. Atkins revised Phase 1 in 1992 to reflect his patients' experiences.
Since the Atkins Nutritional Approach is a personalized program that you tailor to fit your specific:
- metabolism
- carbohydrate tolerance
- food sensitivities
- likes and dislikes
There is no right or wrong way of doing a low-carb diet.
Which plan you choose depends on the degree of metabolic damage you have and how easily a low-carb program corrects those problems. All the various programs work exactly the same way:
They change your body's chemistry, so you can experience lipolysis, the companion to ketosis.
What Atkins Induction Will Do For You
Long-term success on the Atkins program requires you to gain a little knowledge about why and how the program works.
Coming to the Atkins Induction Diet with adequate preparation will increase your chances of regaining control over your health and well-being.
Dr. Atkins called Phase 1 Induction because it introduces you to weight loss that's designed to:
- Switch your body's fuel source from predominantly burning glucose to predominantly burning fatty acids.
- Stabilize your blood glucose level and eliminate any symptoms you might have due to a blood glucose imbalance, such as brain fog, fatigue, or mood swings.
- Break any food addictions that are causing you to overeat.
- Curb your cravings for sugar, fat, and salt.
- Show you that you can lose body fat without having to tolerate hunger.
That's all the time that's needed for you to achieve the above list of benefits.
Once you complete the Atkins Induction phase of the program, you'll move into Phase 2 where you'll learn how to start creating your own personalized eating plan.
Read One of the Atkins Diet Books
Since a low-carb diet is for the rest of your life, the
best way to start out on your new low-carb lifestyle is to read one of the many Atkins
books that are still available today.
Although, many Atkins books have been published over the past few years, the 2002 version is still considered the "gold standard" by the low-carb community.
Available at yard sales, used book stores, Amazon, and other retailers, this earlier book will explain the science behind how the diet works and why it works.
You'll also need the information when your mind tries to convince you that this diet isn't going to work. Low-carb weight loss isn't always as quick as you might want it to be, especially if you are not brand new to dieting.
Although, many Atkins books have been published over the past few years, the 2002 version is still considered the "gold standard" by the low-carb community.
Available at yard sales, used book stores, Amazon, and other retailers, this earlier book will explain the science behind how the diet works and why it works.
You will need that ammunition when low-carb
opponents start telling you that what you are doing is going to harm your health. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution will clearly explain why that isn't true.
You'll also need the information when your mind tries to convince you that this diet isn't going to work. Low-carb weight loss isn't always as quick as you might want it to be, especially if you are not brand new to dieting.
The books are very easy to get. But if you
can't afford to buy one, even used, you should be able to pick one up
at your local library.
Each version of the Atkins Diet gives a different list of foods that are suitable for Induction.
That's particularly helpful to understand. Make it easy on yourself and just follow the diet as written in whichever book you have. In my experience, all the earlier Old-School Atkins Diets work if you follow the book.
Just be aware that the more recent dietary guidelines put out by the ANA do not work for everyone.
This Induction Guide is about the most popular version of the diet that Dr. Atkins created in 2002. However, the 1972 and 1992 versions will work just as well.
For some people, the earlier versions of Atkins work even better.
If you are not new to a low-carb diet and have done Atkins Induction several times in the past, the 2002 version might not work as well as it did before. There are many reasons for this that go beyond the scope of this post, so if you are in that situation, you might want to think about using the Atkins 1972 Induction plan instead of this one.
The how-to's and a sample menu are included in that post.
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what foods are allowed on Induction, we need to discuss salt. One of the major mistakes that newcomers to the Atkins Diet make is to cut back on salt.
Going too low on sodium can make you very sick.
It takes a large amount of water to process your glycogen stores, so it is vital that you keep your salt intake up and drink plenty of water. You don't want your electrolytes to become unbalanced.
It is very easy to become dehydrated on a low-carb diet. When that happens, you will experience what many low carbers call the Atkins' Flu. Although there are many theories floating around as to what actually causes this strange flu, it is not caused by carbohydrate withdrawal.
Keeping your meals simple isn't a rule, but it makes the Induction Diet easier to follow. During the first 2 to 4 weeks, you're going to go through a lot of physical, mental, and emotional changes.
You don't need to add the pressure of having to cook fancy food to your work load unless you want to.
All red meats, wild game, poultry (including the skin), fish, shellfish, and eggs are allowed, provided they are in their fresh form or frozen without any added fillers. Sodium injections are fine.
Be careful with processed meats.
Look at the list of ingredients, as well as the nutritional data for a carb count. Pay attention to the serving size when evaluating carb counts. Smoked sausages often give you the carb count for only a 2-ounce portion. Do the math. Hot dogs, sausage, and luncheon meats may contain lots of carby fillers.
Also, avoid protein foods that have already been prepared like meatballs, imitation fish, or breaded foods.
While organ meats, such as liver, contain many vitamins and minerals, they also contain carbohydrate. For that reason, Dr. Atkins limited organ meats to 4 ounces a day on Induction.
There are no portion restrictions for protein foods on Induction. Eat until you're satisfied.
Although cheese could be classified as a protein food, cheese is not carbohydrate free, so Dr. Atkins placed it in its own category. On Atkins Induction, you can have hard, aged cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss. Mozzarella and Gouda are also fine.
For soft cheeses, Induction allows:
Cottage cheese, imitation cheese, cheese spreads, and anything not mentioned in the above list is not allowed on Induction.
Dr. Atkins separated salad vegetables from other non-starchy vegetables, due to their carbohydrate content. In his effort to make the diet easy, he gave the following general rule of thumb:
Eat 2 cups of salad vegetables and 1 cup of non-starchy vegetables every day.
Vegetables like spinach or tomatoes, that cook down significantly, must be measured in their raw state.
The only exception to this rule:
If you skip the non-starchy vegetables, you can have 3 cups of salad per day instead.
alfalfa sprouts
bok choy
celery
chives (not green onion tops)
cucumber
daikon radishes
endive
escarole
jicama
lettuces, including romaine
mushrooms
parsley
peppers
radishes
artichoke, including the hearts
bean sprouts
beet greens
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
celery root (celeriac)
chard
collard greens
dandelion greens
eggplant
hearts of palm
kale
kohlrabi
leeks
okra
onions
pumpkin
rhubarb
sauerkraut
scallions (green onions)
snow peas
spaghetti squash
spinach
string beans or wax beans
summer squashes
tomatoes
turnips
water chestnuts
zucchini
(Notice that spaghetti squash is the only winter squash that is allowed during Induction.)
The only restriction that Dr. Atkins placed on herbs and spices is that they should not contain added sugar.
Some people count the carbohydrates in their herbs and spices, while others do not. Since Induction is a very low carb diet, the carbohydrate in spices usually only affects those who are super-sensitive to carbs.
The only exception might be someone who uses herbs and spices occasionally. While that shouldn't affect Induction, it might cause problems once you move into Phase 2.
Traditional herbs include:
basil
cayenne pepper
cilantro (coriander seed)
dill weed or seeds
garlic
gingerroot
oregano
pepper, black or white
rosemary
sage
tarragon
thyme
Dr. Atkins did not restrict any oils, including vegetable oil. While he suggested you use cold-pressed oils whenever possible, he also advised against heating polyunsaturated oils to a high temperature.
Frying is better if you use a more stable oil like peanut oil or coconut oil. Grapeseed oil or canola oil is also fine.
Real butter is preferred over margarine, due to margarine's tendency to contain trans fats, but if you are dairy free, a dairy-free margarine will be your only choice. Try to choose a margarine that hasn't been partially hydrogenated.
For salad dressing, Dr. Atkins recommended you use a standard oil-and-vinegar dressing that doesn't contain balsamic vinegar. You can also use lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Prepared salad dressings must not have any added sugars. They are also limited to 2 carbs per tablespoon serving.
Homemade dressings are also okay to use, since you can control both the carbs and the sugar.
Diet soda on the Atkins Diet is limited to varieties that do not contain aspartame. Only those made with sucralose are allowed.
However, in Dr. Atkins day, manufacturers did not use acesulfame-K in soda. In addition, stevia was relatively new in 2002 and was only allowed to be used as a dietary supplement and not a sweetener.
Soft drinks and fruit juice drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners, such as diet cranberry juice, which has only 2 carbs per cup, were also not available.
In addition to the diet soda and other very low-carb diet soft drinks, the following are allowed on Atkins Induction:
This is where the Atkins Diet gets a bit sticky. The following were allowed by Dr. Atkins:
In 2002, it was believed that sugar alcohols did not raise blood sugar. Today, maltitol has been tested and found to raise blood glucose levels higher than table sugar does. Erythritol is a very low-glycemic sweetener that is not supposed to cause bathroom issues, but it does create gastrointestinal problems for those who can't absorb it very well.
The Induction rule for legal artificial sweeteners was that you had to count each little packet as 1 carbohydrate, due to the maltodextrin in the filler, and you were limited to 3 packets (or servings) per day.
The restriction also includes special low-carb processed foods.
Hard-core Atkins followers also limit liquid sweeteners even though they don't have any carbs. This, too, is a personal choice.
To give you just a little bit more variety to your meat, eggs, cheese, and veggies, Dr. Atkins also allowed:
In addition, when the 2002 version of the Atkins Diet first came out, low-carb processed foods were being created by the food industry that Dr. Atkins said could come in handy when you:
These low-carb products contain sugar alternatives that count toward your daily totals. Bars also contain sugar alcohols, which can cause digestive problems for many people.
Most of your carb intake on Atkins Induction must come from salad and other vegetables. At 20 net carbs per day, once you've fulfilled your vegetable requirement, this leaves very little room for extras.
Dr. Atkins was a firm believer in dietary supplements.
In his day-to-day medical practice, he quickly learned that in general, patients have drastically depleted vitamin and mineral levels due to the way they were eating before they switched to a low-carb diet.
Critics of low-carb diets have suggested that supplementation means that Keto is inadequate by itself, and that a healthy diet wouldn't require any supplements. Atkins Induction is the most restrictive phase of the entire Atkins program, so Induction "can" leave you nutritionally deficient in certain micronutrients.
However, if you are careful to choose nutrient-dense foods, you can consume an adequate supply of vital nutrients, even on Induction.
Before Dr. Atkins died, his nutritional company offered specific vitamin-and-mineral formulas to help your body regain nutritional health, but those supplements are no longer available.
Today, the ANA recommends that you take a general multi-vitamin/mineral preparation, but this can result in more imbalance and nutritional deficiencies, since vitamins and minerals work together. Please consult your doctor or a nutritional professional for advice.
Menu Templates for those who prefer to create their own menu
What Can I Eat on Atkins Induction?
12 Most Common Atkins Induction Mistakes to Avoid
The Chinese Restaurant Effect
How to Make it Through Atkins Induction Without Cheating
Each version of the Atkins Diet gives a different list of foods that are suitable for Induction.
That's particularly helpful to understand. Make it easy on yourself and just follow the diet as written in whichever book you have. In my experience, all the earlier Old-School Atkins Diets work if you follow the book.
Just be aware that the more recent dietary guidelines put out by the ANA do not work for everyone.
What About This Induction Guide?
This Induction Guide is about the most popular version of the diet that Dr. Atkins created in 2002. However, the 1972 and 1992 versions will work just as well.
For some people, the earlier versions of Atkins work even better.
If you are not new to a low-carb diet and have done Atkins Induction several times in the past, the 2002 version might not work as well as it did before. There are many reasons for this that go beyond the scope of this post, so if you are in that situation, you might want to think about using the Atkins 1972 Induction plan instead of this one.
The how-to's and a sample menu are included in that post.
Atkins Induction Is Not About Weight Loss
This might sound contrary to what you are trying to do, but the Atkins Induction Diet is an introduction to the Atkins Nutritional Approach. For that reason, it is best to not worry about the amount of weight
you are or are not losing during this initial phase of the diet.
Just keep your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams, or less, and eat whenever you are hungry.
There will be plenty of time later on to worry about calories and how fast you are shedding the fat. Be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adjust to this new way of eating. Torturing yourself with false expectations and ideals will only make you miserable.
For many dieters, this is a fairly drastic lifestyle change, so don't rush the program. Eat whenever you are hungry, and stick to the list of recommended foods. Let the diet work its magic.
Also, pay attention to foods that are limited on a daily basis.
These foods are restricted for a reason:
While your body is making the metabolic switch, you are also likely to experience an upswing in hunger as soon as your glycogen stores begin to run low.
Don't panic.
Just eat whenever you are hungry. Don't pay attention to the clock, and don't pay attention to the amount of food you are eating. Once you have gone into the state of ketosis, your appetite will drop.
Just keep your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams, or less, and eat whenever you are hungry.
There will be plenty of time later on to worry about calories and how fast you are shedding the fat. Be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adjust to this new way of eating. Torturing yourself with false expectations and ideals will only make you miserable.
For many dieters, this is a fairly drastic lifestyle change, so don't rush the program. Eat whenever you are hungry, and stick to the list of recommended foods. Let the diet work its magic.
Don't Ignore the Food Restrictions
 |
| For Atkins Induction to work best, you have to stick to the food restrictions. |
Also, pay attention to foods that are limited on a daily basis.
These foods are restricted for a reason:
- heavy whipping cream
- hard cheeses
- avocados
- black or green olives
Don't Panic if You Suddenly Feel Starving
While your body is making the metabolic switch, you are also likely to experience an upswing in hunger as soon as your glycogen stores begin to run low.
Don't panic.
Just eat whenever you are hungry. Don't pay attention to the clock, and don't pay attention to the amount of food you are eating. Once you have gone into the state of ketosis, your appetite will drop.
The hunger reduction is a reliable sign that
you are doing the diet correctly.
However, keep in mind that hunger reduction doesn't always happen, so if you are still eating large amounts of food after a week or two, you might have to take a different approach to portion control.
However, keep in mind that hunger reduction doesn't always happen, so if you are still eating large amounts of food after a week or two, you might have to take a different approach to portion control.
Don't Cut Back on Salt
 |
| To avoid the Atkins Flu don't cut back on salt. |
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what foods are allowed on Induction, we need to discuss salt. One of the major mistakes that newcomers to the Atkins Diet make is to cut back on salt.
Going too low on sodium can make you very sick.
It takes a large amount of water to process your glycogen stores, so it is vital that you keep your salt intake up and drink plenty of water. You don't want your electrolytes to become unbalanced.
It is very easy to become dehydrated on a low-carb diet. When that happens, you will experience what many low carbers call the Atkins' Flu. Although there are many theories floating around as to what actually causes this strange flu, it is not caused by carbohydrate withdrawal.
There is no such thing as carbohydrate addiction.
(You are addicted to the pleasure that carbohydrates provide, but not the carbs themselves.)
To correct the Atkins flu:
If you happen to get it, you need to drink a couple of cups of chicken broth per day, as well as increase your overall salt intake. Making your own is easy to do. Just follow this recipe. Getting enough:
(You are addicted to the pleasure that carbohydrates provide, but not the carbs themselves.)
To correct the Atkins flu:
If you happen to get it, you need to drink a couple of cups of chicken broth per day, as well as increase your overall salt intake. Making your own is easy to do. Just follow this recipe. Getting enough:
- potassium
- magnesium
- calcium
What Can I Eat on Atkins Induction?
Keeping your meals simple isn't a rule, but it makes the Induction Diet easier to follow. During the first 2 to 4 weeks, you're going to go through a lot of physical, mental, and emotional changes.
You don't need to add the pressure of having to cook fancy food to your work load unless you want to.
- bacon and eggs
- simple grilled meats
- steamed veggies
- colorful lettuce salads
- full-fat cheeses
Protein Foods:
 |
| Eat plenty of protein foods, including red meat and poultry with skin. |
All red meats, wild game, poultry (including the skin), fish, shellfish, and eggs are allowed, provided they are in their fresh form or frozen without any added fillers. Sodium injections are fine.
Be careful with processed meats.
Look at the list of ingredients, as well as the nutritional data for a carb count. Pay attention to the serving size when evaluating carb counts. Smoked sausages often give you the carb count for only a 2-ounce portion. Do the math. Hot dogs, sausage, and luncheon meats may contain lots of carby fillers.
Also, avoid protein foods that have already been prepared like meatballs, imitation fish, or breaded foods.
While organ meats, such as liver, contain many vitamins and minerals, they also contain carbohydrate. For that reason, Dr. Atkins limited organ meats to 4 ounces a day on Induction.
There are no portion restrictions for protein foods on Induction. Eat until you're satisfied.
Cheese:
 |
| Cheese is low in carbohydrates, but very caloric dense. Don't eat more than 4 ounces a day. |
Although cheese could be classified as a protein food, cheese is not carbohydrate free, so Dr. Atkins placed it in its own category. On Atkins Induction, you can have hard, aged cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss. Mozzarella and Gouda are also fine.
For soft cheeses, Induction allows:
- cream cheese
- sheep and goat cheese
- Roquefort and other blue cheeses
Cottage cheese, imitation cheese, cheese spreads, and anything not mentioned in the above list is not allowed on Induction.
Salads and Vegetables:
 |
| Salad is an Atkins Induction staple. |
Dr. Atkins separated salad vegetables from other non-starchy vegetables, due to their carbohydrate content. In his effort to make the diet easy, he gave the following general rule of thumb:
Eat 2 cups of salad vegetables and 1 cup of non-starchy vegetables every day.
Vegetables like spinach or tomatoes, that cook down significantly, must be measured in their raw state.
The only exception to this rule:
If you skip the non-starchy vegetables, you can have 3 cups of salad per day instead.
Salad Vegetables (2 to 3 cups daily):
alfalfa sprouts
bok choy
celery
chives (not green onion tops)
cucumber
daikon radishes
endive
escarole
jicama
lettuces, including romaine
mushrooms
parsley
peppers
radishes
Non-Starchy Vegetables (1 cup per day):
artichoke, including the hearts
asparagus
bamboo shootsbean sprouts
beet greens
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
celery root (celeriac)
chard
collard greens
dandelion greens
eggplant
hearts of palm
kale
kohlrabi
leeks
okra
onions
pumpkin
rhubarb
sauerkraut
scallions (green onions)
snow peas
spaghetti squash
spinach
string beans or wax beans
summer squashes
tomatoes
turnips
water chestnuts
zucchini
(Notice that spaghetti squash is the only winter squash that is allowed during Induction.)
Herbs and Spices:
 |
| Some people have to count the carbs in their herbs and spices. |
The only restriction that Dr. Atkins placed on herbs and spices is that they should not contain added sugar.
Some people count the carbohydrates in their herbs and spices, while others do not. Since Induction is a very low carb diet, the carbohydrate in spices usually only affects those who are super-sensitive to carbs.
The only exception might be someone who uses herbs and spices occasionally. While that shouldn't affect Induction, it might cause problems once you move into Phase 2.
Traditional herbs include:
basil
cayenne pepper
cilantro (coriander seed)
dill weed or seeds
garlic
gingerroot
oregano
pepper, black or white
rosemary
sage
tarragon
thyme
Fats and Oils:
 |
| Many people don't know that Dr. Atkins only recommended cold-pressed oils. |
Dr. Atkins did not restrict any oils, including vegetable oil. While he suggested you use cold-pressed oils whenever possible, he also advised against heating polyunsaturated oils to a high temperature.
Frying is better if you use a more stable oil like peanut oil or coconut oil. Grapeseed oil or canola oil is also fine.
Real butter is preferred over margarine, due to margarine's tendency to contain trans fats, but if you are dairy free, a dairy-free margarine will be your only choice. Try to choose a margarine that hasn't been partially hydrogenated.
For salad dressing, Dr. Atkins recommended you use a standard oil-and-vinegar dressing that doesn't contain balsamic vinegar. You can also use lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Prepared salad dressings must not have any added sugars. They are also limited to 2 carbs per tablespoon serving.
Homemade dressings are also okay to use, since you can control both the carbs and the sugar.
Beverages:
Diet soda on the Atkins Diet is limited to varieties that do not contain aspartame. Only those made with sucralose are allowed.
However, in Dr. Atkins day, manufacturers did not use acesulfame-K in soda. In addition, stevia was relatively new in 2002 and was only allowed to be used as a dietary supplement and not a sweetener.
Soft drinks and fruit juice drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners, such as diet cranberry juice, which has only 2 carbs per cup, were also not available.
In addition to the diet soda and other very low-carb diet soft drinks, the following are allowed on Atkins Induction:
- clear broth and bouillon without added sugars
- club soda
- coffee and tea
- essence-flavored seltzer water with no calories or aspartame
- herb tea without barley or fruit sugar added
- mineral water
- spring water
- water
[NOTE: Dr. Atkins didn't like the research he read on aspartame sweeteners, so he advised readers to stay away from it.
However, many low carbers use aspartame-sweetened sodas and have gotten into ketosis just fine. Sucralose can be hard on the liver, so if you have liver abnormalities, you'll need to choose a sweetener that is more in line with your own health issues, despite what Dr. Atkins said.
When I lost over 100 pounds tweaking the Atkins Diet I did drink aspartame-sweetened sodas. Use your own common sense here.]
However, many low carbers use aspartame-sweetened sodas and have gotten into ketosis just fine. Sucralose can be hard on the liver, so if you have liver abnormalities, you'll need to choose a sweetener that is more in line with your own health issues, despite what Dr. Atkins said.
When I lost over 100 pounds tweaking the Atkins Diet I did drink aspartame-sweetened sodas. Use your own common sense here.]
Artificial Sweeteners:
This is where the Atkins Diet gets a bit sticky. The following were allowed by Dr. Atkins:
- acesulfame-K
- sucralose
- sugar alcohols like maltitol
In 2002, it was believed that sugar alcohols did not raise blood sugar. Today, maltitol has been tested and found to raise blood glucose levels higher than table sugar does. Erythritol is a very low-glycemic sweetener that is not supposed to cause bathroom issues, but it does create gastrointestinal problems for those who can't absorb it very well.
The Induction rule for legal artificial sweeteners was that you had to count each little packet as 1 carbohydrate, due to the maltodextrin in the filler, and you were limited to 3 packets (or servings) per day.
The restriction also includes special low-carb processed foods.
Hard-core Atkins followers also limit liquid sweeteners even though they don't have any carbs. This, too, is a personal choice.
Special Category Foods:
 |
| One lemon is equal to 3 tablespoons lemon juice. |
To give you just a little bit more variety to your meat, eggs, cheese, and veggies, Dr. Atkins also allowed:
- 10 to 20 olives
- up to one-half of a small avocado
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream
- Up to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
- Up to 3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
In addition, when the 2002 version of the Atkins Diet first came out, low-carb processed foods were being created by the food industry that Dr. Atkins said could come in handy when you:
- Are unable to find appropriate food
- Can't take time to cook a meal
- Need a quick snack
These low-carb products contain sugar alternatives that count toward your daily totals. Bars also contain sugar alcohols, which can cause digestive problems for many people.
Most of your carb intake on Atkins Induction must come from salad and other vegetables. At 20 net carbs per day, once you've fulfilled your vegetable requirement, this leaves very little room for extras.
Dr. Atkins' View on Dietary Supplements
Dr. Atkins was a firm believer in dietary supplements.
In his day-to-day medical practice, he quickly learned that in general, patients have drastically depleted vitamin and mineral levels due to the way they were eating before they switched to a low-carb diet.
Critics of low-carb diets have suggested that supplementation means that Keto is inadequate by itself, and that a healthy diet wouldn't require any supplements. Atkins Induction is the most restrictive phase of the entire Atkins program, so Induction "can" leave you nutritionally deficient in certain micronutrients.
However, if you are careful to choose nutrient-dense foods, you can consume an adequate supply of vital nutrients, even on Induction.
Before Dr. Atkins died, his nutritional company offered specific vitamin-and-mineral formulas to help your body regain nutritional health, but those supplements are no longer available.
Today, the ANA recommends that you take a general multi-vitamin/mineral preparation, but this can result in more imbalance and nutritional deficiencies, since vitamins and minerals work together. Please consult your doctor or a nutritional professional for advice.
Additional Help to Get Through Induction:
7-day Menu for Atkins InductionMenu Templates for those who prefer to create their own menu
What Can I Eat on Atkins Induction?
12 Most Common Atkins Induction Mistakes to Avoid
The Chinese Restaurant Effect
How to Make it Through Atkins Induction Without Cheating
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