RE: Experiences with Atkins diet

From: gts (gts_2000@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun May 04 2003 - 23:53:05 MDT

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    Mike Lorrey wrote:

    > I am glad to see some studies confirming the diet I've advocated on
    > this list for a number of years.

    And I am glad to know I'm not the only one here who sees the virtue of a
    natural paleolithic diet!

    > I have not always practiced it myself, but I am getting better.

    I understand. It is always a struggle to resist the temptation to stray into
    non-paleo territory. High-carb and high-saturated fat foods are everywhere.
    Processed foods full of transfats and other undesirable ingredients are
    everywhere. The supermarket is an obstacle course for the American consumer,
    and sometimes I stumble just as you do. I try to do my shopping around the
    perimeter, where the paleo foods can be found. The fresh produce, fresh fish
    and meats sections are where the best foods are located.

    I notice that I have become even more diligent about adhering strictly to my
    diet since I started participating in these diet threads. I hate to say one
    thing while doing another. :)

    > [Five servings of fruits and veggies on Atkins] is quite possible, so
    > long as you avoid the starchy veggies like corn, potatoes, carrots,
    > peas, etc.

    I suppose it can be done by a very careful Atkins dieter who knows his plant
    foods.

    Speaking of knowing one's plant foods, corn is not properly considered a
    vegetable in the first place, except perhaps by the loosest definition. Corn
    is a grain in the same category with wheat, rye, rice, etc. All grains are
    extremely non-paleolithic.

    It's notable that farmers fatten their cattle on high-carb, high-omega-6,
    non-paleo corn.

    Also potatoes and other starchy tubers including carrots were not an
    important part of the paleodiet. Potatoes in particular are very
    non-paleolithic; they cannot be digested well in their raw state.

    Peas are legumes; also not part of a strict paleodiet.

    So then what you're really saying above is that Atkins dieters can eat five
    servings of fruits and vegetables each day provided that they avoid
    non-paleolithic "quasi-vegetables" like corn, potatoes, carrots and peas.

    > I will generally eat lettuce, celery, onions, mushrooms in a salad. I
    > will also eat lots of broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and other leafy
    > greens.

    Excellent, very paleo. Spinach, broccoli and onions are my favorites. I make
    my salads with raw chilled baby spinach leaves and top them with chopped
    broccoli crowns, and usually include chopped onions along with other
    vegetables. Broccoli is such a great vegetable that I sometimes also take
    broccoli sprout extract as a supplement. Among other things, broccoli
    sprouts are rich in a substance called sulphorophane, known to help protect
    against some forms of cancer. Onions are also thought to be beneficial
    against cancer, though the evidence for onions is not so conclusive.

    > I haven't analyzed beets...

    Beets make the cut.

    -gts



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