It seems crazy to refer to Buffalo wings, steak swimming in Alfredo sauce, and bunless double cheeseburgers as "diet food." However, they have the pedigree du jour: They're all touted as "low carb," and consumers are literally eating up that magical phrase.
Restaurant chains have jumped into the trend by introducing "Atkins-approved," "high protein" and "carb-smart" choices on their menus. But are these options health-smart?
in HealthCocktails and... (Related) The best damn chest... (Related) The sour truth about... (Related) The best self-tanners:... (Related)
in HealthShape (Related) Men's Fitness (Related) Nutrition Forum (Related) AORN Journal (Related)
A low-carb lifestyle can certainly be followed in a healthful manner, but you don't always know what you're getting when you select a protein-based meal at your local eatery. If an item is high in saturated fat, it's going to cancel out any health benefits or weight-loss effect. Check before digging in: Many chains offer nutritional charts at the restaurant or on their Web sites. To take a little of the guesswork and footwork out of the process, we've perused low-carb menus at national chains, selected the most nutritious offerings, and even taste-tested them for you.
what's on the menu
T.G.I. Friday's boasts nine "Atkins-approved" offerings on its menu, including New York strip steak with blue cheese and grilled salmon with lemon sauce. Subway got the Atkins stamp on its wrap sandwiches, which contain bacon, cheese, and chicken or turkey. Ruby Tuesday flags select items as low carb, while Baja Fresh offers a high-protein menu. All except Baja Fresh readily advertise the net-carb content for their low-carb items, even if they don't provide complete nutritional information.
What is a "net" carb? Also called "effective" or "net impact" carbs, they are the sum of a simple calculation: Take the total grams of carbohydrates in a food, subtract the grams that come from fiber or sugar alcohols, and you arrive at the amount of net carbs. For example, Subway's Atkins-Friendly Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap has 19 grams of carbohydrates, 11 of which are fiber-based. Thus, the restaurant advertises 8 grams of net carbs, which sounds a lot lower than 19.
The theory behind this concept, which originated from the Atkins camp, is that since the body can't absorb fiber, and sugar alcohols are digested but not turned into glucose, carbs from these sources don't have much of an impact on blood sugar end therefore don't "count."
But not all experts are sold on the net-carb concept. "The food industry is cashing in on the latest popular diet craze, and leaving customers misled and confused," says Anne Daly, R.D., director of nutrition education at the Springfield Diabetes and Endocrine Center in Illinois. "There's no [official] definition of net carbs, and it's unclear how they impact blood sugar. The Food and Drug Administration needs to get into the act and police what's going on."
eating a la low carb
All right. You now have the carb vs. net carb formula down. You're aware that it's an inexact science, but you're still going to get a low-carb item for lunch. Now, the big question: Will this really help you lose weight?
Sure, says Dean Marie Bravata, M.D., senior scientist at Stanford University--but not because of the carb count itself. "There's nothing magical about restricting carbs; for some people, it's just an easier way to cut calories," she says. "If weight loss is your goal, order a moderate portion of fish or skinless chicken rather than a gigantic steak slathered in cheese."
Bravata's review of the research on low-carb diets, published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that they appear to be safe for a three-month period; however, studies on long-term safety have yet to be concluded.
That's what worries Daly, who says that dieters should take note of the saturated-fat content of some of these foods. "Double cheeseburgers and large portions of meat or chicken coated with Alfredo sauce are heart attacks on a plate," she states. "They're loaded with saturated fat, which raises blood cholesterol, which in turn raises the risk of heart disease."
These kinds of foods are particularly dangerous for diabetics, who are attracted to the low-carb diet's promise to lower blood sugar, but are at an elevated risk for heart disease. "If you have diabetes, going on a low-carb diet is not a do-it-yourself activity," Daly warns. "When you cut back on carbs, you have to adjust insulin and other medications accordingly, otherwise you can get into big medical trouble."
As with most diets, opinion is divided on safety and efficacy. Even Bravata's positive points on the diet acknowledge that the most basic, foolproof method for losing weight is watching your calories. Still, if a low-carb plan appeals to you, exercise caution and common sense. Talk with your doctor, check our picks for best and worst choices on the low-carb menus, and remember that not every meal goes better with bacon.
low carb, high taste
How do low-carb offerings at restaurants stack up? Our nine-member panel sampled the fare at four national chains: Baja Fresh, Ruby Tuesday, Subway and T.G.I. Fridays, aiming to find a balance of good taste and good nutrition. We gave our stamp of approval to items that were tasty, calorie-wise and low in artery-clogging saturated fat.
No comments:
Post a Comment