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Many people, who are watching their carbohydrate intake and trying
to keep them at a minimum, are actually eating twice as many carbohydrates
as recommended in the popular Atkins diet. After studying the food-intake
records of 11,000 people over a three-year period, a research company
found that the five percent who were consuming the lowest number
of carbohydrates a day, took in the average of 128 grams of net
carbs a day.
That number of carbs exceeded the 20 grams of net carbs recommended
for the initial phase of the Atkins diet and more than the 40 to
60 grams allotted on the ongoing weight-loss program. Millions of
people have adapted a version of this kind of diet by cutting back
on breads and rice and increasing their intake of fat and proteins.
Despite the large numbers of people who claim to be on a low-carb
diet, very few have been able to keep their carbs at 50 grams a
day.
Researchers claimed this could be happening because people aren’t
taking the time to read the book and instead simply stopped eating
bread and pasta. Most people have placed themselves on a modified
Atkins diet, which means they are following their own version of
low carb intake.
Another reason experts cited for the failure of low-carb dieters
is the amount of cheating that goes on with consuming excess low-carb
snacks.
USA
Today April 4, 2004
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