Net Atkins Count Explained

In the seemingly never-ending quest to find the perfect weight loss plan that will transform us into the ranks of the svelte and healthy, the folks at Atkins have devised a new method to track carbohydrate intake: the Net Atkins Count. When Dr. Atkins first started his weight loss program, followers simply counted ‑- and avoided ‑- carbohydrate in foods. Then the company developed the term "net carbs" using a subtraction system to differentiate between good and bad carbs. Good carbs are the ones that don't cause elevation in blood-sugar levels and help us lose weight; bad carbs are the ones that raise blood-glucose levels rapidly and contribute to burgeoning amounts of body fat. The most current terminology is the Net Atkins Count, a patent-pending program scientifically designed to finally determine exactly how much of those bad carbs lurk in the foods we love.

The new program is based on the glycemic index (GI), a ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods according to how quickly they raise blood-sugar levels. The higher the glycemic index, the faster a particular food raises blood sugar. Foods with a low GI are preferable because they don't cause spikes in blood sugar. More important for dieters, low-GI foods help promote weight loss.

Yet not everything is rosy with the glycemic index. Not every food has been tested, and there can be a wide variability in how foods affect each individual person. Cooking, processing and even the variety of the carb-containing food can make a big difference in its GI. Finally, we usually eat foods together in a meal or snack, which can alter the glycemic index.

Thomas Wolever, PhD, MD, a respected researcher and expert on the glycemic index and carbohydrate metabolism, spent three years developing the Net Atkins Count program. One-hundred-fifty Atkins products were tested on 10 people to identify their exact blood-glucose response. In the process, Wolever and his colleagues discovered more specifically how the protein, fiber and fat content of foods impact their glycemic response. This method is more precise than the net carb count, and, according to Collette Heimowitz, vice president of education and research for Atkins, substantiates the low GI impact of Atkins products and confirms the accuracy of the Atkins net carb labeling.

All of the Atkins products have been tested using this new technology. If the old net carb content doesn't match the newer glycemic ranking, the product will be relabeled, reformulated or discontinued. For example, a presliced plain Atkins Bakery Ready-to-Eat Bagel contained 7 grams of net carbs, but only 3.7 grams using the new system. This product has been relabeled to show 4 grams Net Atkins Count. On the other hand, the Atkins Endulge Caramel Nut Chew had 2 grams net carbs but 6.1 grams in the new testing. The product is being reformulated so that it will still contain only 2 grams Net Atkins Count.

What does this mean to the consumer? Not much. If you already count grams of carbohydrate, nothing will change except the terminology on Atkins products. Some industry analysts believe the move is simply a marketing ploy piggybacked onto the popularity of the glycemic index, designed to entice consumers back to the low-carb fold. According to the NDP Group, a market-research firm, the percentage of Americans following a low-carb weight loss diet fell from 9 percent to 4 percent in January 2004. Yet Heimowitz states that Dr. Atkins discussed the importance of the glycemic index in Atkins for Life, published in early 2003, long before the recent glycemic "craze." The Net Atkins Count is simply better science, not marketing, according to the Atkins company.

The bottom line: If carb counting works for you, using the Net Atkins Count is a no-brainer. The company only tests foods it licenses, so you won't see the label on every food you purchase. Research now shows that although low-carb plans may cause greater weight loss in the first six months, after a year the amount of weight lost is the same no matter what type of program a dieter follows. The real trick to long-term weight control hinges on developing a program that works for you ‑- low-carb, low-fat or old-fashioned calorie counting.

Find out more from registered dietitian Lynn Grieger.