The low-carb conundrum: can environmentalists "go Atkins" and still eat healthfully?

E: The Environmental Magazine, May-June, 2004 by Julia Fawkes Stuart

Toeing a hard line, PCRM insists no one should consider increasing their intake of such high-fat and cholesterol foods as eggs, cheese and butter, regardless of dieting theories. But the debate isn't all black and white. E's publisher, a long-time vegetarian, has been losing weight the "low-carb" way while still following the bulk of more traditional diet recommendations. He avoids carbs but hasn't added any saturated fats and cholesterol. He fills up on leafy greens and less-starchy vegetables while consuming a reduced number of calories overall.

Many scientists have in fact suggested that low-carb diets work simply because reducing or eliminating any major food group is likely to result in a lower total caloric intake, as long as the person doesn't overcompensate too much with other foods. Perhaps certain carbohydrates are easier to give up than fats.

Atkins, in particular, has drawn the ire of many natural health advocates because it excludes many fruits, some vegetables, grains and even legumes, especially in the first leg of the plan, called induction. Peeke argues, "When in doubt, eat all the veggies you want!" Some supporters of the diet counter that one needn't necessarily abstain from fruits and vegetables for a lifetime, just for a weight-losing period.

Even if Atkins doesn't sound appealing, there are a wide variety of weight-loss plans for those of us who have had one too many slices of tofu cheesecake. To lose a few pounds, Peeke suggests,"Watch your servings of bread, choose cooked whole grains, eat the majority of your starchy foods before evening, and avoid eating after 8 p.m." CONTACT: Atkins Nutritionals, (800) 2-ATKINS, http://atkins.com; Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, (202)686-2210, www.pcrm.org; South Beach Diet Online, www.south beachdiet.com.

JULIA FAWKES STUART is a freelance writer specializing in health topics.