Atkins Advantage Bars

fireflynova · 02-10-2005, 07:42 AM

Everyone at work seems to be hopping on this diet, which is great.

However, they all buy the Atkins Advantage bars in bulk - the other day I tried to pipe up into the converstation that I wasn't sure they were SBD friendly.. and almost got my head bitten off.

I tried to argue that SBD is against processed foods pumped with unnatural foods... and that they contained saturated fat, etc. They asked to give them an example of an ingredient, or a good reason they weren't SBD approved - and I was speechless. They gave me the "you're a moron" look.

After feeling like a complete *** (pardon my french) but still feeling like I'm right - do any of you know exactly what makes these bars not SBD friendly? Or have any other things I could add to my argument next time it comes up? I felt like such a shmuck.

I was right.. wasn't I

Here's a link for information purposes..

http://www.fitnessone.com/product_in...products_id/60

Ruthxxx · 02-10-2005, 10:26 AM

Well aside from the expense (and I think they taste terrible), I'd rather get 220 calories from some real food. I suspect that Dr. Agatson said "no bars" in his book because he had not yet come out with one to compete with the ones out there.

On SBD we are emphasizing real food and lifestyle change - highly processed stuff just doesn't cut it. By the way butter oil and coconut oil are saturated fats, I think.

Actually I wouldn't waste my breathe arguing with the bar addicts. Just smile mysteriously and say nothing, giving them the mental finger.

Bamiegurl · 02-10-2005, 10:58 AM

Ruth... Give them the mental finger!!!!!!!!!!!! ROTFL! Good one!

HunnyBee · 02-10-2005, 11:01 AM

Protein Blend [Soy Protein Isolate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Whey Protein Isolate, Sodium Caseinate], Glycerine, Water, Polydextrose (fiber), Cocoa Powder, Almond Pieces, Natural Coconut Oil (Non-Hydrogenated), Cellulose, Cocoa Butter, Butter Oil, Olive Oil, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Guar Gum, Citric Acid (Flavor Enhancer), Sucralose (Splenda Bran Non-Nutritive Sweetener),

Im with Ruth. It's not worth it to argue. Ruth pointed out to me one of my first days on PH1 that I need to make sure I wasn't putting frankenfood in my body. Made me think about what I really want to put in my bod! Also, just think when they are stalling in WL you will be swinging by saying oh really, I lost 5lbs.

Hang in there! I have fellow SB'ers here too. I say something once then don't mention again.. Hey that's not SB friendly, you know that right?

beachgal · 02-10-2005, 11:21 AM

Firefly, you are definitely right. Your co-workers are on the wrong track. Whether they will listen to anyone about this??? Not sure!

Well, besides the saturated fat that is not coming from good oils (coconut oil actually increases cholesterol...making it hydrogenated would be worse, but it's already really bad as is), the maltodextrin would qualify it as a sweet treat, as too much of that may make you sick.

Overall, the main argument is that if you read the book, you'll see that Dr. A believes we should be eating more whole foods, not more processed food. Eating bars dosn't fill that need. Of course, he's coming out with his own through Kraft soon, so that negates the argument.

Still, they're not a good part of a diet change for life, which is what I'm doing. And I'm becoming more and more suspicious of the things that they put in food to lower the carbs...some if it is really weird, like gelatin in yogurt?

Firefly, you're doing the right thing. Whether they get it or not.

chick_on_the_beach · 02-10-2005, 02:08 PM

I'd rather have a handful of nuts.

HistoryChick · 02-10-2005, 10:48 PM

LOL i'm with you Chick on the beach...I'd take a handful of nuts any old day over some bar

bicker · 02-11-2005, 07:37 AM

Not me: A handful of nuts leads to another handful for me. A bar typically cuts my appetite off.

The problem is that there are only two types of bars available right now: Those with hydrogenated oils or saturated fats, and those with sugars. What's interesting is that there is no practical reason that there aren't any bars that are SBD-friendly. Here's an ingredients list, which combines bits from the Advantage bars and ZonePerfect bars, which I think would make a great SBD bar:

soy protein nuggets (isolated soy protein, rice flour, malt, salt), Sucralose (Splenda Bran Non-Nutritive Sweetener), sodium caseinate, sunflower oil, natural flavor, oat fiber, less than 2% of the following: fig paste, plum and prune bits, beet juice, gellan gum, toasted barley flakes, toasted oats, brown crisp rice, gum arabic, citric acid, guar gum, cinnamon, glycerin, soy lecithin, ascorbic acid, magnesium oxide, ascorbyl palmitate, D-Alpha tocopheryl acetate, niacinamide, zinc oxide, fish oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A palmitate, thiamin mononitrate, chromium chloride, folic acid, sodium selenite, sodium molybdate, biotin, cyanocobalamin.

So, I'm waiting, but I sure hope someone realizes pretty-soon that with very minor changes, food-science can come up with a nutritious, appetite-killing meal replacement bar that fully satisfies all the strictures of the South Beach Diet.

Bamiegurl · 02-11-2005, 07:53 AM

Hey Bicker Dr A. has teamed up with Kraft foods and is supposed to be coming out with a line of products this spring including bars. Watch out Ruth will come by and scream the F word at us! teehee! (Frankenfood)

Ruthxxx · 02-11-2005, 07:56 AM

FRANKENFOOD!

Bamiegurl · 02-11-2005, 08:08 AM

See I told ya! I knew she would be by to kick up some sand! lol

bicker · 02-11-2005, 07:33 PM

Better Living Through Chemistry

Some folks will rely on the best our scientific knowledge has to offer, and other folks will elect to eschew such options. To each his/her own.

WWEnthusiast · 02-12-2005, 07:08 AM

Have been lurking here, just reading all your post (hope you all don't mind) and considering SBD, but Ruth will you please tell me what FRANKENFOOD means. I am sure it is not good :-)
I think I'd like to consider SBD, been doing WW core but am kind of tired of the barley and beans thing :-) I now refer to them as bellybomers.
Any advise would surely be appreciated. We did purchase the book, but sometimes a real person makes it all so much more sensible.
Thanks and I hope you don't mind that I stopped in.

Ruthxxx · 02-12-2005, 08:01 AM

Good morning and thanks for dropping in. I'm doing WW Core and SBD combo, by the way.
"Frankenfoods" is my response to all the highly processed stuff people want to eat. If it has all sorts of "nutrients" that are made in a lab, it's a Frankenfood. The chicks kid me about this all the time.

bicker · 02-12-2005, 08:06 AM

I believe Ruth's point is that she feels that there is a significant ethic associated with eating foods that have been as-lightly modified from their original state as possible. In general, the foods that obese folks get into the most trouble with are highly-processed foods. Unless they're drinking coconut oil or using tons of honey, it is probably processed foods that serves as a nutritional foundation for most obesity.

By contrast, my perspective is that, although almost all the "bad foods" are processed foods, not all processed foods are bad. Indeed, that's actually no different than unprocessed foods, such as those I mentioned above: coconut oil and honey.

So the issue, for me, isn't whether the foods are processed or not, but rather whether they're healthy or not.