Good riddance to low-carb claims: Carbohydrates are not the enemy

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Good riddance to low-carb claims: Carbohydrates are not the enemy

 

By LESLIE BECK

Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - Page A17

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Although recent surveys suggest that the low-carbohydrate craze is waning,

there's no shortage of carbohydrate-reduced foods that cater to those

following the Atkins or South Beach diets.

 

Low-carb versions of breakfast cereals, breads, salad dressings, pasta and

soft drinks are turning up on supermarket shelves.

 

But not for long, it seems. Earlier this year, the Canadian Food Inspection

Agency announced that low-carb claims will not be permitted as of December

of 2005. These regulations apply to all foods, prepackaged and

non-prepackaged, no matter where they are sold.

 

Instead of looking for product labels that boast terms such as " carb

counting, " " net carbs, " " CarboFit " or " Atkins-friendly, " carb counters will

have to look at the nutrition-facts box, where the grams of carbohydrate

per serving will be clearly posted.

 

The government's new regulations include mandatory nutrition labels for

most prepackaged foods, and evidence-based, nutrient-content claims.

 

Manufacturers will soon have to display a " nutrition facts " table on their

food packages, making it easier to compare brands and manage special diets.

Labels will clearly and consistently disclose the calories, the amount of

total fat, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate,

fibre, sugars, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C contained in a

specified amount of food.

 

The 47 approved nutrient-content claims -- fat free, zero trans fat, high

fibre, no added salt and so on -- are based on scientific data and current

dietary recommendations for disease prevention.

 

To date, there is no scientific evidence that low-carb diets reduce the

risk of heart disease or diabetes. Nor is there any good evidence that

following such a plan can prevent or treat obesity.

 

Studies lasting six months do show that low-carb dieters lose more weight,

and at a faster rate, compared with those who follow a traditional low-fat,

high-carb plan. But the only year-long study conducted revealed no

difference in weight lost between the two groups at the 12-month mark.

 

There are other predictors of health besides the bathroom scale. Levels of

blood fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides are also important risk

factors for heart disease. A handful of studies conducted with obese

individuals has shown that an Atkins-style diet does a better job at

lowering triglycerides and preventing a drop in HDL (good) cholesterol than

does a low-fat diet. But there's no evidence yet that this translates into

less heart disease.

 

In fact, a study published in last week's issue of the Journal of the

American Medical Association reported that among 1,507 older adults,

adherence to a Mediterranean diet and a healthful lifestyle were linked to

more than a 50-per-cent lower rate of death from heart disease and cancer.

 

Science aside, low-carb claims can be misleading as they imply the product

is a healthier choice.

 

Low-carb cookies, candies and potato chips are no better for your waistline

than the regular versions. These highly processed snack foods contain

artificial sweeteners instead of sugar and fibre instead of white flour,

but they still deliver calories -- and often, plenty of them.

 

Some experts contend that the proliferation of low-carb products makes it

harder to shed weight on a low-carb diet. By adding variety to a

" meat-and-vegetable-only " diet, dieters are likely to eat more food.

 

Think back to the low-fat craze, when we mistakenly thought fat free meant

calorie free and gobbled up fat-free cookies and muffins. Calories are

calories.

 

The bottom line is this: Low-carb claims will not be permitted under the

new regulations because there are no science-based dietary recommendations

that advise reducing carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrate-rich foods are not

dietary villains, provided you choose the right ones and don't overdo your

portion size. Avoid highly processed foods with white flour and refined sugar.

 

Instead, emphasize whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables, all of

which contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fibre.

 

People who have welcomed the surge of low-carb foods will still be able to

find them on the shelf.

 

Personally, I'd rather munch on a piece of fruit than an Atkins Advantage

bar. That's right -- I'll take natural sugar any day over the fake stuff

and, oh yes, I can certainly pass on those seven grams of saturated fat.

 

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's

Canada AM every Wednesday. Contact her at lesliebeck.com.