Low Carb Lies

Written by Wellness Club on December 28, 2011 – 8:57 pm -

Low Carb Lies

 

By Dr. Dana Myatt

 

Hi All Fellow Low-Carb / Ketone Zone Dieters:

 

It is the “dream” of most Ketone Zone dieters to replace high-carb foods like breads and pastas with low carb, or low effective carb, foods. Manufacturers know this and so they pander to our carb cravings.

As a result, there are a number of fake and “pseudo low-carb” foods available. Low-carb dieters beware!

First, two important facts you should know:

1.) The government (FDA) requires a “nutrition facts box” (label) on all foods. Such required labeling looks like the example to the right:

2.) No government agency including the FDA verifies the accuracy of these nutrition labels.

Does anyone see a problem with this besides me?

Food producers must list a nutrition facts box but nobody checks the facts?

That’s as crazy as depending on Big Pharma’s own studies, without independent (outside) verification before drugs are approved.

Yet both are true.

Low carb claims aren’t regulated by any government agency. There are many definitions of what counts as a carbohydrate for the purpose of a low-carb diet.

There is “absolute carbs” (my term) which is the total number of carbs listed in the nutrition facts box.

But some carbs, like psyllium, flax seed, etc. have a high indigestible fiber component. They don’t have much, if any, impact on blood sugar or insulin levels. So various diet authors have devised additional definitions of what constitutes a carbohydrate.

The Dr. Myatt definition of carbs is “effective carbs” (as described above) which is total carbs (absolute carbs) minus fiber. ONLY fiber.

There is the Atkins definition of “net carbs” (absolute carbs minus fiber, sugar alcohols and a bunch of other exceptions) and various other “how to count carbs” ideas. As such, you won’t find these numbers inside the nutrition facts box; they will be “outside the box” (all puns intended), elsewhere on the label.

So… “net carbs” and other definitions are whatever the product manufacturer claims they are.

Furthermore, even the Myatt definition (absolute carbs minus fiber, which is the most strict of the ways to count carbs that impact sugar levels definitions), is subject to error. That is because some manufacturers “claim” a fiber count that is felonious. Again, no government agency verifies or oversees the accuracy of these “facts boxes.”

Many examples of so-called “low carb” products actually raise blood sugars in all of the patients I’ve seen and myself included FAR beyond what their “label claim” would lead one to believe. In addition to my own experiments and patient observations, I have also included links to others who have tested the “net carb” count with real-life experiments.

Two examples of this effect (only two of many – I’m not picking on these two in particular!) are:

Dreamfields pasta:
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/dreamfields-president-mike-crowley-we-stand-behind-the-nutritional-claims-of-our-product/10785
and
Julian Bakery Bread:
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/jimmy-moore’s-n1-experiments-julian-bakery-smartcarb-breads/10900
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/jimmy-moore%E2%80%99s-n1-experiments-retesting-julian-bakery-smartcarb-breads-alone/11059

What to do?

1.) Use “real food” (not pre-packaged products, which often contain a bunch of chemicals anyway). “Real food” nutrition data is more highly verified than packaged product claims.

2.) Use a website like www.nutritiondata.com to look up the nutrition data for any given food. These data are taken from USDA food tables and are much more accurate than manufacturer claims.

3.) Verify. If you are on a low carb or ketogenic diet, test the effect of any questionable food by measuring your ketones and/or blood sugar levels.

4.) Look for The Ketone Zone Diet Phase I: Super Fast, out in ebook form in a few days, if you want to jump-start your 2012 weight loss / health rejuvenation plans.

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