It is not uncommon for those starting on the Atkins program to be drawn to the variety of low carbohydrate products available in the markets today. In fact there is a wide assortment of packaged items that are manufactured to be specifically low carb and you would probably be tempted to fill your shopping bag with these products. Items like low-carb baking powder, low-carb snacks and low-carb pasta and bread substitutes may entice you to add them to your shopping list, but it is perhaps best for your health and for your diet if you use these sparingly.
Low-carb foods are, simply speaking, a substitute for your favorite heavy carbohydrate foods. They might add diversity to your plan and help you get over your cravings in a pinch but one glance at the label can betray how much chemical it actually contains.
One important thing to remember is that Atkins diet gives prime importance to raw and unprocessed food. In fact Atkins diet food pyramid focuses on fresh meat and fresh vegetables as its key diet. Blended with these are natural cheeses, a variety of fruits and further down the line, whole unprocessed grains. Items like canned vegetables, packaged meats and instant food are strongly discouraged.
The Atkins food pyramid displays these foods in their raw states with good reason. There are proven advantages of consuming foods that are minimally processed. Whereas there is a danger in consuming packaged or industrially processed products as these contain a host of harmful chemicals that can cause various problems. It is preferable to eat raw and whole foods, which retain the nutrients and vitamins essential to the body.
Raw and fresh food ingredients are the best bet to a healthy diet. There is a tendency to rely on food that is technically allowed on the program but is not very healthy. For example, many people on the plan consume a lot of bacon because it seems to be a good protein supplement. But few know that bacon contains large amounts of sodium nitrite, which is known to be cancer causing.
The consumption of unrefined, unprocessed and non-manufactured food, as advised by the Atkins pyramid and diet books, has been known to cause to weight reduction and health transformations. For optimum health it is best to eat natural and fresh nutrient providing food.
Low-carb packaged products, on the other hand, can make sticking to the diet difficult as it instigates carb cravings in certain individuals. If consuming low carb foods makes you want to indulge in carb-heavy foods, it is best you refrain from consuming these products. In fact, they may contain concealed carb counts that can raise your daily carb level without your knowledge.
If you feel your weight reduction on the Atkins plan is stalling, re-assess your commitment to unrefined and unprocessed food. You may be eating hidden carbs in the form of low-carb foods and also consuming more than is healthy. If so, do away with the processed and packaged and refocus on the unrefined and the fresh. While shopping, stick to the section where the unprocessed fresh food is.
We lead busy lives and sometimes its alright to rely on convenience foods like packaged meat and packaged fruits and vegetables. One can understand the need to resort to canned soup, canned vegetables and bacon time and again, but as far as possible we must try to concentrate our diet on fresh and unprocessed products. In doing so, your efforts at weight loss and good health will definitely pay off.

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