While none of the Atkins Nutritionals bars or other food products are necessary or essential to the diet itself, they can make sticking to the diet easier. If you're on the Atkins diet, cravings for sweets are better satisfied with an approved bar, the nutritional information of which is known, than a random indulgence. There are three types of Atkins bars, each with several different flavors.
Atkins Advantage
Atkins Advantage bars are allowed at all phases of the diet including induction. Though each bar contains 22 total carbohydrates, 10 of these are fiber and the product is marketed as having only 2 grams of net carbs. Net carbs is a rough measure of a food's effect on blood sugar, calculated by subtracting grams of fiber from total carbohydrates. The Advantage bar contains 18 grams of protein, primarily from a soy protein blend, and has 240 calories.
Atkins Endulge
The Atkins Endulge bars are not intended for the induction phase. And with 9 grams of sugar alcohol, those with sensitive digestive systems will want to handle this product with care. Having just five grams of protein, this bar is clearly intended to be more of a dessert replacement than a meal replacement. But with just 130 calories and 2 net carbs, you can indulge with Endulge and not go off your phase two, three or four Atkins Diet plan.
Atkins Day Break
The classic breakfast bar from Atkins is the Atkins Day Break. It provides 10 grams of protein through soy and oat crisps and almonds. At 140 calories it is hardly a heavy meal, but may be just enough to get your day started in the low carb way. With only two net carbs and one gram of sugar, the Atkins Day Break is approved for all phases of your diet, including induction.
Vitamins and Minerals
Of the three types of Atkins bars, the Advantage is by far the nutritional powerhouse. With 25 percent of your daily need for vitamins A and C, and 15 percent of several other vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin K and several B vitamins, the Advantage is almost like taking a multivitamin. Atkins Day Break has 40 percent of your daily intake of calcium and small amounts of a few other nutrients. Atkins Endulge lives up to its name with only negligible amounts of vitamin A, calcium and iron.
Fat
About half the fat content of each Atkins bar is saturated fat, which is commonly considered one of the more risky types. But a core tenet of the Atkins Nutritional Approach is that all naturally occurring fats are healthful, including saturated fats. "Bad fats," according to Atkins, are fats that have been damaged in processing, as with partially hydrogenated or trans fats. The Advantage bar has 6 grams of saturated fat, while the Endulge has four and the Day Break has three. None of the Atkins bars has any trans fat.
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