If you're following a low-carbohydrate diet, you may find that the Atkins Advantage bars look pretty appealing. Atkins Nutritionals, the parent company behind the Atkins low-carb diet, designed the bars to work with its diet program. However, the bars do contain some carbohydrates and may not be suitable for all low-carb diet programs.
Significance
Many people think first of the Atkins diet when someone mentions the term "low-carb diet." In fact, the Atkins diet does reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume each day significantly -- in some cases, by up to 90 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to the Atkins diet official website, you can consume Atkins Advantage bars even during the severely restricted induction period of the Atkins diet. You also can eat Atkins bars during any other phase of the Atkins diet.
Features
Atkins Advantage bars come in seven different flavors, with such appealing names as Marshmallow Mudslide and Peanut Fudge Granola Bar. However, they contain mostly similar ingredients, including soy protein isolate, rolled oats, coconut oil and nuts such as almonds and peanuts. Most of those ingredients would suit any low-carbohydrate diet, including the Atkins diet. However, rolled oats, which are heavy in carbohydrates, might not appear on the menu of someone who was severely restricting carbohydrates.
Effects
Atkins Advantage bars contain 180 calories, of which 80 calories results from fat content. The bars contain 8 g of fat, including 4 g of saturated fat. They also contain 22 g of total carbohydrates, largely as a result of ingredients such as rolled oats. However, the Atkins program subtracts dietary fiber to obtain a "net carb" value. Under that system, the bars qualify as a low-carb Atkins diet option, with only 3 g of "net carbs."
Misconceptions
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, whole grains are the best source of carbohydrates, especially on a low-carb diet, which often doesn't contain the recommended 25 g of fiber per day. Therefore, including rolled oats and oat fiber, both of which appear on Atkins bars' ingredient list, can improve the nutrition in your low-carb diet.
Considerations
Atkins Advantage bars might offer you a quick snack or treat to break up your low-carb diet and they are fortified with 18 vitamins and other nutrients, including vitamin C, calcium and zinc, which adds to their nutritional value. However, you should be careful not to over-do them. If you eat too many of them, you'll be consuming too many carbohydrate grams in total, which could have an adverse effect on your low-carb diet.
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