Atkins Bars? Help me understand what happened!

sickandfat

I got me some Atkins bars to try and messed up my sugar. Does anyone else have problems with Atkins bars?? I thought that they would be ok for me to eat because of the low net carbs? Boy did I get fooled! My sugars went up quickly. Now it will take me days to get back where I was at. Help!

baconslave

Some people have been found to be sensitive to artificial sweetners and sugar alcohols. In some people it can cause an insulin response. I personally do not have that problem that I know of, but know others who do. This may be the culprit.

sickandfat

I think you may be right about the sugar alcohols. I tell you baconslave, I am a diabetic and my body will not allow me hardly any carbs at all. Only no starch veggies. I do drink diet colas and I wonder about them? Any artificial sweets, candy, protein bars etc. make my sugars higher. So does any kind of fruit. Even berries? I just don't know what to do? I was doing ok, now I messed up. I should have known better. My eating world is just getting smaller and smaller. You are so very lucky that you are not sensitive to such things. I think my journey is going to be tuff but I have to keep trying. Thank you for the information. I had heard about the artificial sweetners but did not know about the sugar alcohols. Bummer! Sad!

deansdad101

sickandfat wrote: »

I think you may be right about the sugar alcohols. I tell you baconslave, I am a diabetic and my body will not allow me hardly any carbs at all. Only no starch veggies. I do drink diet colas and I wonder about them? Any artificial sweets, candy, protein bars etc. make my sugars higher. So does any kind of fruit. Even berries? I just don't know what to do? I was doing ok, now I messed up. I should have known better. My eating world is just getting smaller and smaller. You are so very lucky that you are not sensitive to such things. I think my journey is going to be tuff but I have to keep trying. Thank you for the information. I had heard about the artificial sweetners but did not know about the sugar alcohols. Bummer! Sad!

S&F;

As BS posted, SAs and Artificial Sweeteners (and there are many different kinds of them, chemically) affect different people in different ways. Some can tolerate them, some not at all.

To the A-bars, some tolerate, some not and for some it provides the "sweet fix". I'm lucky in that of my many vices, sweets have never been one of them but my bride is on the other end of that proverbial stick - so I really do "get it".

BUT.....take a look the list of "ingredients"; and I think you'll see why one of those things won't pass either of our lips anytime soon.


If you're interested, this article provides more detail.
tinyurl.com/mc22gdn

My rule is, any more that 5 or 6 ingredients, OR more than one thing that I can't pronounce and it stays on the shelf.

While it might seem like "...My eating world is just getting smaller and smaller" - that's really not the case, it's changing to be sure, but there are hundred's (if not thousands) of foods you CAN eat but haven't yet found.

And NO, you didn't "...mess up..." - just another learning experience. There will be more.

As to the sweeteners, if (and when) you are "game", you might want to try xylitol.
It's much closer to a "real" food/sweetener and generally better tolerated by those who "need" the sweeteners (for whatever reason).

FIT_Goat

I went through an extensive self-experiment with Atkins bars and various sugar alcohols back in June. I gained weight, was hungry all the time, and had other negative reactions.

I seem to have the same sort of problems as you do with them. I avoid them now. It's not the end of the world.

sickandfat

Lesson learned! I am so glad that I found this group. Great advice and understanding.

deansdad, I did not look at the ingredients, Pure Shock! I saw net carbs, looked good, easy, boy did I get fooled. Good link you sent me about the Atkins bars. Can you please let me know where to get the xylitol? Is it dry or liquid? I would really like to try it.

frob23, bless our hearts, after eating a bar, I too was very hungry but at the same time felt sick. I am now back on track but still feeling the after effects. I sure will be glad when they leave my system.

Everyone is different, some can eat the bars and some can't. The ingredients alone looks like they aren't good for anyone. At least not for me. Next time I go looking for something different I will do as deansdad said look at the ingredients first. No more than 5 or 6. Good rule!

deansdad101

sickandfat wrote: »

Lesson learned! I am so glad that I found this group. Great advice and understanding.

deansdad, I did not look at the ingredients, Pure Shock! I saw net carbs, looked good, easy, boy did I get fooled. Good link you sent me about the Atkins bars. Can you please let me know where to get the xylitol? Is it dry or liquid? I would really like to try it.

frob23, bless our hearts, after eating a bar, I too was very hungry but at the same time felt sick. I am now back on track but still feeling the after effects. I sure will be glad when they leave my system.

Everyone is different, some can eat the bars and some can't. The ingredients alone looks like they aren't good for anyone. At least not for me. Next time I go looking for something different I will do as deansdad said look at the ingredients first. No more than 5 or 6. Good rule!

S&F;

There are other brands (some cheaper) but this is what we (mostly my wife, I don't really use any) like:
tinyurl.com/po4jjt2
It's also in available in packets.

If you look at other brands, be sure you research them first (it's not all the same).

Others like (and seem able to tolerate) Stevia (which you can probably get in your local market) and some suggest mixing the two.

I'd try them one at a time and buy a small size first to see if you are able to tolerate it and if you like it. If it works you can save a few bucks by ordering larger sizes later.

cindytw

I have BAD reactions to Whey protein, Xylitol, and others. I seem to be fine with Stevia and monk fruit sweeteners, but it is trial and error. I was doing GREAT on low carb, ate some whey protein pancakes and went into craving overdrive. If I had a glucometer I bet I spiked and dropped. Same with the Xylitol...I try to eat real foods and stay away from the bars and such anyway.

khemistrygirl

I stay away from bars and low carb dessert-type products. Always a bad time.

When I want something sweet, I mix 1-2 T cocunut oil, 1-2 packets splenda, 2 t cocoa powder (unsweetened), and 2 T heavy cream. I make a little bit of high fat pudding this way. It keeps my macros happy for fat % and feels completely decadent. I only make one serving at a time and only 1-2 a week. Doesn't spike sugars or cravings at all - I once forgot to finish half!

camtosh

S&F, you can make your own snack bars -- that way, you can use the kind of sweetener that works best for you. I use both stevia powder and erythritol, and find the stevia is best. Erythritol in small bits is ok for me. You have to just try and see. You can order them from iherb.com if you can't find them locally.

Here is a recipe link, there are others out there too.
http://www.sweetcheetah.com/2013/07/diy-quest-bars.html
(ignore the vegan blog link -- this is the low carb recipe.)

And I just came across this one, which includes an ingredient called IMO, and which I have not tried to make yet.
http://www.busybuthealthy.com/homemade-quest-protein-bars/

My other go-to treat is a tablespoonful of almond or cashew butter!

sickandfat

Wow, so many options out there that I did not know about. Thank all of you for your help and all the good ideas. I now know to be careful what products I try and to research and read about them. I really have a lot to learn. I think that I need to stay with the basic whole foods and give my body time to adjust before trying to many different products that I don't know about. I have been doing low fat for many years and I am slowly adding more fats into my new LCHF diet. I have been using Splenda as a sweetner for years but now they say it is bad? My body is going through war war 4 right now. Maybe too much too fast?

deansdad, thank you for the link for the xylosweet. I read about it and it says it may cause stomach problems. I have IBS. So I still want to try it but I am going to wait until I feel better. I think I will try the Stevia. I can get it at my food store. The Adkins Bars really did a job on me. I still feel bad and I also have a kidney infection. I am going to see my diet doctor today at 2:30. I am going to ask him a lot of questions. I hope he has some answers. I will let you know.

Mufflana

I use Stevia now as a sweetener when I need it, no problems with it at all for me, I hope it might be that way for you too. Used to eat Atkins bars a lot but finally figured that were making the sweet cravings worse, stopped them and now I can walk past chocolate bars and cakes without drooling!!

sickandfat

Thank you Mufflana, I am going to try the Stevia. I am going to get me some today.

I have a bad habit with diet pepsi. I have been drinking diet drinks for a lot of years. I now know that they are not good but they are about the only thing that keeps me sane at this time.

I am going through a lot of changes in my diet. I am going from years of Low Fat to LCHF. I do have a good doctor now and I know that I will get there but I feel like a baby taking small steps.

With my doctors care and help I am getting from nice people like you, I will surely make it.

No more Adkins Bars for me and yes you are so right, they made me real hungry too.

JennyToy

I say also be sure to be a little forgiving for yourself. If you try to "quit" everything at once and you get overwhelmed and stop trying-then you are missing out on all the health benefits you could have had. So i personally say it's OK to take babysteps. Once you are fully into LCHF maybe then tackle the diet soda? Or try 2 diet sodas a day and then quit. It's easy to feel like you have to be "perfect" but be objective and look back at all the changes you are making. Your body must be so much healthier already

tanigrrrrr

Maltitol is as bad as eating a bucket of sugar for me and its a common ingredient in a bunch of those bars.

sickandfat

Hi JennyToy, Thank you for being so understanding. I am feeling a little better everyday. I am doing the baby steps and slow but sure I will make it.

I done a low fat diet for years and have done diet drinks for years. I started back when the first Tab diet drink came out, they were nasty. I do drink unsweetened tea but then I use Splenda to sweeten it. Someone told me to try Stevia. I got me some but have not tried it yet. I am going to try cutting my drinks down as you say.

I have started buying more whole fat products and slowly adding them into my LCHF diet. When I buy them, I feel like I might die. It's a mind thing. I have heart problems and have been preached to about low fat for so long that I get scared sometimes to make the change but my diet doctor told me as I get to feeling better that my mind will get better about LCHF.

I do have a long way to go but I am so thankful for people like you that understand.

sickandfat

Hi tanigrrrrr, That might be what bothered me. I tell you, those bars made my sugars go up bad and made me hungry. I would eat a bar and feel so bad but I wanted more?

I am off the bars, back on track with my LCHF diet and am feeling better. I truly learned my lesson. Ha! Ha!

Some people say that the bars do not bother them and that is good but they sure did a job on me.

Thank you so much for telling me about the Maltitol, sounds like that is what done me in too. I will remember to check any items I might buy for Maltitol.

I tried some Protein drinks and had the same problems? I am just going to try to stay with basic foods.

Linda860

Erythritol is a SA that does not spike insulin in most people and also does not cause GI symptoms. You might want to check that out as a sweetener option for you.

sickandfat

Yes that might be an option for me. I checked it out online and it said that it could cause GI symptoms. I have done a low fat diet for years and I am having a hard time adjusting to LCHF but hoping that my body will adjust soon. I am a diabetic 2 also and I take Metformin to control my sugars and Metformin and fats together will cause problems in some people that have IBS like I do. Thank you for telling me about the Erthritol and I do plan on giving it a try. I am just having to go at a slower pace but I am not giving up.

baconslave

sickandfat wrote: »

Yes that might be an option for me. I checked it out online and it said that it could cause GI symptoms. I have done a low fat diet for years and I am having a hard time adjusting to LCHF but hoping that my body will adjust soon. I am a diabetic 2 also and I take Metformin to control my sugars and Metformin and fats together will cause problems in some people that have IBS like I do. Thank you for telling me about the Erthritol and I do plan on giving it a try. I am just having to go at a slower pace but I am not giving up.

Going slow is frustrating in the extreme but you only fail if you give up. I'm so sorry you are having issues. Hopefully they will resolve for you soon.

sickandfat

Me too, baconslave, I am not going to give up. I am to sick and need to find a better way to try to get better. I wish I knew years ago that there might be a better diet like LCHF for people like me. I sure hope it works for me. Thank you so much for being there for me. It means so much and keeps me going in the right direction.