The Grain Foods Foundation Responds to “A New Atkins for a New You”

The Grain Foods Foundation would like to offer an opposing perspective on the new book, “A New Atkins for a New You.”

There are volumes of scientific evidence that show high-carbohydrate diets are generally associated with higher diet quality, better weight control and reduced risk of degenerative diseases. The July 2009 issue of Journal of the American Dietetic Association featured a Canadian study which found that individuals who fell into the top quartile of carbohydrate intake had lower BMIs than those whose diets were lower in carbohydrates, and also had lower risk of becoming overweight or obese. These results are consistent with the U.S. NHANES surveys and with virtually all major population studies conducted in the U.S. during the past 20 years: slimmer bodies are associated with higher carbohydrate consumption.

A balanced diet that incorporates all food groups — including bread and grains — is optimum to maintain a healthy weight and deliver vitamins and nutrients to the body. Both whole and enriched grains offer numerous health benefits, including prevention of heart disease and birth defects. It is also important to note that the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines recommend six daily servings of grains, at least half of which should be from whole grains and the remaining from other grain sources, including enriched. In fact, enriched grains are an important source of folic acid, which has proven to reduce neural tube birth defects and may improve cognitive function. Additionally, folic acid is added to enriched flour at twice the amount of that found in whole grains.

Grain Foods Foundation president and registered dietician Judi Adams and members of the Foundation’s scientific advisory board are available to provide perspective on the important role carbohydrates play in the human diet. A full list of advisory board members can be found here. Please use the media contacts provided if you’d like to speak with our experts.