Don fruits run counter to the low-carb mania inspired by the high-protein diet gurus?
With respect to Dr. Atkins, his thesis missed the mark. His first error was that he failed to distinguish between the two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Fruit is a simple carbohydrate from a whole food source, and cooked grains such as bread, rice, pasta, and cereals are complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are easily digested, and their sugars are readily absorbed by the cells of the body for use as fuel. Complex carbohydrates are more difficult to digest, require substantial amounts of energy in the conversion to sugar, and are denatured by the cooking process, making them difficult for the body to assimilate and creating toxic byproducts. In short, they are fattening and unhealthy. By eliminating nearly all carbohydrates from the diet, Dr. Atkins ensured that the fat villain, complex carbohydrates, would not be available, and the followers of his diet would, in fact, lose weight. The problem however, is that he threw the proverbial baby out with the bath water by
