Atkins Diet Food

What You Can Eat

By Myatt Murphy

The first phase of the Atkins Diet is extremely limiting. Foods you'll be saying goodbye to include any fruits, refined sugar products, high-carb vegetables, dairy (with the exception of cheese, butter and cream) white rice, white bread, and pasta made with white flour. You're allowed to eat plenty of shellfish, red meat, eggs, poultry and fish, as well as 3 to 4 ounces of cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, and cream cheese). The amount of carbohydrates you can eat in this phase is only 20 grams (with 15 of them coming from veggies). That roughly boils down to about three cups worth of salad or low-carb vegetable, such as peppers, celery, asparagus, snow peas and cucumbers. Certain artificial sweeteners are allowed (including Splenda), as well low-carb beverages like diet soda, teas and coffee. You're even given the option to eat a few other "special category" foods each day, including 10 to 20 olives, half an avocado and 1 ounce of sour cream.

During the other three phases, you'll continue eating the same foods, but the diet reintroduces some previously banned foods, such as low-glycemic fruits (like strawberries and raspberries), as well as other higher-carbohydrate veggies, such as carrots, potatoes, squash and peas. You'll also be given the green light to have whole-grain bread, pasta and brown rice (in extremely limited portion sizes).