By Marie Gross
Many restaurants have capitalized on the popularity of the Atkins diet, catering to Atkinites by adding low-carbohydrate options to restaurant menus.
Lucille Houston-McMillan, 50, from South Africa, said she particularly likes the low-carb sandwich — essentially a burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun — at Carl”s Jr.
Pizza Hut offers a “fit and delicious” pizza geared specifically to people trying to be healthy.
Cindy Harris, general manager at the Pizza Hut in Orem, said while the fit and delicious pizza is not extremely popular, a table of eight comes in regularly to order it.
Pizza Hut”s “meat lovers” pizza, however, is one of the restaurant”s most popular features. About 15 years ago the restaurant made a more Atkins-friendly version of the pizza by putting it on a thin and crispy crust.
Pizza Hut and Carl”s Jr. are not alone in offering low-carb meals. Subway, Burger King and Lucky Buns, among others, also offer Atkins-friendly menu options.
Tom Boyles, editor in chief of Pizza Marketing Quarterly Magazine, said many pizza restaurants are beginning to offer a low-carb line because more people are sticking with the Atkins diet, and people who haven”t tried it yet are thinking about trying it.
“There”s a demographic out there that”s worth marketing to,” Boyles said.
Restaurants who accommodate Atkins dieters not only market to those desiring weight loss, but also to those Atkins dieters using the diet to help with other health problems.
Houston-McMillan started the Atkins diet last November and has since lost 100 pounds.
“The thing is, I”m not worried about the weight,” she said. “I managed to bring down my diabetes blood sugar.”
Type II diabetes can often be controlled with diet and exercise. A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet like the Atkins diet helps normalize blood sugar, promote weight loss and reduce other cardiovascular risk factors associated with the condition, according to The Atkins Center.
Houston-McMillan said she thinks many people have misconceptions about the Atkins diet.
“You do not just live on meat and cheese,” she said. “You eat fruits and lots of green vegetables. I think it”s a dang good diet.”
