| Low carb fast food lets people on low carb diets | | | | One of the best ways to modify menu items is to |
| enjoy eating out without worrying about consuming | | | | lose the unnecessary condiments. Many people do |
| too many carbohydrates. Options range from foods | | | | not realize the high amounts of fat and calories in |
| that are simply low in carbohydrates to begin with, to | | | | mayonnaise, dressings and other sauces. Even |
| foods that are specially created with small amounts | | | | ketchup, which is relatively high in sugar, should be |
| carbohydrates in mind. | | | | minimized or cut out entirely to eliminate those |
| One example of low carb fast food comes from | | | | empty carbohydrates. |
| Subway. For years, Subway has marketed itself as a | | | | Burger King will also expand its menu with low carb |
| health-oriented fast food restaurant, and its new low | | | | fast food items aimed at those on the infamous |
| carb wraps continue that trend. In December 2003, | | | | Atkins' and other low carb diets. The menu changes |
| Subway reached a licensing agreement with Atkins | | | | are similar to those made by McDonald's. One of the |
| Nutritionals, Inc., allowing Subway to offer | | | | more significant changes is the inclusion of meal-sized |
| Atkins-friendly wraps in stores nationwide. | | | | salads, which tend to be much lower in |
| Special wheat and soy grains are used to make the | | | | carbohydrates and much healthier altogether than |
| new low carb wraps, which are high in fiber and | | | | traditional fast food items. |
| protein. Additionally, the new wraps contain | | | | Burger King also markets its Whopper as a low carb |
| approximately two-thirds less carbohydrates than | | | | option when ordered without the bun, which is |
| Subway's regular 6-inch sub sandwiches, and they will | | | | something that has become quite popular. Fast food |
| cost customers about 50 cents more. | | | | chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, Hardee's and |
| There are currently two low carb wraps at Subway | | | | Carl's Jr. offer bunless burgers. These burgers are |
| right now, and the number of carbs varies from | | | | served either as a platter with a fork and knife or |
| source to source. The first is the chicken bacon | | | | with large leaves of lettuce in place of the bun. |
| ranch, with approximately eight grams of net carbs. | | | | Along with modifying existing menu items and |
| There is also the turkey and bacon melt. This has a | | | | creating new ones, fast food restaurants are |
| bit more net carbohydrates. There are about 10 net | | | | beginning to offer more nutritional information about |
| carbs in the turkey bacon melt, but it's still low | | | | their foods. Restaurants are also considering putting |
| enough to easily fit into your low carb diet. | | | | some information right on the menus. The more |
| In addition to the low carb wraps, many of the | | | | information that is made available, the better |
| nation's biggest burger joints are getting on the low | | | | educated consumers can be in making dietary |
| carb fast food craze with their own low carb options. | | | | choices. With these new menu items and more |
| Some of the options are new menu items, while | | | | information at their fingertips, dieters can turn greasy, |
| others are modified items already on the menu. | | | | fatty fast food into healthy, low carb fast food. |