[Johnnyzen]

OK, I am sorry, but I see no similarity between the two whatsoever, except that they both prohibit refined carbohydrates.

Atkins:
1.Does not differentiate between organic and non-organic foods
2. Does not differentiate between natural produce and frankenfoods
3. Is very low in fiber
4. Is extremely high in protein, especially the kind with saturated fat
5. is a high fat diet
6. Eliminates whole grains completely at first, the staples of Macrobiotics

Macrobiotics is just the opposite in most counts. It is not a quick fix, like Atkins. Contrary to what anybody may say, Macro food does not cause constant bad breath, because you are not starving your body of essential nutrients contained in unrefined carbohydrates.The mactro diet is far less fat than the Atkins. Macro diets are from 6 to maybe 10 percent fat. Atkins can be over 50 percent fat!!!!

A friend of mine went to see Dr. Atkins a week before his death. He asked Atkins what are the best proteins. Atkins said, "eat all the cheese and meat you want, andy kind". Those were his words. This is conterary to even the most liberal interpretation of Macrobiotics.

I had another friend who was hospitalized with kidney and liver problems after being on thsi diet for a few weeks. They attributed it to the diet. I knew another person on teh diet who ended up taking synthetic laxatives because he was constipated from the high fat low fiber diet.

I do not mean to bad mouth Atkins personally, but his diet is responsible for much devistation of natural reaources, caused by a heavey consumption of meat and meat by-products, and dairy foods.His "supplemental" foods, which have fake sugars and fake tasting non-carbs, are synthetic foods. Why not just eat from nature???

There are many many studies linking this diet to heat disease, stroke, etc.