Q: I read about a new study that found the high-protein Atkins diet was more successful than the Zone in helping people lose weight. If I follow the Atkins diet can I eat pecans?
A: Yes, Georgia pecans fit into any healthful eating plan. The Atkins diet is no exception. The new study you're talking about pitted four diets against each other: Atkins, Zone, Ornish and a program called LEARN (Life-style, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition) in order to find if the differences in carbohydrate and protein contents of the diets affected weight loss in overweight and obese women. The study included 311 women who were randomly assigned to follow one of the diets for one year. At the end of the year, those following the Atkins diet lost the most weight among the groups, an average of more than 10 pounds. Those following the LEARN diet lost the least, less than five pounds. The Atkins diet provided the most protein and the least carbohydrate, making pecans a perfect fit since they are both rich in protein and low in carbohydrates. In fact, the USDA Food Guide Pyramid even suggests substituting high-protein nuts, such as pecans, for meat; one ounce of pecans can take the place of two ounces of meat.
