Caught this little snippet in yesterday's edition of the UK's Daily Mail newspaper. Although there is seems to be an anti-Atkins bias in the UK media (why this is so, I really have no idea), it seems it can't stop the low carb onslaught on this side of the pond

In my own humble opinion though I don't think that chocolate should play a large part in any low carb diet (except perhaps as a 'treat' now and again), BUT it is great to see Low Carb products actually hitting these shores.

The chocolate Atkins doesn't bar
Daily Mail, London, 11th October, 2003

Atkins dieters can at last satisfy their chocolate cravings.

Until now, the sweet treat has been out of bounds under the controversial weight-loss regime because it is high in carbohydrates. But now a low-carb chocolate bar has arrived from the US.

A chain of sandwich shops which took delivery of its first Carbolite bars earlier this week says that they are flying off the shelves as fast as the staff can unpack them.

The 28g bars - in milk chocolate, chocolate crisp and almond varieties - available at 95p each from Benjys' 62 stores in London and Birmingham. They contain between 0.2 and 1.3g of carbohydrates each.

That compares to 13g in a regular Kit Kat, 43 in a Mars Bar and 35 in a Twix.

Instead of using normal sugar, which is high in carbohyrdates, Carbolite bars are made from sugar substitutes such as malitol and erythritol, which are low in carbohydrates and take the body longer to absorb.

With three million Britons thought to be on the Atkins Diet at present, manufacturers are clamouring to cash in. Heinz this week launched a low-carb ketchup, while last month saw the arrival of the low-carb lager Michelob Ultra.

I still regard chocolate as an occasional treat but it's good to know that people, well, businesses, are sitting up and taking note.