If you're counting carbohydrates these days, you're not alone. Diet- and health-conscious people all over the country are jumping on the carbohydrate bandwagon in some form or other. Some are trying the well-known Atkins diet, and others are adhering to the newer, but similar "South Beach" diet, both of which call for restricted carbohydrate intake. Others aren't really following either of these plans, but are counting carbohydrates rather than calories.

While the results associated with these diets may be encouraging among some individuals, there are three very important issues that should be taken into account when making decisions about your own eating habits:

• The Atkins diet is not a "miracle cure" for weight problems. Many people who try the Atkins diet are unable to indefinitely withstand their cravings for sugar and starches. As is the case with many, even most diets, there are documented cases of individuals on the "Atkins" plan who fall off the wagon and actually realize a net weight "gain."
• Though the Atkins plan requires participants to count their carbohydrate intake, it doesn't "ban" carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet.
• Not all carbs are created equal. "Empty" carbs, such as candy and soft drinks, are likely to contain nothing at all in the way of nutrition or dietary fiber. Other carbohydrates, however, contain important dietary and nutritional requirements, such as protein and fiber.

The obvious attraction of the "carb approach," is that dieters can indulge in a wide variety of delicious foods. Eggs, meats, cheese, even cream and butter, may be consumed in abundance. Steak smothered in fried onions, seafood dripping with butter, fried, grilled, or broiled foods soaked in butter and garlic are all permitted. Mayonnaise, strictly forbidden by the rules of all fat-gram-conscious diets, may be eaten at will by people who are counting carbohydrates. Even "Kentucky Fried Chicken" is now advertising their famously delicious but dripping-with-fat deep-fried product as being relatively low in carbs.

The Atkins approach, though, has some important down sides - and more than a few serious detractors - in some impressively knowledgeable places. Professional nutritionists and the American Heart Association have expressed serious reservations about a diet so heavy in fat and protein, and so low in fiber and carbohydrates. Among the concerns are the stress potentially placed on the liver by so much protein, and the affect of so much fat and so little fiber on the heart and the digestive system. Fiber is considered so important among the medical community, in fact, that many physicians recommend eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily as a way of reducing the risk of colon cancer.

In reality, everyone has a "balance" of carbs and fats that must be maintained in order to avoid weight gain. This balance, even if it does include more fats than we've come to expect, will also include carbohydrates. As is the case in all nutrition plans, the key to success is in a well-rounded diet that includes the maximum amount of nutrients in the carbohydrate grams you're consuming. To get the biggest bang for your nutritional bucks, steer yourself toward carbs that contain both protein and fiber. While protein and fiber aren't something most people look for in carbohydrates, there is a growing number of discriminating shoppers and nutrition-savvy people who understand that there are places where they can get a whopping nutritional double-dip for their carbs and their calories.

Chances are that you may not have heard of whole grain Spelt pasta. Made from the ancient and wonderfully delicious and nutritious grain known as Spelt, this pasta contains surprisingly high quantities of both fiber and protein. One plateful of whole-grain Vita-Spelt pasta provides 50 percent of the daily recommended protein requirement for women. On top of that, the same amount of Spelt pasta contains 15 grams of fiber. Compare this to one medium apple, which contains just four grams of fiber, or 1/2 cup of broccoli, which also measures in at just four grams. A half cup of carrots contains a mere 3.4 grams of fiber.

In addition to its strong suit in the protein and fiber departments, there are other advantages to Spelt pasta. For one thing, it's tremendously flavorful. Its mild, nutty flavor makes other pastas seem tasteless by comparison. While the flavor doesn't compete with pasta sauces, it does assert itself. You don't have to be a connoisseur to notice the difference.

Finally, even if you remain unconvinced by the fiber, protein, and flavor advantages, there is the reality that Vita-Spelt whole grain pasta is the choice of many athletes before competing. Providing both quick and sustained energy through it's string of complex carbohydrates, it has the additional nutritional advantage of protein and fiber, which differentiates it both from other pastas and from "empty carbs."

In case you're wondering what Spelt is, it's an ancient grain originally cultivated in Europe and the Middle East. Known as "Farro" in Italy, this nutritious and flavorful grain was used during ancient times to feed the Roman legions. Until the development of "modern," free threshing wheat in the early 1900s, the "amber waves of grain" were likely to be corn and Spelt. The Reason? Spelt lost favor with farmers and processors because it's tough hull required that it be processed twice: once to remove the hull, and another time to grind the kernel inside.

Thus began the rapid decline of one of the most flavorful and adaptable grains ever produced. For decades, almost the only farmers growing Spelt were groups such as the Amish, who have long-recognized the value of growing Spelt for their livestock. Unlike wheat and oats, livestock can consume Spelt in large quantities without getting colic-y. The relative ease with which Spelt can be digested may also be the reason that it can be consumed even by most people who are allergic to wheat.

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