How Many Carbs Are on a Modified Atkins Diet?

January 1, 2026 •

4 min read

For patients with intractable epilepsy, the Modified Atkins Diet has shown similar effectiveness to the classic ketogenic diet, with 40% experiencing a 50% or more reduction in seizures. The core of its therapeutic effect lies in a precise restriction of carbohydrates, which differs significantly from a traditional weight-loss Atkins plan.

Quick Summary

The Modified Atkins Diet typically restricts daily net carbohydrate intake to 10–20 grams, depending on age and individual tolerance, to induce ketosis for therapeutic purposes.

Key Points

10-20g Net Carbs Daily: The defining feature of the Modified Atkins Diet is the constant, low daily intake of 10 to 20 grams of net carbohydrates, which is maintained indefinitely.
High Fat, Moderate Protein: Unlike the traditional ketogenic diet, MAD encourages high fat intake but does not restrict protein, making it more palatable and flexible.
No Calorie or Fluid Restrictions: MAD removes calorie and fluid restrictions that are common in classic ketogenic diets, further improving patient compliance.
Focus on Healthy Fats and Low-Carb Foods: The diet emphasizes healthy fats, protein sources, and non-starchy vegetables while eliminating sugar, grains, and most starchy vegetables.
Less Restrictive and More Tolerable: The added flexibility of the MAD, particularly for protein, calories, and fluids, has shown improved long-term adherence compared to stricter dietary therapies.
Primarily a Therapeutic Diet: While weight loss can occur, the main purpose of MAD is the therapeutic management of epilepsy, not primarily weight reduction.

Understanding the Carb Limits of the Modified Atkins Diet

The Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) is a less restrictive variant of the classic ketogenic diet, primarily utilized as a dietary therapy for controlling seizures in individuals with epilepsy. Unlike the popular, multi-phase Atkins diet for weight loss, the MAD maintains a constant, low-carbohydrate intake to induce and sustain a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. The specific answer to "how many carbs are on a Modified Atkins diet?" is that the daily intake is typically limited to a range of 10 to 20 grams of net carbs. This strict daily limit is usually introduced at the start of the therapy and is not part of a phase-based system.

What Defines the Modified Atkins Carb Count?

For adults and adolescents, the carbohydrate intake is most commonly set at 15 to 20 grams of net carbs per day. For younger children, this number can be even more restrictive, starting at just 10 grams per day. This net carb calculation is essential for the diet's success, as it focuses on total carbohydrates minus fiber content. The exact carb target may be personalized by a medical team, depending on factors such as age and seizure response.

This restricted carb intake ensures the body consistently produces ketones, which are believed to have neuroprotective effects that reduce seizure frequency and severity. In contrast to the classic ketogenic diet, the MAD allows for a more liberal intake of protein and does not impose restrictions on total calories or fluids, making it more flexible and often easier to follow for long-term adherence.

Key Differences: Modified Atkins vs. Other Low-Carb Diets

To highlight the nuances of the Modified Atkins Diet, it is helpful to compare it with other popular low-carb approaches. While all these diets share the goal of reducing carbohydrate intake, their execution and primary objectives vary significantly.


Feature	Modified Atkins Diet (MAD)	Classic Ketogenic Diet (KD)	Traditional Atkins Diet (Weight Loss)
Carb Intake	10–20g net carbs/day (constant)	Very low, typically a rigid ratio	Starts at 20g net carbs (Induction), increases in phases
Primary Goal	Therapeutic treatment for epilepsy (induce ketosis)	Therapeutic treatment for epilepsy (induce ketosis)	Weight loss
Fat Intake	Actively encouraged and high, but not strictly weighed	Strictly measured and weighed (e.g., 3:1 or 4:1 ratio)	Not strictly limited, encouraged in higher amounts
Protein Intake	Moderate and unrestricted	Restricted	High, encouraged at every meal
Calorie/Fluid Limits	No restriction	Strict restrictions	No strict restrictions
Adherence	Flexible, household measures used	Very rigid, food often weighed on scales	Allows for more variety and carbs over time

Foods to Eat and Avoid on a Modified Atkins Diet

Adherence to the low carb count on the Modified Atkins Diet requires careful planning. Here are examples of food choices that can help you stay within the daily carb limit.

Foods to Include

Healthy Fats: Oils (olive, coconut), mayonnaise, butter, heavy whipping cream, and avocado.
Protein: All types of meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and eggs.
Full-Fat Dairy: Certain cheeses and creams.
Low-Carb Vegetables: Leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cucumber, and bell peppers.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, macadamia nuts, and sunflower seeds.
Limited Fruits: Small portions of low-carb fruits like blueberries and raspberries.

Foods to Avoid or Limit

Sugars and Refined Carbohydrates: This includes soda, juice, candy, baked goods, white bread, and pasta.
Grains and Starches: Foods like rice, cereal, crackers, potatoes, and corn.
Most Fruits: High-carb fruits like bananas, apples, and oranges.
Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
'Diet' and 'Low-Fat' Products: These often contain hidden sugars.

A Sample Modified Atkins Daily Meal Plan

Here is a simple example of a daily meal plan that adheres to the 10-20 gram carb limit:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs cooked in butter with cheese and a side of spinach.
Lunch: A large salad with leafy greens, grilled chicken, avocado, and a full-fat vinaigrette dressing.
Dinner: Baked salmon with a side of steamed broccoli and a dollop of butter or a creamy sauce.
Snacks: A handful of macadamia nuts or a few cubes of cheese.

Conclusion

The Modified Atkins Diet maintains a strict daily carbohydrate limit, typically between 10 and 20 grams of net carbs, to achieve and sustain therapeutic ketosis. Developed primarily for treating refractory epilepsy, it is less rigid than the classic ketogenic diet by allowing more protein and forgoing calorie restrictions. A medical team should always supervise initiation of the diet, as it is a specialized therapeutic approach with a very specific, low-carb formula at its core. This precise management of carbohydrate intake is the cornerstone of its efficacy.

For more detailed guidance and a deeper understanding of the diet, consult resources like the Epilepsy Foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Initially, the daily carbohydrate intake on a Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) is restricted to 10 to 20 grams of net carbs, depending on the individual's age and tolerance.

The Modified Atkins Diet maintains a constant, very low carb count (10–20g net carbs), whereas the classic Atkins diet increases carbohydrate allowances through different phases.

The Modified Atkins diet requires counting net carbs, which is calculated by subtracting fiber content from the total carbohydrates listed on a food label.

While the initial goal is 10-20g, a medical team may adjust the daily carb intake by 5 grams at a time, depending on an individual's tolerance and therapeutic response.

To stay within the carb limit, you must avoid sugary foods, refined grains (bread, pasta), starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn), and most fruits.

No, one of the key differences of the Modified Atkins diet is that protein intake is not restricted, which contrasts with the classic ketogenic diet.

The primary purpose is to induce and maintain ketosis, a metabolic state where the body uses fat for energy, to help manage and reduce epileptic seizures.

While weight loss can occur as a side effect, the Modified Atkins Diet's main purpose is therapeutic epilepsy management, not weight loss.