But doesn't everybody knead bread?

The late etiquette guru Emily Post once wrote, "Bread is like dresses, hats and shoes--in other words essential."

Then again, how many people are wearing hats these days?

Pity bread. For centuries the leavened wheat product was revered as the "staff of life" and a food staple of billions. But nowadays, thanks to Atkins and other grain-stingy diet plans, carbohydrates have taken the place of cholesterol and sugar as the most visible dietary pariah.

As millions of Americans take the low-carb plunge, it's no great surprise that bread sales in the United States are slipping--and reduced consumption is especially pronounced in image-conscious Los Angeles.

For the year ended Dec. 7, Los Angeles residents bought 3 million fewer loaves of bread from the Top 10 bread makers than they did in 2002, a decline of 5 percent, according to Information Resources Inc.

Nationwide, the overall decline in bread consumption was 1.4 percent. In California it was 4.6 percent.

"The baking industry was completely caught off guard by the way this fad diet swept through and monopolized the news media," said Thom Kuk, president of the Sonoma-based American Society of Baking.

Carbo crunch

Some nutritionists argue that contrary to any fad diet, the new demand for low-carbohydrate offerings represents part of a real transition by informed consumers toward a healthier lifestyle. Either way, the bread business is rocking on its heels.

Consumption of wheat flower per person fell to 137 pounds in 2003, from 147 pounds in 1997, according to the North American Millers Association. "The industry is concerned about this spreading feeling that carbohydrates are bad for you," said Betsy Faga, president of the association.

But the Atkins craze has also spawned a mini-industry in low carbohydrate products. "We've seen companies coming out with a lot of low-carb breads," said John Unrein, editor of Baking Buyer Magazine in St. Louis. "Those who have been quick to react to the changes have been able to stem the tide a little bit."

The new breads that have been popping up on supermarket shelves are just the beginning. Low-carb beer and bagels are now widely available, as are low-carbohydrate peanut butter, salad dressing, pasta and bun-less burgers at fast-food restaurants. Just last week, Burger King announced that is has started selling a low-carb version of its Whopper sandwich, without the bun.

"The whole category has really exploded as people get more and more conscious about carbohydrates," said Mike Deal, manager of the Ralphs supermarket on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood. "There's a lot of different selections now and all the (bread) companies are getting involved."

Upscale rising

One segment that seems to be holding its own is higher-end boutique breads. "Premium products are holding their own," said Kuk. "A lot of people are either turning it off or going for premium bread."

Carol Head, owner of Oliver's Artisan Breads, based in San Fernando, said the rapid proliferation of coffee houses and specialty markets has been a boon for premium bread bakers. Oliver's sells its products in Whole Foods Markets and Trader Joe's and its bread is used for sandwiches in local Starbucks coffee stores.

The decline in bread consumption "hasn't affected us one iota," Head said. "Our business has grown extraordinarily quickly in the past year."

Michael Mindel, vice president of marketing for the Il Fornado, the Bay Area-based restaurant/ bakery chain that has two stores in Los Angeles, also said bread sales were holding steady.

"One could make the case that Los Angeles has always been on a low-carb diet," Mindel said. "We sell so many salads and so much iced tea and grilled fish already. We've seen diets come and go, but we can always address people's dietary needs."

Loading her groceries into the back of an SUV in the parking lot of Whole Foods on a recent afternoon, Mitzie Baker, a Los Angeles handbag designer, said she reduced the amount of bread in her diet several years ago.

"I will have a sandwich when I go out but I won't buy (bread). Obviously, that's an important thing to cut out," she said. "I was just in New York and everybody was eating bread. But this is L.A. The bread basket doesn't come to the table."

Ralphs shopper Ray Hawk, retired real estate manager for Southern Pacific Railroad, said he had also reduced bread in his diet.

"I'll have a couple of slices of toast in the morning, but that's about it," he said. "I'll eat rye bread, sourdough bread or maybe a 28-grain wheat bread. But I also like my hamburgers and hot dogs with buns."

Kuk said there has been a lack of information from the bread industry to counter what he calls exaggerated health claims by proponents of low-carbohydrate diets. "In the long-run people are not going to give up bread," he said. "It's been a mainstay for 6,000 years."

And clearly not everyone is concerned about carbohydrates to the extent that they are willing to eliminate bread consumption.

"I don't bother with that too much," said Natalie Grossman of Los Angeles, as she left Whole Foods with her groceries. "It makes no difference to me because I'm going to go through weight loss surgery."