Atkins
Diet Review
Atkins
Diet - Overview
The Atkins
Diet is probably the most well known low-carb / high-protein diet. It
first appeared back in the early 70’s. The Atkins Diet claims you
can eat all the protein and fat that you care to and still lose weight.
You just need to cut out the carbohydrates to become thin. It's all explained
in: Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, by Dr Robert C. Atkins.
Atkins Diet
- Simple Introduction
When you
first begin the Atkins Diet, you go on an Induction Phase – this
is to put you into ketosis. You cut out almost all carbohydrates except
for a few greens, but you can eat sour cream and steak and eggs. Many
doctors say that ketosis is bad because it puts a strain on your kidneys
and may be fatal.
After the
first 2 weeks on the Atkins Diet, you are permitted to reintroduce a few
carbohydrates into your diet - but very few. The diet states you add until
you stop losing weight - that way you will know your limit in order to
lose weight effectively.
In talking
with people who have attempted the Atkins Diet, I found that many couldn’t
even get through the induction phase because they didn’t feel well
eating like that.
Also, while
Dr. Atkins claims that your cholesterol will get better – there were
several that had either no improvement or their numbers became worse.
Robert H.
Eckel, MD, chair of the AHA's (American Heart Association's) Nutrition
Committee, is unconvinced that Atkins Diet controls cholesterol in the
long term and points out that the Atkins Diet has few published results
and no long-term studies to back up his claims.
"Our
[major] concern is the high-fat content of the diet and its overall
effect on the cardiovascular system," Eckel says.
Atkins Diet
- Family Eating
While there
are a few success stories with those using the Atkins Diet, many people
find it becomes a very unfriendly diet if you need to feed a family, especially
children.
Atkins Diet
- Claims
- You will
lose weight fast.
- You can
eat large amounts of protein and still lose weight.
- You eat
very little sugar and white flour.
Atkins Diet
- Drawbacks
- Initial
weight loss may be quite fast, but is not always sustainable.
- A ketosis-inducing
diet may strain the kidneys.
- As many
foods high in animal protein may also be high in saturated fat, your
saturated fat intake may be too high for comfort.
- Giving
up or severely restricting potatoes, corn, bread, fruits and vegetables
and much more for as long as it takes to lose the weight, is not a user-friendly
diet plan.
Atkins Diet
- Our Opinion
- We are
not very keen about recommending more restrictive low-carb / high-protein
diets, for weight loss, unless the individual is obese. Some of these
diets restrict healthful foods that provide essential nutrients and
don't provide the variety of foods needed to adequately meet nutritional
needs. People who remain on these diets very long may be at risk for
inadequate vitamin and mineral intake as well as more potential health
risks.
- For severely
obese individuals, the cardiovascular risks of a high protein diet may
be worth taking in order to reduce the extra, well-documented risks
of severe or morbid obesity. However, this issue is outside the scope
of this review and should be settled between yourself and your doctor.
For individuals who are not seriously obese, we do not recommend the
more restrictive type of low-carb / high-protein diet plan like Atkins
Diet.
- If clinical
evidence emerges to demonstrate that an Atkins-type high protein diet
offers long term healthy weight loss, we will be happy to recommend
it.
FOOTNOTE:
American Heart Association Media Advisory (11/19/2002) - High Protein
Diets
Here is a
short extract from the recent American Heart Association statement on
high protein, low carbohydrate study.
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Media reports
about a small study funded by the Robert C. Atkins Foundation may have
created the erroneous impression that the American Heart Association has
revised its dietary guidelines. This is not the case.... Here are the
American Heart Association’s concerns with the study:
- The study
is very small, with only 120 total participants and just 60 on the high-fat,
low carbohydrate diet.
- This is
a short-term study, following participants for just 6 months. There
is no evidence provided by this study that the weight loss produced
could be maintained long term.
- There
is no evidence provided by the study that the diet is effective long
term in improving health.
- A high
intake of saturated fats over time raises great concern about increased
cardiovascular risk – the study did not follow participants long
enough to evaluate this.
By way of
contrast with this small study, a 12-year Harvard study funded by the
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was also reported at this meeting.
This study of 74,000 women showed that those who consumed more fruits
and vegetables were 26 percent less likely to become obese than women
who ate fewer fruits and vegetables over the same time period. “This
is a much more compelling study regarding weight control, because it involved
many more individuals over a much longer period,” says Bonow.
“Bottom
line, the American Heart Association says that people who want to lose
weight and keep it off need to make lifestyle changes for the long term
– this means regular exercise and a balanced diet,” he says.
“People should not change their eating patterns based on one very
small, short-term study. Instead, we hope that the public will continue
to rely on the guidance of organizations such as the American Heart Association
which look at all the very best evidence before formulating recommendations.”
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Related
Low Carb Diet Links
South
Beach Diet
Zone Diet
No Carb Diet
High Protein Diet
High Protein Diets
Ketosis
Ketogenic Diet
Carbs, Fat and Diet
Carbs for Breakfast
Diets and Liver Problems
Carbs, Diet Nutrition and
Calories
Low Carb Foods - Read Labels
Carb Intake in Diet
Dietary Fat, Cholesterol
and Strokes
Calories, Carbs and Diet
Atkins Diet - Health Questions
Atkins Diet and Health
Atkins Diet and Weight Loss
Low Carb Diets - Health
Concerns
What is the Glycemic Index
Low GI Diet
Low GI Diet Meals
Low GI Diet Snacks
Low GI Diet Foods
Low GI Diet and Potatoes
How is Glycemic Index
Measured
What Affects Glycemic
Index Values of Carbs
GI of Bread, Potatoes
Rice and Pasta
Glycemic Load
Carbs and the Glycemic Index
Glycemic Index and Weight
Loss
Low Glycemic Index Diets
and Weight Loss
Low Carb Diets and Nutrition
High Protein Diets
to Maintain Weight
Atkins Diet - Kidneys
and Osteoporosis
Diet Fat and Heart Disease
Carbs, Diet and Cancer
Low Carb Diets, Calories
and Weight Loss
Bookmark
this page for more articles on low carb dieting - coming soon!
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Source: American
Heart Association
Diet Reviews
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