The First Modern Low Carb High Protein Diet
The Atkins diet was first published in the early 1970s. In the mid 1990s a revised version “Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution” was published and the low carbohydrate craze began again. It has been roundly condemned by the establishment. To be honest I feel a little apprehensive about reviewing this diet. Many people absolutely swear by it and they can be quite aggressive in its defense. Others are equally adamant that it is a very unhealthy, even dangerous diet. Please don’t send me hate mail if you disagree with my review!
Following The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet advocates a high protein and fat intake with virtually no carbohydrate allowed. Initially there is a 2 week induction period in which carbohydrates are virtually eliminated, only 20 grams a day being allowed. During induction you are not allowed to have any milk, fruits, grains, cereals, breads or starchy vegetables such as potatoes, peas, corn and carrots. All the ones that experts tell us are good for us. The 20grams of carbohydrate allowed is taken up by that occurring in the vegetables you are allowed to eat. This two week period consists of a diet of as much as you like of meat, eggs, fish, butter- there isn’t anything to put it on but you could fry with it, cream, sausages, bacon nuts and cheese. Now you can see why it is condemned as dangerous by orthodox practitioners.
Once the two weeks of induction have been completed you can begin to add carbohydrates in increments of 5 grams per week, a barely noticeable amount. Eventually you are able to eat around 40 to 90 grams of carbohydrates a day. To determine how much carbohydrate you may add to your diet each day you must test your urine for ketone bodies using a dipstick. This will show you whether you are in ketosis, or fat burning mode. The stick turns any shade from light to dark purple if you excreting ketones. As you add these increments of carbs to your diet at some point the stick will stop turning purple. Just prior to that happening is known as “your critical carbohydrate level” or CCL. You must stay in ketosis, which is just under your CCL until you reach your fat loss goal. Ketosis is a very controversial topic. Many health care professionals say that it is dangerous to be in ketosis for any length of time, while Atkins say it is not.
Atkins The Science
The idea that it could be healthy not to eat fruits and most vegetables, or to severely limit them, is very strange. Scientific studies of populations that eat a primarily plant-based diet, such as The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health, show that they are slimmer and healthier than those who eat a Western animal products based diet.
Analyses of data from China Study 1 and its follow up China Study 2, which were conducted among thousands of rural families in mainland China, linked that population’ s low incidence of such Western health problems as cardiovascular disease, some cancers, obesity and diabetes to plant-based diets that were low in animal products. This study also showed that the closer a food is to its native state the healthier it is. The Atkins diet contains very little food that is in its native state. Not only that but they push their own proprietary foods, which are very far from natural.
Atkins Could Be Healthy For Weight Loss
But, surprisingly two studies published in prestigious medical journals, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Annals of Internal Medicine, have shown that there are indeed some benefits to be gained from The Atkins Diet compared to a standard low fat slimming diet. In the studies around 40% of participants dropped out, which just shows how hard this diet is. Of the rest, there was a larger decrease in serum triglyceride levels and a greater increase in serum HDL (good cholesterol) than the low-fat group. Both groups had similar reductions in LDL cholesterol ( bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol levels. At the end of the study weight loss was about the same in both groups. This is likely to be due to weight loss itself rather than what was eaten. The Atkins dieters had lost an average of 15.4 lbs at six months but by the end of the year had regained 1/3 of the weight they lost bringing their average weight loss down to 9.7lbs. So it is a good way to lose weight but, like other slimming diets the problem is regain after the weight loss.
Atkins gives you lots of butter, cheese and cream to eat but nothing to put them on. The foods allowed become boring and unattractive when eaten on their own day after day. Fat and protein foods are very filling. Both of these factors mean that dieters do eat less food.
Research has shown that this is exactly what happens. Although they do not realize it, Atkins dieters reduce their calories by around 1000 per day. In fact in one study their average intake was around 1500 calories a day. The good blood results were a result of weight loss.
This isn’t the only thing that is happening though. The fact is that protein uses up more calories in its digestion than either carbs or fats. You lose about 30% of their calorie intake just in digesting the food. so you get two helpful things going on at once. That is your appetite is reduced because you do not feel hungry and the protein itself requires calories for its digestion.
Some Risks With Atkins Long Term
The Atkins diet with its emphasis on animal products may increase the risk of colorectal cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, kidney problems and diabetes complications. Medical and scientific research has shown that this type of eating is not healthy in the long term. however it is also very unhealthy to be very overweight. So it may be that using the Atkins method to lose weight and then gradually transitioning to a healthier diet would be preferable to continuing obesity. More information: Atkins Diet Revolution
November 2010
Note: I no longer recommend any high protein low carb diets. I have learned a lot about diets since writing this. I would advise you to read the The China Study and see what you think about high protein low carb after that. The low carb way isn’t healthy and it isn’t even the best way to diet. Dr. Atkins was very overweight when he died -that should tell you something! I now recommend that you follow a much healthier diet and you can eat as much as you like on it!
