Atkins Diet
According to Atkins we can change our metabolism and lose weight simply by eating foods which are high in protein and fat and by limiting foods which are high in carbohydrate. Consuming a high level of carbohydrates apparently causes an overproduction of insulin and thus leads to increased hunger and weight gain. The Atkins diet plan allows unrestricted amounts of protein, such as meats, eggs, and cheese, and severely limits foods that contain carbohydrates, such as pasta, bread, and fruit.
Dr. Robert C. Atkins
Dr. Robert C. Atkins (1930-2003), an American cardiologist, developed his diet in the 1960s because of his own overweight condition. After successfully treating thousands of patients, he published his diet in the book „Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution“ in 1972. In his revised book „Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution“ in 1992, he modified some of his ideas, while remaining faithful to the original concept. Due to the popularity of his diet, the company Atkins Nutritionals, founded by Atkins in 1989, had been highly successful, but filed for bankruptcy in July 2005.
How the Atkins Diet Works
There are four phases or periods to the Atkins diet, the induction period, the ongoing weight loss period, the pre-maintenance period, and the maintenance period. The length of each phase depends mainly upon how overweight a person is and how he or she responds to the diet. As dieters proceed through these phases, they are allowed to add more carbohydrates, avoiding refined grains and sugars and focusing on nutrient-dense ones, instead.
During the first two weeks of dieting, the „induction period“, dieters are permitted to eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. This means, that the diet consists almost only of meat, poultry, bacon and sausages, eggs, cheese, oil, butter, margarine, and seafood. During these two weeks the dieters are not allowed to have any fruits, milk, grains, cereals, bread, or so called high glycemic index-vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, peas, or carrots. After the first two weeks, the participants can begin to add about 5 more grams of carbohydrates to their diet per week. In the maintanance phase, dieters are allowed no more than 40 to 90 grams of carbohydrates, although added sugars and refined grains remain forbidden.
According to Atkins, consuming a high level of carbohydrates causes an overproduction of insulin and thus leads to increased hunger and weight gain. He claimed that his diet stabilized insulin and blood sugar levels, eliminated cravings, reduced appetite, and changed metabolic processes causing amore active burning of stored fat.
Atkins Diet Health Risks
The Atkins and other low carb diets trigger short-term weight loss through a process called ketosis. This happens whenever the body lacks a sufficient supply of carbohydrates, which are a prime source of energy, and the body turns to other sources to satisfy daily energy needs, such as carbohydrates in muscles. Ketosis can lead to muscle breakdown, nausea, light-headedness, headaches, dehydration, irritability, bad breath, and kidney problems. It can be fatal in patients with diabetes.
Also, extremely high protein diets, like Atkins, can lead to acidic urine. Acidic urine leaches calcium from the body which again significantly increases the risk for osteoporosis and kidney stones. By restricting carbohydrates, the lack of fiber can cause constipation and other gastrointestinal problems. In addition, the high amount of cholesterol and saturated fat increase the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer.