The late Dr. Robert C. Atkins, a renowned cardiologist, authored the Atkins Diet during the 1970’s. During this time, people believed that excessive eating of fatty foods caused obesity. However, Dr. Atkins formulated a method that challenged nutritional science and conventional medicine.
The Atkins Diet is a controlled-carbohydrate approach to weight loss and management. It could also serve as treatment and prevention of other diseases.
The program starts with an adjustment period wherein dieters are allowed to consume 20 grams of carbohydrates for their first two weeks.
After the adjustment period, carbohydrates such as bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, fresh fruits, carrots and beans are eliminated from the meals. The dieters are allowed unlimited consumption of poultry, meat, seafood, cheese, butter, eggs, sausage, margarine, butter and bacon.
In short, the Atkins Diet allows the dieter to eat as much fat they want as long as they consume very little sugar and carbohydrates.
The Atkins and other low-carb diets’ success lie in the program’s effect on the body. How do these kinds of programs work?
The body’s choice of energy source is glucose, the breakdown product of carbohydrate. Once a dieter restricts his or her carbohydrate intake, the body runs short of glucose supply.
The body has anticipated these situations by storing glucose in the liver and muscles. Since each gram of glucose (or glycogen) stores 3 grams of water with it, the body will break down the stored glucose to gain energy. Every time a stored glucose is broken down, the body excretes stored water. As a result, a substantial amount of water is lost.
The more a dieter restricts his or her carbohydrate and sugar intake, the more dramatic the effect of water loss, and consequently, the more chances of numerous health risks. This is the reason why most organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences, the American Dietetic Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association oppose this program.
The downside to high in protein diets such as the Atkins Diet is that the body goes into a state of ketosis, which may also cause bad breath, headaches, carbohydrate cravings, constipation and nausea.
The Atkins Diet is best for meat lovers who prefer no portion control on their diets, and although the Atkins Diet shows positive weight loss results after the program, it is not a healthy approach to long-term weight loss.
