HIGH PROTEIN DIETS NOT THE ANSWER
by Lauren Plaviak
Being that the news these days has given the Atkin's Diet a lot of hype, I thought it should be discussed. Among the multitude of diet plans that lure those who wish to lose weight, one of the most appealing has been Dr. Robert Atkinšs high-protein diet. He advocates a regimen that severely limits carbohydrates and relies on protein and fats.
Calories not counted, and dieters are promised that they will not suffer from pangs of hunger. They can eat allowed foods until satisfied, since fats are supposed to inhibit cravings for carbohydrates. It then releases compounds known as ketones, which are considered proof that fat must be vanishing.
Unfortunately, high-protein diets, despite their attraction, have not received the same raving reviews from alternative health consultants, who point out lurking perils in these plans, including kidney strain and nutritional deficiencies.
What does the Atkin's Diet propose? As with any high-protein diet, it is divided into two parts: an initial stage for dramatic weight loss and a maintenance stage promoting long-term weight loss goals.
On the Atkin's diet, for two weeks you avoid high-carbohydrate foods such as rice, potatoes, pasta and breads, as well as fruits and starchy vegetables. Instead, you focus on proteins and fats, such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, cream and butter.
After this first stage, you add carbohydrates in small increments, depending on how much weight you need to lose and how quickly you want to lose it.
Unfortunately, most high-protein diets don't stress the importance of drinking large amounts of purified water, which is crucial in flushing the ketones from the body. Ketones are toxins that the body must excrete, requiring more urine output and possible dehydration. Therefore, this type of diet requires copious amounts of water to aid the body to function effectively.
The risks of a high-protein diet may include a vitamin deficiency, kidney and liver damage, digestive problems, and higher cholesterol levels. This is because high-protein diets offer few fresh fruits and vegetables, therefore depriving the body of vitamin C, folic acid and the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.
The diet's overreliance on proteins and fats for energy can stress the kidneys and liver. They must cope with the increased wastes produced by metabolism of proteins and fats. This burden can lead to malfunction.
With the lack of whole grains, these diets also don't provide insoluble fiber. This type of fiber is vital for healthy digestion, including prevention of chronic constipation (which has it's own host of problems). Insoluble fiber may also reduce colon-cancer risks.
Without an adequate supply of fresh fruits, legumes, brown rice, and other whole grains (which are all forbidden because of carbohydrate content), high-protein diets do not provide soluble fiber.
This type of fiber is known to affect the absorption of substances into the blood; it slows the blood's absorption of glucose and helps to lower cholesterol levels.
Without soluble fiber, risks of high cholesterol are increased, and high cholesterol opens the way to other serious risks, particularly cardiovascular disease. Eating the saturated fats in these diets also raises cholesterol levels.
What's the answer? Never take any diet that "guarantees" quick loss of extra pounds and offers revolutionary scientific theories at face value. Just eat whole and natural, stay in the produce isle and fresh meat sections, and away from the rest of the grocery store ... ban the canned and packaged goods!
It's simple: foods such as raw fresh fruits, raw and steamed vegetables, whole grains, legumes, brown rice, fresh meats, eggs and fish/seafood, fresh-pressed oils high in essential fatty acids (i.e. hemp, flax, extra virgin olive oil), unsweetened yogurt, kefir, natural cheeses, and raw nuts and seeds.
It's simply a long-term way of life that works, one that needs to be strengthened in the generations to come.
Lauren Plaviak has been a researcher/ writer for the health industry since 1989 and a consultant for Ferlow Brother's unique line of products since April 2001.