Atkins is one of the most popular diets ever created and medical research may also suggest that it is one of the most effective.

Medical Investigations

Investigators at Stanford University led by Christopher Gardner, Ph.D. conducted an NCCAM-funded study of 311 obese pre-menopausal women. Four different randomly selected diets including Atkins were allocated to the women. After 12 months, the results put the Atkins diet on top with an average weight loss of 4.7 kilogtams or just over 10 pounds as well as more favourable metaboliv effects

Duke University Medical School

Duke University Medical School conducted a study of 120 overweight volunteers The patients followed either the Atkins diet (with multivitamins and fish oil) or an American Heart Association low-fat plan. The results after six months of the study were Atkins Diet Weight loss 31 pounds, a 49% drop in triglycerides and an 11% increase in HDL. Low-fat dieters Weight loss 20 pounds, a 22% drop in blood fats known as triglycerides and no increase in HDL HDL is the good cholestoral. The Atkins dieters were also more likely to adhere to the diet.

Risks

The long term health impact of eating red meat concerns many health professionals. The Washington D.C. based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) suggests that the protein heavy Atkins diet places those who follow it at risk. Thsy suggest that “High protein diets may cause permanent loss of kidney function;” and “meat-heavy diets significantly increase one’s risk of colon cancer and osteoporosis.”

Many people also like like to burn their meat and eat it well done. Carcinogens can be caused by burnt meat.

The Solution.

Atkins is often mislabelled as red meat and more red meat. While it’s allowed, there are plenty of other lean protein sources to choose.

A high vegetable protein and vegetable fat version of Atkins has been developed by the University of Toronto. The diet is called the Low Carbohydrate Portfolio or “Eco-Atkins” Diet.

The intention of the diet was to exchange of the butter, eggs, cheese and meat in the Atkins diet for soy protein foods. The belief was that other vegetable proteins including gluten and vegetable fats, nuts, avocado, olive and canola oil will result in dramatic rather than modest reductions in blood lipids with weight loss. An exchange of saturated fat and animal protein for healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and vegetable proteins with significantly effect blood lipids while still encouraging weight loss.

Other Benefits

Environmental Affect

Fourteen serves of red meat per week result in the production of almost 6 tonnes of methane emissions annually.

Cheap fattening snacks, fast foods and processed meals are typically processed using massive amounts of energy. In an average Western diet, it takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to dispense just one calorie of food energy on to your plate. That’s a whopping 3000 calories worth of fossil-fuel energy for an average sized chocolate bar

By adding an additional 50kgs of weight to your car causes a 2% decrease in its fuel economy.

The eco-diet especially the Eco-Atkins is a great way to save the world whilst you save yourself

Is the Atkins Diet really a throw back to the hunter-gatherer time of human kind?

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The Atkins Diet so named for the late Dr. Atkins who created it has been around for years and is one of the most popular diets in history. Many people are both puzzled and confused by how it works. Lets take a quick look at some of the things that the Atkins diet can do for you.

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