Diets that emphasize low carb and high protein, like the Zone and Atkins diet, might "work" by causing temporary weight loss. Other considerations, like overall health and nutrition, should be factored in---any diet that allows little to no carbohydrates can be very problematic for overall health.
Overview and Goal of the Diet
Low-carb high-protein diets restrict eating carbs such as bread, cookies, and other simple carbs high in sugar like candy and even fruit. Dieters in turn eat as much as 50 percent of their food in the form of high protein foods. They also eat vegetables. Author Melina Jampolis explains in her book, "The No Time to Lose Diet," that the goal of the diet (not advocated by the author), is to lose weight, stabilize blood sugar levels and suppress the appetite.
Acceptable Diet Foods
Protein foods like meat, eggs, tofu and soy products are encouraged on this diet. Vegetables include leafy greens, broccoli, squash, zucchini and others. A common meal on this diet could be a vegetable stew with beef, a salad with chicken, or a steak with a side of vegetables. For a comprehensive list of foods, see Resources below. No fruits or complex carbs are on the list.
How the Diet Makes You Lose Weight
Simple carbs from white bread and candy are high in calories, but empty in nutritional value. Eliminating these foods means a reduction in calorie intake, which causes weight loss. If the body has enough nutrients like minerals and vitamins, it will feel fuller for longer, which can prevent hunger pangs. Some nutritional needs are met on this diet: a diet high in protein ensures your body has enough nutrients to sustain blood cells, keep skin healthy, and repair muscles. Vegetables support the body by providing vitamins and minerals like manganese, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium.
Why the Diet Can be Unhealthy
One primary concern of the diet is the risk of going into ketosis. Ketosis occurs when the body does not have enough energy from glucose. If the body cannot receive sugar, found primarily in carbs, then the body gets glucose from fat stores. Proponents advocate a low-carb diet for this reason. However, after fat stores are depleted, the body begins eating away at muscles, organs, and finally shuts down from lack of fuel. The book "Controversies in Food and Nutrition" outlines other problems: high levels of uric acid in the body resulting from too much protein can cause gout, a loss of calcium and a decrease in bone density.
Why Carbohydates are Important
Carbohydrates are important to preventing ketosis. By having an ample supply of glucose for the body to use as fuel, the body does not have to resort to other sources. Secondly, many carbohydrates are very healthy. Whole grains provide B vitamins and regulate the release of insulin. In turn, whole grains stabilize metabolism. Fruits are rich in antioxidants and fiber, along with affording the body a source of sugar that is released gradually.
Considerations
Assess each food based on its nutritional properties: some protein sources, like swordfish, might be high in protein, but swordfish also contains high levels of mercury. Some protein sources, like tofu, contain no cholesterol and are low in fat. Similarly, carbs like doughnuts might be high in sugar and trans fats, but other carbs are low in sugar and low-fat, like cherries. A healthy diet contains foods from each food group.
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