The Atkins Diet
Popular diet plans assessed
With a wide choice of diets out there to help with weight loss, choosing the right diet plan is not an easy task. Here we put the Atkins Diet under the microscope so you can decide whether it is the right diet to aid your weight loss.
The theory about the Atkins diet
By eating high protein foods (meat, poultry, fish and eggs) and high-fat foods (cream, butter, cheese) you eat fewer calories. Carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, rice, chocolate, chips, cereals and sugar are severely restricted.
Our opinion on the Atkins Diet — marked out of 10 (10 stars being the highest)
| Satisfying hunger |  |
| Good for health | |
| Ease to follow | |
| Expense | |
| Overall rating | |
Overall verdict on the Atkins Diet
The liberal use of fat really is a health hazard; the overall recommendations that are made in this diet are completely different from the recommendations made by registered dietitians for healthy weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.
There is published evidence to show that most people do lose weight on low-carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins plan, and that weight lost will help blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels of individuals. The problem is that weight lost by any means (not just on the Atkins plan) will improve all of the health measures mentioned above. As the diet is not nutritionally adequate, supplements of vitamins and minerals are needed. There is little evidence to know what effect the Atkins plan has on health in the long-term.
Pros of the Atkins Diet
- Reduces the number of calories consumed and therefore promotes weight loss.
Cons of the Atkins Diet
- Long-term effects unknown.
- Nutritionally unbalanced.
- Not suitable for pregnant women or people with kidney disease or gout.
- High saturated (health harming) fat intake.
- Expensive.
- Can cause constipation.
- Long-term maintenance of weight lost would be hard due to the restrictive nature of the plan.
Suitable for vegetarians — it would be possible but very to follow this plan as a vegetarian.
Suitable for vegans — no.
Suitable for coeliacs — yes, always adhere to advice given by your registered dietitian.
Need to buy specialist foods — no.
Restaurant friendly — no, you may have to order differently from everyone else.
Comments (2)
AlcindaMoore 'This part on Atkins sounds like it was written by someone who has never read the book and has no idea of what the diet is about. The theory behind Atkins is that it lowers and stabilizes blood sugar while feeding the body what it really needs, fat and protein. Lower more stable blood sugar leads to fewer cravings. Eating fat and protein means you get full faster and stay full longer, so many people do eat less calories. There is no scientific evidence that eating natural fats, even saturated fats are harmful. While it is true that the AHA, AMA, et all do promote the idea that saturated fat in particular is bad, there is no SCIENTIFIC evidence (no well designed, well controlled studies) that prove this out. Many people, but not all, do loose weight on Atkins and other low carb diets. There are many that follow low carb diets simply because of the healthy aspects of it. Generally lower carb intake leads to weight loss, especially in those that have very high carb intake along with metabolic syndrome, abdominal fat, high blood sugars and abnormal lipids. The effects of lower blood pressure, lessening of symptoms of sleep apnea, etc are often seen very quickly after starting the diet and sometimes even without seeing any significant weight loss. Vitamins and minerals are often recommended for anyone on a weight loss plan. Since most low carb diets are promoted as diets that include fresh foods and avoiding processed foods, the diets are often healthier. Most, if not all low carb plans promote the intake of vegetables and fruits just like low fat plans! The only difference is avoiding starchy fruits and vegetables like corn, potatoes, and bananas. The diet is not dangerous for pregnant women, they just should avoid the ketogenic stages. Vegans can follow low carb plans, there are no requirements for animal proteins or fats, although most plans do recommend them. Restaurant friendly? Sure, why not? People that are picky eaters go to restaurants all the time and ask for "special orders". Even places that tend to be high carb, like Italian, are often places to go on low carb diets. Salads with meat, asking for vegetables instead of pasta (or if able eating whole grain pasta), etc are all doable on a low carb plan. Do the research. There's plenty of it out there. Physicians like Eric Westman at Duke University have been studying low carb diets for several years. What they are finding is lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and insulin levels, improved insulin sensitivity, improved blood lipids and much more! '
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SD1987 'Well said AlcindaMoore. This review is so juvenile and slapdash. "Atkins means you're eating FAT and Fat is EEEVVIIILLLLL" is basically what it says. Fat is not evil and going on the Atkins diet and drastically reducing carbohydrates gives most dieters increased energy levels, better sleep and lower blood sugar AND CHOLESTEROL.'
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