Low Carbohydrate Diet
Lose Weight, Lower Health Risks, Look Great

Over the past year, 5 best-selling low carbohydrate diet books and widespread media reports are promoting the health benefits of reduced carbohydrate /high protein diets. Based upon the popularity of the Atkins, Protein Power, Zone and Sugar Buster's diets, experts believe that more than 25 million Americans are now following some form of low carbohydrate /high protein diet.

According to eDiets the low carbohydrate diet offers the following benefits:

• Successfully lose weight
• Keep you weight off
• Lower your insulin production
• Reduce risk factors for heart disease, hypertension and diabetes
• Boost your energy level
• Improve your appearance

The basic concept behind these popular low carbohydrate diets are to eat more protein and fewer carbohydrate and sugar.

With a low carbohydrate diet a person reduces their carbohydrate consumption, the body's blood-sugar levels decrease and cause the pancreas to produce less insulin. With less insulin to draw on, the body is forced to burn fat reserves for energy, resulting in rapid weight loss, according to gurus such as Atkins. Eating more fat -- a food category that formerly was taboo for many dieters -- makes the body feel full, leading to fewer carbohydrate cravings.

"On diets high in carbohydrate, they become the body's primary fuel," says Atkins, a New York cardiologist. His most recent book, "Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution" has been on the New York Times list for several years. "When fat is used as fuel, as it is on a low-carbohydrate diet, it gets mobilized. It does not accumulate, so weight and cholesterol drop."

Critics of Low Carbohydrate Diet

This low Carbohydrate diet is in direct contrast to the popular notion of lowering your fat intake to lose weight. It also is in opposition to most mainstream medical thinking.

"People are always looking for a quick way to lose weight" says Wahida Karmally, a nutrition research scientist at Columbia University and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "You will lose weight in the first week on these diets but, past that, they lack essential nutrients, and it is an unbalanced way of eating. It lacks fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Eating high-fat and high-cholesterol [foods] increases the risk of heart disease and tests the kidneys."

In addition, Bruner is concerned about the lack of research behind the top low carbohydrate plans. "The people who have written these books have never done the research," she says. "There might be some real science there, but where is the data? Dr. Atkins doesn't show why he is successful. He is presenting anecdotal evidence."

Latest Research on Low Carbohydrate Diet

In contrast doctors at Duke University studied 41 obese patients on a low carbohydrate diet that included less than 20 grams of carbohydrate a day. In four months, participants lost an average of 21.3 pounds and showed a 6 percent drop in cholesterol and an almost 40 percent drop in triglycerides. So far the study, which is ongoing, has not found any potentially dangerous effects on liver and kidney function. The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to conduct its own tests of a low carbohydrate diet vs. a low-fat diet.

Regardless of the conflicting views the bottomline with a low carbohydrate diet is it appears to work. The numbers are overwhelming positive. If you are considering a low carbohydrate diet you should check with you doctor. There are a number of excellent books on the subject. In addition, there are a number of online sites that will assist you in planning your diet and menu.