The Atkins Diet: Low-Carb Mania

The Atkins Diet: Low-Carb Mania

Dr. Robert Atkins ignited the dieting world when he introduced

the word “low carb mania,” which is now known as the Atkins diet. The

diet claims that you can lose weight on a high fat, high protein diet.

The program works on four main principles which are to limit the amount

of consumption of simple carbohydrates, increase the intake of protein,

to exercise on a daily basis, and to maintain proper food consumption.

The new diet revolution has stirred up a controversial debate on whether

the higher fat, lower carb diet is healthy in the long run for diet

consumers. Some people say that it is not a healthy diet and that it

includes too much fat, while others say it is the only weight loss diet

that has finally helped them to take off a significant amount of weight.

The diet became an instant craze since it has been proven that

many Americans eat excessive amounts of simple carbohydrates such as

rice, alcohol, sugar, white flour, and sugar. As a result of the surge in

obesity and high calorie intakes, the Atkins diet aims to eliminate the

simple carbohydrate consumption by replacing it with high fat, high

animal protein foods such as bacon, sausage, butter, steak, eggs, and

brie. These rich foods are allowed as part of the diet since it claims

that you will lose weight fast while just following the routine. Although

the diet may cause one to lose weight, critics have found the diet to

have considerable drawbacks. The Atkins diet restriction on carbohydrates

is not very healthy since complex carbohydrates such as fruits,

vegetables, and whole grains are found to contain essential nutrients and

rich in fiber. Fiber is known to slow the absorption of food, which

prevents blood glucose to rise and reduce insulin surges, therefore

decreasing desire to eat. Critics have found that simple carbohydrates

should be substituted for complex carbohydrates instead of eliminating

carbohydrates from the diet completely. Complex carbohydrates and whole

foods are rich in photochemical, bioflavonoid, carotenoids, and other

substances that may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.