Low-carb diets becoming international trend
By Sandya Nair, March 05, 2004
http://www.jhunewsletter.com/vnews/...5/4047bcb715d3d
It began with the popular Atkins diet, but now it seems that a "low-carb frenzy" has swept the nation. Various franchises have cashed in on the low-carb train as well with Subway's "Atkins-friendly" wraps and Burger King's bunless hamburgers.
Various other restaurants offer grilled vegetables as replacements for tortillas or rice as well as other low-carb diet friendly solution. Even a company Pastalia, popular for low-carb products, now offers low carb pasta.
The low-carb diet draws upon a simple biochemical principle as its basis. Carbohydrates, or "carbs," are an immediate source of energy in the human body.
Humans obtain energy by breaking down carbohydrates to release the energy (Calories) stored within them. When people consume more carbohydrates than they need, the excess carbohydrates are converted into fats.
Low carb diets play on this principle by trying to limit the amount of carbohydrate intake by allowing only the consumption of "nutrient dense carbohydrates" and not refined carbohydrates, according to the Atkins Web site. The Web site says that "nutrient dense" carbohydrates are those from vegetables and fruits and have a high nutrient to calorie ratio.
The Atkins diet, developed by Robert Atkins M.D., involves restricting the consumption of breads, pasta, cereal and starchy vegetables.
While consumption of the restricted carbohydrate sources increases minimally over the course of the diet, Atkins dieters mainly consume high amounts of protein (such as beef and pork) and fatty foods (butter and cheese).
Another popular low-carb diet, the South Beach Diet, involves similar ideas. Dieters eliminate bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked sweets, fruits, candy and ice cream. from their diet for two weeks. The diet then allows the person to reintroduce one or two high carbohydrate items back into his diet.
Cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston developed the diet. The diet's focus, unlike Atkins, is on the digestive rates of carbohydrates rather than the amount of carbohydrate intake. Therefore, dieters can consume large amounts of the recommended foods.
Whether the diet plan is Atkins, South Beach or some other, low carb plans involve the increased consumption of meats, cheeses and other high cholesterol foods. This issue sparks the controversy about the efficacy of low carb diets. Although the diet promises weight-loss results, the types of foods that people in these diets consume pose potential long-term health problems.
In response to the criticism that Atkins could cause heart disease and other problems, Colette Heimowitz, the director of research and education fro Atkins Nutritionals, said that Atkins dieters should limit their consumption of foods high in saturated fat such as meats and cheeses.
Di Wu, a sophomore psychology major, said, "In general, I feel that the low carb diets are a bad idea because they don't supply your body with energy that it might need to be at your peak, both mentally and physically. Also, if there are potential long-term problems, it's not worth it if you can obtain similar results from exercising and eating well."
In response to the controversy over low carb diets, the American Heart Association recommends a low fat diet for weight control instead.
Rather than limiting carbohydrate intake, an AHA report shows that people who limited fat intake lost as much weight during a 12-week period as people on a low carb diet. A low-fat diet encourages the consumption of vegetables, grains, low fat milk products, skinless poultry and lean meats.
A report by
http://www.cnn.com demonstrates the difference between low carb and low fat diet plans. According to the article, a sample breakfast according to the low fat plan would consist of a packet of instant grits, two slices of white toast, a glass of 2 percent milk and a cup of coffee. The low carb breakfast would consist of two eggs, two strips of bacon, some cheddar cheese, some heavy cream and a cup of decaffeinated coffee.
Another controversy surrounding low carb diets recently developed over people's claiming that the late Dr. Atkins was overweight.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Dr. Atkins was reported obese with a weight of 258 lbs. Dr. Atkins' widow has retaliated against this claim and asserts that Dr. Atkins weighed 195lbs. before his death and that fluid retention from his comatose state, before death, caused the additional weight in a recent article on
http://www.cnn.com.
Dr. Atkins passed away last April after suffering from brain injuries resulting from a fall. Meanwhile, his widow has demanded an official apology from the New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg as well for an alleged comment about Dr. Atkins' weight.
Although low carb diets have been a major development over the past two years, controversies still surround the diet plans.
While more and more products emerge, advocating the "low carb lifestyle," people are expressing frustrations about the diet plans' efficacy.
Johns Hopkins: "Low-carb diets becoming international trend"
Did I just eat a big plate of chicken with a few spinach leaves on top? No, I just ate a big plate of spinach with a few ounces of chicken on top. Do I make a stir fry out of meat, meat, meat, and a few pieces of veggies? No, I make it out of green peppers, bean sprouts, broccoli and a few pieces of meat.
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