Coo Coo for Cocoa - Low Carbohydrate Diet

Low Carbohydrate Diet

Low Carbohydrate Diet Studies

Several studies have been done on low carbohydrate diets to make sure they are healthy. After all, in the past, any diet that caused you to drop a lot of weight in a fairly short amount of time has either been unsafe or didn't produce long-term results.

The AMA Council on Foods and Nutrition, as well as Consumer Reports, and many other experts (doctors and nutritionists) have done studies on the popular Atkins low carbohydrate diet and found that the plan's allowance of unlimited saturated fats can cause heart disease.

The University of Kentucky did a study of a week's worth of menus for people on this type of low carbohydrate diet and found:

The menu contained 59% fat
It provided less than the U.S.R.D.A. amount of fruits, grains and vegetables
Despite the quick short-term weight loss, staying on this kind of low carbohydrate diet long-term can cause individuals to be at risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer

Researchers at Bassett Research Institute in Cooperstown, New York studied 18 people on a low carbohydrate diet (Atkins) for a month. During the first two weeks (known as the induction period) cut their calorie intake by 1,062 calories, which resulted in an average weight loss of eight pounds. During the next phase, they increased their calorie intake by 81 calories and the average weight loss was three pounds in two weeks. Some study participants felt tired, some were nauseated and most wanted to go back to they way they ate before.

On the Upside....

Another study of 41 people on the Atkins low carbohydrate diet for six months lost 10% of their original body weight, which alone decreases the risk of obesity-related illnesses. Most of the subjects lowered their blood cholesterol by 5%, but some increased it. In the end, only 20 stayed with the program for a full year and had maintained their weight loss.