Atkins dissertation question
 

Hi,

Some of you may have read thread's from me before, I am doing my dissertation and the forum members have very kindly answered some questions for me.

I have another question if anyone fancies it:

Q: Is Atkins the healthiest way to eat?

Thank you

Kind Regards

Katie

Atkins induction and most of OWL and/or maintaining at low levels are not the healthiest ways to eat. This is becuase they do not/cannot contain some foods that contain signifigant health benefits (e.g pulses, foods with probiotics, dairy, fibre from non-vegetable sources (note the recent studies distinguishing vegetable fibre from grain/fruit fibre). Certainly many people not on Atkins do not eat these foods anyway - they may be allergic to dairy for instance - but the complete exclusion of a large number of foods means it isn't the HEALTHIEST way to eat.

Related to this, early on in Atkins stages it is difficult to get most/all the vitamins and nutrients you need from food. This leads to an increased reliance on multivitamins, particularly for minerals. As a short term weight loss strategy accompanied with supplementation, this is acceptable, but I do think excludes. It should be noted that the particuarly diligent can meet most of the stated RDI's at about 30g of carbs, but the fact that some micro-management is involved may mean it isn't the healthiest way to eat (except in the few where it becomes second nature).

It is likely though one of the healthiest ways to lose weight (as distinguishable from healthiest way to eat). I think during the weight loss process sacrificies to optimium nutrition are made on any diet, but less so on Atkins then on a vegetarian or very low calorie regime.

I think that the healthiest way to eat must
- control hunger/ regulate input-output and provides enough calories for health etc
- control/stabilize blood sugar
- provide the majority of neccessary vitamins and minerals from food, and certainly those readily avaliable in food form
- result in a good cholosterol, blood pressure, etc profile

I do think that Atkins, once a few carb ladders have been advanced for, fulfill this requirements. I think there is a spectrums of 'diets' that do this. I think that Atkins maintence (for those that do OWL and can climb carb ladder), south beach, sugar busters, new glucose revolution, etc are basically the same diet in terms of what is actually eaten, although they have different emphasises in the way they are sold. In a way these are all 'the healthiest way to eat' becuase they are the same.

I think that for Atkins to be called 'the healthiest way to eat' in my require a couple of add ons (argueably promoted by Atkins but not seen by many as mandatory). In regards to getting most nutrition from food, I think Atkins maintence + high fibre + maintain very high vegetable content including raw vegetables + regular fish = healthiest way to eat (along with similar plans)

"(e.g pulses, foods with probiotics, dairy, fibre from non-vegetable sources (note the recent studies distinguishing vegetable fibre from grain/fruit fibre)"

I have to disagree a bit here. Evolutionarily speaking, these are all recent additions to the human diet, and we evolved without them. So I question just how "vital" they are.

Beans are promoted as a good protein source, and for vegetables they are. However, meats are a better source, and any society with access to meat never refuses it in favor of vegetable protein sources.

Yes, we all like fruit. But prior to modern growing and shipping methods, a person would have access to fruit at more limited times of year.

People survived quite well in harsh climates, the most notable being the Inuit, without much in the way of vegetables at all, and no grains or fruit. It wasn't until peoples like the Inuit adopted a more industrialized diet that they got diabetes and heart disease.

I think Atkins and other low carb plans are extremely healthy because they are (you might want to read the book Neanderthin for more background) more like the way people used to eat for millenia, as opposed to the way we've all been taught to eat in an industrialized society.

Remember, there's different, essential fats and different, essential proteins. But there are no essential carbohydrates, and no matter the source, they all break down in the body to a simple sugar.

Just be sure to specify that Induction is NOT the whole Atkins diet. Dr. Atkins used to make that statement over and over again, but what do most media reports say? Right, just meat, cheese, bacon and fat - all you want. Highly inaccurate.

The whole diet includes TWO WEEKS of Induction, weeks or months of increasing carb intake - but HIGHLY specific carbs - on On-Going Weight Loss, through Pre-Maintenance and then Maintenance FOR LIFE.

In the end, the Atkins Diet leads us to a way of daily eating that does not included many processed foods, few sugars other than fruit, and only some starches. If we eat this way on most days, then the occasional diversions for Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays and other special occasions are not our way of eating and do little damage. This is one of the reasons for NOT staying on Induction for a long time: you have nothing to "go back to" after some carby eating has made you gain a couple of pounds.

So YES, if followed through all four phases, I believe Atkins IS the healthiest way of eating.

"People survived quite well in harsh climates, the most notable being the Inuit, without much in the way of vegetables at all, and no grains or fruit. It wasn't until peoples like the Inuit adopted a more industrialized diet that they got diabetes and heart disease." -adkpam

You are correct in that the Inuit ate mostly meat but there is a big difference between the meat they ate (mostly fish and whale meat) and the meat we tend to eat on Atkins (like beef, sausage, pork, etc.) The meat we tend to eat is very high in saturated fat while whale meat is high in fat, but not in saturated fat, so it will not clog arteries the way our pig and cow meat might. Saturated fat dries as more of a solid substance, contributing to the clogging of arteries while unsaturated fat dries as more of a liquid. The Inuit also put out a lot of physical activity, burning off much of the calories from fat they consumed by expending a lot of energy. The average lifespan was about 60 (common before modern medicine). Having said this, I still think Atkins or low carb CAN be the healthiest way to eat, depending on how you do it. The people who assume we eat meat and cheese all day long are right to say that that is unhealthy. I, however, eat meat, cheese, eggs, vegetables, salad, nuts, occasional fruit and yogurt and low carb milk and cereal. That way of eating sure beats my old habits of candy, burgers, fries, pizza, burritos, soda, ice cream, etc. So the answer to this question depends on HOW the person is following the low carb lifestyle.

Thank you
 

Dear all

Thanks for your help.

Kind Regards

Katie

I disagree that the fats found in fish and whale meat are what kept the Inuits healthy. If you study the hormone glucagon, you will understand why saturated fats are rendered harmless on a low carb diet. Many who live a low carb lifestyle also benefit from healthier cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Therefore they reduce their chances of getting clogged arteries.


The hunter-gatherer cultures, like the Inuit, also consumed protein from the land, caribou and rabbit etc. What is different is that they consumed the whole animal. This includes the organs of many animals.ALot of the meat was consumed raw. This is how they were able to eat plenty of vitamin c-therefore they had no scurvy even though they had no citrus fruits.<<< Polar bear liver is poisonous so this is avoided>>> Other cultures that have a high protein/fat/low carb diet varies from the Inuits but they have health consistant with these people. Such as the Aborigines and African cultures.Many Native American cultures survived, largely, on buffalo. What is notable about these cultures is that their diets were high protein, fatty and low in carbs. On average, they do not suffer from heart disease obesity or diabetes. They had better bone structure and an exquisite immune system.

Native Americans began to experience obesity, diabestes and heart disease when they began receiving government handouts of rice, pasta ,breads etc.

Likewise I eat a well balanced diet of a variety of meats, eggs, cheese, plenty low carb fruits and vegetables. I also eat real butter, sour cream and whipped cream, olive oil and peanut oil. My total cholseterol is 149 and my triglycerides are 49. That is pretty darn healthy. I eat three to four times a day without gorging my food and I have lost 26 lbs. I have been eating this way for nearly 1 1/2 years. I enjoy eating this way and learning about the way the human body actually functions. I won't be so presumptious to say that Atkins is the healthiest way to live. However, it is a healthy diet especially since it is very basic, very old and it has been proven.

I'm not sure that I can say it's perfect (or healthiest) or not, but I know a couple of things for sure: My vitamin and mineral consumption during OWL is better than it has ever been in my life.

Before I was eating enriched breads and cereals, because they were 'good' for me with some veggies and protein thrown in for good measure. Now I eat whole foods: meats, cheeses, vegetables, berries and nuts. On almost any given day I can fall short of a few vitamins and minerals--but short by very little, and am now never short of fiber.

Basically, the only things that are in grain products and a lot of fruits are sugar, plain and simple. My body does not respond well at all to sugar--it does respond well to this way of eating. So perhaps for me, this is the healthiest route.