Latter-day Saints question benefits of Atkins

By Stephanie Sonksen NewsNet Staff Writer - 3 Mar 2004

http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/48850


Jonathan Williams, a sophomore from Orem, takes a bite of his bunless 2/3 pound hamburger. The Atkins diet requires high-protein, low-carb eating habits.

Dr. Robert Atkins made a name for himself in 1972 with his book "Diet Revolution." His proposal targeted carbohydrates as the enemy and fat as OK, and the nation began its quest for low-fat everything.

After 30 years of ridicule, the Atkins way of thinking has swept the nation.

Although the diet has become revolutionary in the way people view fat and carbs, it has attracted controversy.

The diet, recently renamed the Atkins Nutritional Approach, says it is not how much people eat, but what they eat that causes weight gain.

The approach begins by eating only protein for the first few weeks, which allows the body to convert carb burning to fat burning. Vegetables are limited and fruit is off-limits at first. After the first phase, carbs and fruits are slowly reintroduced.

When ideal weight is achieved, the diet goes into the final phase of lifetime maintenance, which includes limiting carbs and eating plenty of protein.

Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has never provided an official stance about the Atkins diet, many members of the church believe the diet violates the Word of Wisdom, which advises people to eat meat sparingly and eat everything in moderation.

Dr. Robert Eckel of the American Heart Association said people on high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets have the risk of heart disease.

Elise Cannon, a sophomore majoring in biology, has seen positive results from the low-carb diet she began a month ago. She doesn't feel the diet contradicts her personal beliefs.

"I don't have an opinion until the church has an opinion," she said. "For right now, I'm staying with it because it is the only diet giving me results."

Lisa Fraser, a senior from Centerville, majoring in English, said she believes the diet is against the Word of Wisdom and damaging to the body.

"It's really bad for you," Fraser said. "What it does is it puts your body in an artificial diabetic stage. Your liver is getting damaged."

Fraser said people try Atkins as a way to lose weight quickly, but the method is unhealthy and difficult to maintain.

"Just because you lose weight doesn't mean you're healthy," she said.

Fraser said she feels people are disobeying counsel given in the Doctrine and Covenants by eating excessive amounts of meat and harming their bodies in the process.

"When are we going to learn that God knows what he's talking about?" Fraser said.

Fraser said she also relies on scientific research showing the negative side effects of a low-carb diet.

"Aside from the Word of Wisdom, it's really bad for you," Fraser said. "If you care about your body, you won't do that to it."

Curtis Heyman, a senior from Mesa, Ariz., majoring in advertising and marketing, said he believes Atkins works and does not view it as going against the Word of Wisdom. His parents have been doing the diet for six months and have seen dramatic results.

"I think your physical body affects your spirit," Heyman said. "My parents are happier people physically, therefore, they are happier people spiritually."

Heyman advised people not to become caught up in the idea that diets provide the solution.

"People are getting so into these diets they forget they need to exercise," he said. "Diets don't solve everything."

Ace Halverson, a junior from Provo, said he believes low-carb diets are against the Word of Wisdom, and the answer to weight loss isn't found in eating excessive amounts of protein.

"I've seen a lot of people complain about their weight at the same time as eating chips," Halverson said. "So they go on these diets because they have no self-control."

I showed the article to the co-worker who introduced me to the Atkins Diet. He also happens to be a bishop in the LDS church. He assured me that the diet was not in conflict with LDS teachings.

I never argue with God.

It's the representatives here on earth who mess things up.

LOL! I'm glad we have english majors teaching us about proper nutrition now.

The flaw in this thinking is that people assume when you go on this diet you start eating dramatically increased amounts of meat. I found that my meat eating did not increase, I just started replacing the potatoes, rice and corn with broccoli, salads and other real veggies. I was always ordering double cheeseburgers from the fast food places. Now I just don't eat the bun and fries.

adkpam, what a great answer!

I'm with you, chef. I seriously doubt that I eat much more meat than I did before. I do eat a little more protein because I usually have eggs for breakfast instead of a bagel or cereal. But other than that, little has changed as far as meat consumption.

This quote bothers me a bit. Since when is the church supposed to be doing all of our thinking for us? Last time I checked, God issued each and every one of us a brain; I believe He intended for us to use them.

As far as I know, God hasn't yet handed out stone tablets containing nutrional advice to Abraham or any one else.

This is a ridiculous statement.

Believe me if God was to appear to me and tell me what to eat, I'd listen

The Word of Wisdom does indicate that flesh is ordained for the use of man, but to be used sparingly. It is also pleasing unto God that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.--D & C 89:12-13
While many of us have heard and read these scriptures for years, let's not stop at verse 13. Verse 14 says that all grain is for our use, "to be the staff of life." Verse 15 says "And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger."
This verse does NOT refer back to verse 12.
Grain, whole grain IS good for man, again not to be used in excess and certainly not to be used all stripped down to the point that the nutritive value has been depleted to the point of a simple carbohydrate.
The same goes for fruits. When the fruit is taken, stripped of the natural fibers and turned into juice, YES, JUICE, the end result is fructose, which turns to fat in the digestive process. When fruits are eaten, use small portions and eat them as they come off the tree (or plant.)
A low or no carb diet can be very beneficial, especially to the LDS culture. Atkins may not be the answer, but low or no carb lifestyles can be utilized without the excessive meat. How about more vegetables and eggs instead?

My meat [especially red meat] consumption has gone up, but only because I was eating close to none before. I only ate meat once a week or two and at times would go a month or more without any meat, and even longer (up to 6 months) without any Red Meat. Unfortunately, what I did was replace that Healthy meat with Fattenign Grains [Pasta, Rice, Bread, etc...] What the Food Pyramid and USDA are pushing is not moderation...It is a diet heavy on Grains and virtually void of Animal Meats.

As for God's words:

LDS is not entirely based on the Bible from which you quoted, at least it wasn't ten years ago. Who knows now. Link

I remember something about eating foods that are good for you and taking in no caffeine or any other substance, which sounds like it would be the perfect advocate for a low-carb diet. I could be wrong, of course, since I'm not Mormon, but then again, there were some people in the article who could be wrong ("It's really bad for you," Fraser said. "What it does is it puts your body in an artificial diabetic stage. Your liver is getting damaged.") since they're not low-carbing.

Where does the Bible say this? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Christ eat meat and fish regularly?

"When are we going to learn that God knows what he's talking about?" Fraser said.

well She has never spoken to Me

Exactly, that was part of my point with the verses. Especially the one where the people complaining that they have no "flesh" to eat, only "manna" (Bread).