Benefits of a High-protein, Low-carbohydrate Diet

Made popular by the Atkins Diet, a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet has been proven to have many health and nutritional benefits, one of which is weight loss. Though this diet may sound like an easy way to eat all the meat and dairy you want without having to supplement them with fruits and vegetables, it is not that simple. Nutritionists urge that the right proteins and carbs must be eaten in order to reap the true benefits from this type of diet. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Benefits

High-protein, low-carb diets are known to cause weight loss, which is the most popular benefit of this type of diet. The idea behind it is that the body will metabolize, or burn off, more protein than it will carbs, allowing the body to burn more energy and store less fat.

Demographics

People who are obese, suffer from Type 2 diabetes or have a high serum triacylglycerol, which can cause heart disease and atherosclerosis, benefit the most from this type of diet, as it helps these types of people to burn fat, intake more vitamins and make better nutrition choices when it comes to picking which proteins and carbs they choose to eat.

Ingredients

Following a high-protein, low-carb diet is not as simple as it sounds. There are many proteins that nutritionists view as less than favorable and many carbohydrates that they recommend. For proteins, lean meats, such as chicken, fish, turkey, eggs and non-fat dairy products, such as eggs, are recommended. For carbohydrates, whole grains and fruits and vegetables are well preferred over sugary carbs. Brown rice, wheat bread, wheat pasta, beans, broccoli and spinach are all recommended, as is anything else high in fiber but low in fat and sugar.

Results

Following a nutritious diet such as this will produce visible weight loss for the average person who was previously not on a diet. Making this diet a lifestyle will also result in a participant feeling full for longer periods of time since proteins take longer to digest and, therefore longer to leave the stomach. This diet can also regulate the blood sugar level of people experiencing Type 2 diabetes.

Risks

A high-protein, low-carb diet is not right for everyone. In fact, many doctors believe that it is not healthy for anyone over a long period of time. According to WebMD, kidney failure, osteoporosis, ketosis, cancer and high cholesterol, which can result in heart disease and stroke, have all been linked to this type of diet.