Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Being overweight increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.What are some of the popular diets?
There are many popular diets. Some are considered to be fad diets and unsafe for the long term, and others are healthy and may be right for you. Remember that no one diet works for everyone. Broad categories of popular diets are :
- High-protein diets.
- Specific food diets.
- Varied weight loss diets.
- Heart-healthy, balanced nutrition diets.
- Calorie-conscious commercial programs.
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets
Result in a quick initial loss of weight. Most of these diets allow unlimited amounts of high-protein foods and limit other food groups. Carbohydrate content varies but usually is very low at first. The amount of fat allowed in the diets varies. Diets that emphasize low amounts of saturated fat and move more quickly to adding other food groups back to the diet are healthier.
- The [Atkins Diet] is a high-protein, high-fat, lowcarbohydrate diet. New versions of this diet include the option to substitute healthy fat for saturated fat and eating leaner protein choices, but this option is not emphasized as necessary for success. Avoiding trans fats is strongly encouraged. There are 4 phases to this diet plan. The first includes no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate. As you progress through the 4 phases, more carbs are allowed. When you reach the fourth phase (maintenance phase), 40 to 120 grams of carbohydrate are allowed. In recent studies, dieters following the Atkins plan lost more weight in the first 6 months than dieters on a calorie-controlled, low-fat diet. However, the amount of weight lost in the 2 groups after 1 year was about the same. It is not clear if the Atkins diet is better than a calorie-controlled, low-fat diet for maintaining weight loss.
- The [South Beach Diet] is similar to the Atkins diet for the first 2 weeks except that only very lean proteins and unsaturated fats are allowed. The second phase adds back all food groups gradually but with most starchy carbohydrates eaten less often. This diet is based on the glycemic index and recommends that you completely avoid most refined grains and some fruits and vegetables. Eating foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol continues through the maintenance phase.
- The [Stillman Diet] is a very restrictive high-protein diet that includes almost no carbs, no added fats, and only the leanest proteins. It lacks many nutrients and can be dangerous.
Research has yet to determine the long-term benefits or risks of high-protein, low-carb diets. Recent studies of people following the Atkins Diet showed that they lowered their triglyceride levels (unhealthy blood fat) and increased their HDL (good cholesterol), despite eating a diet rich in saturated fat. A possible risk is that the diet limits foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) that help reduce the risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions.
