Low Carb diets - Not as healthy as you might think.

Just my little opinion added in :blushing:

I eat Primal. Less than 150 carbs a day and I believe that everyone should be eating less than 150 carbs a day. I think the recommended amount of protein is too low and I believe the carb allowance is too high. At least for sedentary adults on the standard american diet. I think the study is a load of crap. Because I dont' know any of those people in the study, but I do know lots of people that started eating high fat/mod protein, and low carb diets and their health has improved dramatically! and I'm not just talking about better blood work, I'm talking healing them! The idea of "south beach" "Paleo" "primal" is about eliminating everything and adding stuff back in slowly (never grains and sugars though exept southbeach) to see how your body reacts. Alot of people have allergies that they would never even know about that causes all kinds of symptoms. This is a good way to find out how your body handles certain foods. I know several people that have discovered they are allergic to gluten. and getting off the stuff has helped alot. All I can tell you is that I feel awesome when I eat this way. and I can't see anything wrong with it. I eat lots of protein, lots of veggies, some fruit, and lots of healthy God made fats. How can that ever be unhealthy? and when I've lost all of my weight, I will allow myself potatoes and yams. (or even on days where i do alot of exercise)

I think everyone should stop bashing other peoples diets and just find what works for them and what makes them feel at their best.
The end! :drinker:

For those who say Phase 1 of South Beach is the same as Phase 1 of Atkins--this is not true. On SB Phase 1 we eat lots of veggies and beans which are very high in good carbs. SB also limits saturated and Trans fats, although the newest studies suggest that saturated fats aren't that bad, it's the manufactured fats that are bad for your heart.

Common sense should tell you that something man made would be worse for you than something found naturally all over the world and in breastmilk!

Common sense isn't always very prevalent when it comes to dieting. Apparently the USDA food pyramid was handed to us by God at some point along with the Ten Commandments.

I do best in many ways when I eat under 80 grams/carb day. Before I lost any weight at all....I never did have that big weight loss that some folks get at first when switching to lower carb eating...my BG levels showed immense improvement and I had only lost about 5# when I went to have a blood test done that showed my better cholesterol levels (even though they were never bad to start with).

While I did start with the 2 weeks of 20 grams/carb day on the Atkins plan, I did raise my carbs over time to find my sweet spot where I can eat enough carbs to feel good and be satisfied but still lose weight. Of course, like most of us, I eat better some days than others but, when staying on plan, this is a typical day for me:

Early AM: 1 T. peanut butter

Mid AM: 2-3 scrambled eggs

Lunch: large salad with mixed greens, spinach, carrots, onions, and any other veggies I have handy to toss in, sunflower seeds, sometimes a bit of cheese and/or some kind of meat (turkey, chicken, beef, tuna, salmon), and either some kind of vinagrette or Ranch or mayo (limited amounts). I will sometimes have an additional piece of lean protein or a hard-boiled egg with this. Sometimes I'll have a smaller salad with a small cuppa soup. I usually try to get a small piece of fruit in like 1/2 an apple or a banana or maybe some orange slices in my salad.

PM snack: usually yogurt or hard-boiled eggs or another 1 T. of peanut butter or some other nuts or seeds

Dinner: several times a week it's some kind of thin-sliced protein stir-fried with various mixed vegetables or lean protein with veggies cooked various ways (usually stir-fried or steamed). Sometimes stir-fried with olive oil or butter, sometimes with wine, whatever, it varies depending on what sounds good for variety. Other nights, it's a piece of meat/poultry/fish with veggies on the side and maybe a salad, too.

Eve snack: rarely do this but, if I do, it's usually some kind of nuts

Sometimes I might have a bit of rice with lunch or dinner or sometimes I will have an open-face sandwich on 100% whole-grain bread instead of or in addition to the above items. Now and then I will have a potato but I usually keep that amount fairly small. Once in a blue moon, I'll have noodles. If I do, the portion sizes of the other items will be smaller. I try to keep times of more carbs when I have done some particularly intense exercise as my body handles the bit higher carb load better that way.

Anyway...I'd really love for someone to point out to me just what is so unhealthy about eating like this.

To be honest, I have not been eating this way lately as the holidays and a vacation has gotten me out of the groove and I'm paying the price by not feeling as well, as clear-headed, as energetic, and unable to work-out as intensely as I do when I stick to this type of menu. Writing this out has reminded me of how good this actually tastes and how good I feel doing it so I'm firing myself up to do it again. Thanks for the kick in the butt.

"It may be a speedy way to slim down, but the Atkins diet can also raise your cholesterol and harm your heart just as quickly.

When researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine put 18 adults on the Atkins diet, Ornish, or South Beach Diet, those on the Atkins diet increased their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 16 points and experienced hardening of the arteries in only 1 month. Those in the Ornish Diet group lowered bad cholesterol by 25 points, while those in the South Beach Diet group lowered it by 10 points.

The people on Ornish and South Beach Diet experienced improved flexibility in their arteries. Instead of cutting carbs to lose weight, reach for a balance of good carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats."

http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/diets/cholesterol-atkins-diet-vs-south-beach-diet

This study is complete BS.

And there is NO SUCH thing as a NO CARB diet. Unless you are ONLY eating meat and nothing else you are getting carbs. And if you are ONLY eating meat, your a moron and shout be shot.

There is NOTHING wrong with doing Atkins as long as you do it the right way. You eat more then 20 grams of carbs after the first 2 weeks. People need to learn how to research something before the bash it.

This study is complete BS.

What do you mean when you say the study is complete BS? That you think the study itself was flawed in some way, or that the results were misinterpreted? Or do you really just mean that the article in Prevention mistated the importance of one limited study, which would not be the fault of the study or published results?

I am no expert....so lets get that out of the way....but I have a friend who did the Atkins diet for 5 months strictly to the point he was annoying to go out to eat with. And used the sticks recommended by Atkins to pee on to tell if your kidneys were in and staying in Ketosis. After losing 60-something odd pounds he had a heart attack. When his Cardiologist found out how he lost the weight, he basically said to him, you were overweight before but from your medical records you had no heart conditions or even a problem with cholesterol.....guess what? You have them now. I'm just saying, I did not read any of the studies here, I am just posting my own experience knowing someone so well who actually followed the plan to the letter.

For those who say Phase 1 of South Beach is the same as Phase 1 of Atkins--this is not true. On SB Phase 1 we eat lots of veggies and beans which are very high in good carbs. SB also limits saturated and Trans fats, although the newest studies suggest that saturated fats aren't that bad, it's the manufactured fats that are bad for your heart.

I can tell you one thing. If you are eating beans on Phase 1 of South Beach, then you are not going about the plan correctly. When I first started low carb in 2003 I tried South Beach Diet and I was constantly hungry. Switched over to Atkins and I was feeling full and satisfied and this is what my Endocrinologist wanted at the time anyway...........

And on Atkins Phase 1 you eat a LOT of vegetables too and if your not, then also, a person is not doing it correctly.

dr agatston wrote the South Beach Diet to be similar to Atkins with the "low fat" approach because he thought it would be more appealing since the government pushes the low fat agenda so much.

http://www.glycemicedge.com/south-beach-diet/

I don't see any beans in the Eat for 14 day list.

The only difference between Atkins and SB Phase 1 is the lower fat of SB, which means you are eating a higher amount of processed foods such as low fat cheese.

I am no expert....so lets get that out of the way....but I have a friend who did the Atkins diet for 5 months strictly to the point he was annoying to go out to eat with. And used the sticks recommended by Atkins to pee on to tell if your kidneys were in and staying in Ketosis. After losing 60-something odd pounds he had a heart attack. When his Cardiologist found out how he lost the weight, he basically said to him, you were overweight before but from your medical records you had no heart conditions or even a problem with cholesterol.....guess what? You have them now. I'm just saying, I did not read any of the studies here, I am just posting my own experience knowing someone so well who actually followed the plan to the letter.

The Atkins plan did not cause the heart attack. There were underlying heart conditions when he was obese that reared their ugly head as he lost weight.

How do you know what caused it? I don't believe Adkins or any other low carb diet is inherently unhealthy, but that doesn't mean it's safe for everyone. I'm not sure anything is safe for everyone.

I am no expert....so lets get that out of the way....but I have a friend who did the Atkins diet for 5 months strictly to the point he was annoying to go out to eat with. And used the sticks recommended by Atkins to pee on to tell if your kidneys were in and staying in Ketosis. After losing 60-something odd pounds he had a heart attack. When his Cardiologist found out how he lost the weight, he basically said to him, you were overweight before but from your medical records you had no heart conditions or even a problem with cholesterol.....guess what? You have them now. I'm just saying, I did not read any of the studies here, I am just posting my own experience knowing someone so well who actually followed the plan to the letter.

The Atkins plan did not cause the heart attack. There were underlying heart conditions when he was obese that reared their ugly head as he lost weight.

How do you know what caused it? I don't believe Adkins or any other low carb diet is inherently unhealthy, but that doesn't mean it's safe for everyone. I'm not sure anything is safe for everyone.

Please no one can tell me that eating protein and vegetables gave anyone a heart attack. I have asked my Dr about this several times and he just shakes his head and laughs.

He even said himself he doesn't know how some Dr's passed through schooling because they have NO clue.