Most diet plans, including low carb diet plans, should be approached with caution because what works for one person may not work for another. Popular diet plans often fail to address individual needs, especially for those dealing with serious weight problems and co-existing conditions such as hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels). While some diet plans may benefit the general population more than others, it is important to consider personalized nutrition.
To determine which diet plan may be beneficial, the following guidelines can be helpful. These common-sense points provide a framework that many nutrition professionals follow and help distinguish between dubious diet plans and those that offer safe and healthy eating ideas:
- The diet plan provides a balanced variety of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
- The diet does not eliminate an entire food group while promoting excessive consumption of another.
- The diet encourages regular exercise to complement sensible eating habits.
- The diet promotes awareness of portion sizes.
- The diet does not promise unrealistic quick weight loss.
- The diet is supported by medical research data.
In addition to these points, this article will provide an overview of low carb diet plans, which have captured the attention of both dieters and researchers. It will also discuss the research supporting and opposing the effectiveness of low carb diet plans.
Low Carb Diet Plans:
Many of today’s diet plans revolve around the concept of low carb eating. Some view low carb diet plans as mere diet fads, while others consider them a new wave of healthy eating. Diets like The New Atkins Diet Revolution claim that obese individuals are insulin sensitive and that carbohydrates contribute to weight gain. Low carb diet plans such as The Zone prescribe specific proportions of carbohydrates, protein, and fats to promote weight loss, with protein serving as the primary energy source while fats are reduced.
Other low carb diet plans, including Sugar Busters, argue that sugar is the main culprit in weight gain, and since carbohydrates are converted into sugars during digestion, their intake should be limited. The Scarsdale Diet is also a low carb, high protein plan that offers a two-week crash dieting regimen.
Popular diets like the South Beach Diet and the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet also fall under the category of low carb diet plans, appealing to individuals who have tried and failed with the Atkins diet. All these diets claim to have the solution to the obesity problem.
To be fair, there is substantial research both in support of and against the low carb revolution. However, the wider medical community has not yet reached a consensus on the long-term benefits of these diets.
Recent studies by Layman et al. and Saris have found that low carb and high protein diets provide little benefit to dieters. Their research revealed that although insulin levels stabilized when protein intake was moderately increased and carbohydrates proportionately decreased, no significant weight loss occurred. Saris concluded in his review that low carb, high fat diets are likely to increase the risk of weight gain.
Despite evidence against the low carb philosophy, there are also studies supporting its effectiveness. Research published in May 2004 compared patients on a low carb diet with those on a low fat diet and found that the low carb group experienced greater weight loss, decreased triglyceride levels, and increased levels of HDL (good cholesterol). Furthermore, recent research has confirmed the long-term efficacy of low carb diets.
However, despite the evidence supporting low carb diet plans, mainstream medicine still does not endorse them. The main concerns with low carb,
high protein diets are the lack of balance and variety they offer and their potential risks for individuals at risk of heart disease. Diets like the Scarsdale Diet, in particular, are unrealistic and unsustainable in the long term, often leading to yo-yo dieting.
Diet Plans References:
- Wim HM Saris. Sugars, energy metabolism, and body weight control. Am J Clin Nutr 78: 850S-857S.
- Donald K. Layman, Harn Shiue, Carl Sather, Donna J. Erickson, and Jamie Baum. Increased Dietary Protein Modifies Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Adult Women during Weight Loss. Nutrition.org.
- Yamashita T, Sasahara T, Pomeroy SE, Collier G, Nestel PJ. Arterial compliance, blood pressure, plasma leptin, and plasma lipids in women are improved with weight reduction equally with a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet.