Since Dr Robert Atkins’ book Diet Revolution first appeared in 1972, millions of copies have been sold and millions more people have tried the diet.
According to the home page of the Atkins Australia website we are told that “a low-carb diet is suitable for people who want to lose or maintain their weight and feel healthier and more energetic” (https://au.atkins.com/).
Sounds perfect right? But what if it’s not?
What Is The Atkins Diet?
In a nutshell, Atkins advocates eating unlimited quantities of meat and high fat dairy products, while severely restricting the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day, which is intended to induce ketosis.
Ketosis is what happens when your body doesn’t obtain enough carbohydrates to burn for energy and so burns fat instead, producing ketones which are used for fuel (Webmd.com).
And while it sounds great to be burning fat for energy, your brain relies on glucose for its energy which comes from carbohydrates, not protein (Whitney et al, 2019).
Ketosis can cause you to feel nauseous, lightheaded, and tired. Additionally, it can worsen existing medical conditions e.g. kidney disease (Whitney et al, 2019).
People commencing with the diet are advised to start with phase 1 which allows no more than 20g of carbohydrates a day. You progress through the 4 phases, being allowed progressively more carbohydrates at each level, with the final phase being considered a maintenance phase you need to follow for life.
Which is great if you can handle giving up hot, crusty breads and mash with your bangers. But what if you love carbs and can’t see yourself giving up your favourite foods for life?
And What About The Impact To Your Health And Nutrition?
Ultimately weight loss comes down to using more energy than you take in, not cutting out entire food groups.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) are a set of 5 evidence-based guidelines which have been developed to help Australians make healthy food choices and obtain all the required nutrients each day.
These guidelines aim to “promote health and wellbeing, reduce the risk of diet-related conditions, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancers” (Eat for Health, About the Australian Dietary Guidelines, 2015).
Guideline 2 tells us that we should eat a variety of foods from each of the 5 food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, meat, and dairy every single day (Eat for Health, Australian Dietary Guidelines 1 – 5, 2015).
Following the Atkins diet, you are encouraged to eat a lot of protein and high fat dairy, but reduce your level of carbohydrate consumption significantly. This means that you are no longer eating and getting the nutrients and fibre you need from the grains group.
Guideline 3 tells us to limit our intake of foods high in saturated fat, which include things such as cakes and pastries, but also processed meats, commercial burgers etc. (Eat for Health, Australian Dietary Guidelines 1 – 5, 2015).
Eating a diet high in protein automatically increases the amount of fat you are getting in your diet increasing your risk of heart disease and some cancers (Whitney et al, 2019).
What Can You Do?
Experimental studies have suggested that replacing some carbohydrate with protein may have a “positive influence on inflammation, risk factors for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis” (Astrup, 2006). However, much is still unknown.
So instead of reducing your carbohydrate intake below the recommended levels per day, perhaps the better way would be to focus on eating more ‘good’ carbohydrates, selecting brown rice/pasta over white, and eating wholegrains. And reducing your consumption of ‘bad’ or refined carbohydrates, such as cakes and biscuits.
In conjunction with eating lean protein, fruit, vegetables, and low-fat dairy every day.
So back to the original question.
Is The Atkins Diet Fabulous Or A Fad?
Well, any diet that:
- eliminates an entire food group,
- fails to mention potential risks, and
- specifies proportions of energy nutrients outside the recommended ranges of
carbohydrate 45-65%,
fat 20-35%, and
protein 10-35%
should be approached with caution and considered a fad.
Always do your own research before starting any diet.
References:
Astrup, A (2006). Carbohydrates as macronutrients in relation to protein and fat for body weight control. International Journal of Obesity, 30, S4–S9 https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803485
Eat for Health. (2015, July 23). About the Australian Dietary Guidelines. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/about-australian-dietary-guidelines
Eat for Health. (2015, July 23). Australian Dietary Guidelines 1 – 5. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-dietary-guidelines-1-5
Webmd. Ketosis. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-1-diabetes-guide/what-is-ketosis#1
Whitney, E., Rolfes, S.R., Crowe, T., & Walsch, A. (2019). Understanding Nutrition. Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited.
