What Is The Pritikin Diet?

Although many people are attracted to low-carb diets, the majority of the people who lose weight and keep it off have followed low-fat diets and exercised according to the National Weight Control Registry. The Pritikin Diet is one example of a diet that emphasizes exercise and eating high-fiber diets with very low levels of fat.

History

James Kenney, the Pritikin Longevity Center's chief nutritionist, says that the Pritikin Diet was not originally created for weight loss purposes, but to improve overall health by lowering the risk of getting high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. People following the diet noticed that they lost weight as well, but this was a side benefit and not the original reason for following the diet.

Features

Those who wish to follow the Pritikin Diet need to consume less than 10 percent of calories from fat, 75 percent to 85 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 10 to 15 percent of calories from protein and less than 25 mg of cholesterol while in the Regression phase, according to Nathan Pritikin. Once they move on to the Maintenance phase, they can increase the cholesterol up to 100 mg per day. Daily exercise is also important, according to Kenney. The main foods that people on this diet eat are whole grains, vegetables, fruits, vegetables, fish, beans and low-fat dairy or soy milk.

Theories/Speculation

The Pritikin Diet has been used for a number of studies published in recent years. One such study, published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2007, was led by RJ Barnard. The results showed that a diet such as the Pritikin Diet with high levels of starch and low levels of fat combined with exercise might lower the risks of getting prostate cancer.

S. Sullivan led another study involving the Pritikin Diet that was published in the "Journal of the Cardiometabolic Syndrome" in 2006. This study suggests that the combination of exercise along with a low-sodium, very low-fat diet high in fiber such as the Pritikin Diet can lower the risk of getting metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease.

Considerations

Because this diet is rather strict, it can be difficult for people to stay on it for the long term. Those who follow this diet will need to cook their food at home and not rely on processed food or restaurant food. It relies on the bulkiness of the food that you eat to fill you up, rather than protein and fat levels.

Expert Insight

St. John's Mercy Health Care points out that diets promoting eating less than 10 percent of calories from fat, such as the Pritikin Diet, do not follow the recommendations for healthy eating set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid. The fat levels are too low to fit in with these guidelines. A certain level of fat is needed in order to absorb fat soluble vitamins and to provide you with enough energy. However, exercising and eating a healthy diet low in fat that doesn't contain excess calories can help you to lower your risk of heart disease.