Each day it seems as though a new diet is splashed across the news claiming to have groundbreaking results. But these flash diets are often fad diets, losing their appeal quickly. Atkins, Mediterranean, South Beach, and Zone diets each have a different perspective on carbohydrate, protein and fat proportion theories. Remember that age, gender and genetics play an integral role when choosing a diet plan.
Atkins Diet
The Natural Standard explains "the Atkins diet proposes that, in order to lose weight, one should adopt an eating style that radically departs from the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) food pyramid." On the Atkins diet, you nearly eliminate the consumption of carbohydrates and instead consume a higher consumption of fat and meat. However, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine warns that high protein and high fat diets "also typically accelerate calcium losses and have led major health organizations to raise important questions about their possible contribution to heart problems, kidney abnormalities, osteoporosis, and other health problems."
Mediterranean Diet
The American Heart Association (AHA) explains that there is no one Mediterranean diet, that it varies country to country of the 16 countries in the Mediterranean region. However, the AHA does list common parts to the diet; "high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds." Olive oil is the main fat source. The Women's Heart Foundation points out the Mediterranean diet "contains little of the two kinds of fats known to raise blood cholesterol levels: saturated fat and trans fat (also called "hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil" in the ingredients section of food labels)." In contrast "the USDA Food Guide Pyramid does not make the distinction between the healthy fats like monounsaturated oils and the unhealthy fats like saturated (found mostly in red meats and tropical oils) and trans fats (found mostly in margarine, snack foods, processed peanut butter and commercial baked goods)." Adherence to the Mediterranean diet forces you to only eat healthy fats, which has actually been linked to the reduction of heart disease.
South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet advocates a low carb diet in order to reduce insulin spikes after high carb meals. The Natural Standard explains a large burst of insulin is released from the pancreas in response to a drastic elevation in glucose in the blood stream. "The high insulin levels do not allow glucose to be converted into glucagon, the form of sugar that allows for fat to be used as energy. Instead, these high insulin levels promote the storage of fat in the body." A key characteristic of the South Beach Diet is the breakdown of the diet in three phases in hopes to ensure continued weight loss and healthy habits. However, the University of Maryland Medical Center warns "low carb does not always equal low calorie or heart healthy," but also states "the South Beach plan passes the nutrition muster better than Atkins!"
Zone Diet
The Zone Diet formulates an eating guide based on your weight and gender. From there, your zone meal plan is solely based on the amount of blocks you consume at each meal. One block of carbohydrates is equivalent to 9 g, one block of protein is equivalent to 7 g and one block of fat is equivalent to 3 g. The key to the Zone Diet is to keep all food groups in proportion to the other. So a four block meal will consist of four blocks of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The system ideally places your food intake at 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat. The difference between the Zone Diet and aforementioned plans is that the Zone Diet, when adhered to strictly, is scientifically proven to work.
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