The Institute of Medicine recommends that you consume a diet that provides 225 to 325g of carbohydrate per day. High-protein, high-fat diets tend to limit your food selections. As a result of your limited choices, you may choose to eat less. Though the extra protein and fat may keep you feeling full longer, you may not be meeting your nutritional needs for vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Health Risks
Some high-protein, high-fat diets restrict your intake of whole grains, legumes, dairy, vegetables and fruits to the point that you may develop health problems such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, digestive problems and certain forms of cancer. These diets can pose a risk to your health if followed for a long period of time. If you have kidney disease, you probably should not follow a high-protein, high-fat diet. Unless you take a multivitamin or nutritional supplement, such a diet may place you at risk for certain nutritional deficiencies.
Additional Adverse Effects
A diet high in protein is also rich in purines. Purines metabolize into uric acid. This type of diet may increase your risk of developing gout, according to research by Ashley N. Earl. This type of diet does not teach you how to develop healthy eating habits over the long run. Once you return to your normal eating habits, you will gain weight. High-protein, high-fat diets are very restricted and cannot be adhered to indefinitely.
Advantages
Your body is capable of losing water faster than fat, which is also why a high-protein, high-fat diet causes you to lose weight fast. These diets work because your body takes what it needs to sustain you from your carbohydrate reserves, which are stored in your muscles. Carbohydrates contain large amounts of water. When your body uses stored carbohydrates, you also lose the water that your body has stored.
Additional Advantages
High-fat, high-protein diets cause you to keep sugary foods such as cake, pie, candy, cookies, muffins and regular soft drinks off your pantry shelves. These foods do little to contribute to your overall health. They provide little nutritional benefit for you. Avoiding them is an advantage both for your health and for losing weight.
Conclusion
The USDA recommends that you follow a diet that includes a balance of nutrients from low-fat milk products, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. With adequate portions of a healthy, well-balanced diet and proper exercise, you can lose weight and realize health benefits. A high-fat, high-protein diet may seem like a quick fix, but over time, your overall health is likely to diminish.
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