The first book about the Atkins diet was published in 1972 by Dr. Robert C. Atkins. Updated editions of this low-carb eating program were later revised and published 1992 and 1999, both of which became best-sellers. Since then, many dieters have experienced the benefits of ketosis to facilitate fat loss.
Identification
Ketosis is a metabolic pathway by which your body burns dietary fat as well as stored body fat as its main source of fuel, instead of relying on carbohydrates and glucose. Burning fat for energy produces ketone bodies, hence the name ketosis, which can be used by the brain, liver, muscles and heart cells. Ketosis is usually induced when the carbohydrate intake drops below 50 g a day.
Body Weight
In addition to the fat-burning advantage of low-carb ketogenic diets, Atkins-style diets can also make it easier for dieters by significantly increasing satiety and decreasing hunger, as shown in a study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2008. All participants could eat as much as they wanted, but the ones in the low-carb, ketogenic diet group ate an average of 1,732 calories, compared to 1,899 calories in the group with a moderate-carbohydrate, nonketogenic diet. The advantage of the ketosis-induced by low-carb diets, like the Atkins diet, can lead to about twice as much weight loss when compared to traditional low-fat, low-calorie diets, as published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine."
Diet Overview
The Atkins diet comprises four different phases. The first one always induces ketosis by limiting the daily carbohydrate intake to 20 g a day. The subsequent phases encourage the reintroduction of more carbohydrates, in a gradual manner and according to each individual's tolerance. Some people may stay in the ketosis range during all four phases, especially if their carbohydrate target remains below 50 g a day, while others move out of the ketosis phase within a few weeks.
Induction Phase
The induction phase of the Atkins diet corresponds to a true ketogenic diet. The 20-g carbohydrate target of this first phase is quite strict and does not allow the consumption of grains, legumes, fruits, starchy vegetables, milk, yogurt, soft drinks or sugar. The few grams of carbohydrates are provided by nonstarchy vegetables, especially salad vegetables like leafy greens, radishes, alfalfa sprouts, bok choy, mushrooms, celery, cucumber and peppers. The rest of the diet is based on the consumption of adequate servings of protein-rich foods, such as eggs, cheese, chicken, fish, pork and beef, in addition to fats, mainly from vegetable oils, butter or mayonnaise.
References
- Medical News Today: What is Ketosis? What Causes Ketosis?
- Atkins: The Program
- TheHistoryOf.net: The History of the Atkins Diet -- A Revolutionary Lifestyle
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effects of a high-protein ketogenic diet on hunger, appetite, and weight loss in obese men feeding ad libitum; Alexandra M. Johnstone et al; 2008
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia; William S. Yancy Jr. et al; 2004
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