A popular low-carb diet, made famous by the late Dr. Robert Atkins, restricts permissible carbohydrate intake to about 20 g a day in the initial phase. The original version of the diet allowed for unlimited consumption of protein and fat. No calorie restriction or portion restriction was necessary. A diet of this kind will tend to be high in animal fats, and abundant quantifies of animal fats can lead to cardiovascular diseases. So the original version of this diet presented a serious health risk when used for an extended period. However, the diet has undergone changes since its first public appearance in the 1970s. Other low-carb diets, such as the paleo-diet and the low-glycemic-index diet, are fairly healthy low-carb diets that can be safe to continue over longer time periods.
Potential Hazards of Very Low-Carb Diets
Atkins' diet seriously restricts foods high in carbohydrates, including bread, pasta, rice, starchy vegetables and fruit. In the initial phases, the limit is 20 g of carbs, which corresponds to about two cups of cooked vegetables. The official diet site no longer recommends unlimited consumption of fat, but encourages consuming mostly healthy fats. However, Atkins' original books outlining a diet that allows unlimited consumption of fat, including animal fat, are still in print. According to the American Heart Association, this kind of diet can lead to cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, any 20 g low-carb diet can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies if continued for extended periods.
Low Glycemic Index Diet
The popular low glycemic index diet, also known as the South Beach diet, was devised by cardiologist Arthur Agatston as a healthier alternative to Atkins' low-carb diet. It rests on the principle that some carbohydrates have a high glycemic index and thus digest more rapidly than others. High glycemic index carbs, such as sugar, candy, white bread and white rice, lead to more fluctuations in blood sugar than low glycemic index carbs, such as whole grain foods and some legumes. High glycemic index carbs, therefore, are more likely to cause hunger pangs through these sugar spikes and insulin release. The diet cuts high glycemic carbs, but allows moderate consumption of low glycemic index carbs. Unless the total carbohydrate intake is kept very low, a low-glycemic index diet does not lead to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. The diet could still be high in animal fats, but if most of the fats consumed are good fats, such as the fats contained in salmon, tuna and healthy vegetable oils, the diet does not have any physiological health risks.
The Paleo Diet
The paleo diet consists in eating mostly foods that can be fished, hunted or gathered. Its name derives from its underlying principle that the food eaten by humanity's early hunter-gatherer ancestors during the Paleolithic era, from 2.5 million years to 10,000 years ago, is healthier for us. The idea is that because these cavemen and women were exposed to this kind of diet for millions of years, the human digestive system has adapted to this type of food. Permissible foods include meats, poultry, fish, nuts, roots, vegetables and fruits. Dairy products are prohibited. The main health risk of this diet is calcium deficit and bone loss. To avoid a calcium deficit disorder, eat large amounts of spinach and other leafy green vegetables high in calcium.
The Ketonic Diet
One of the first low-carb diets to see the light of day was the ketonic diet. The Mayo Clinic's Dr. R.M. Wilder devised the diet in the 1920s as a treatment for epileptic children. The diet was not developed for weight loss purposes. The diet calls for 0.5 g of protein per pound of body weight daily, with 10 g of carbs and 15 g of fat rounding out the rest of the daily diet. The diet aims to deprive the body of glucose. While the body can feast on fatty acids, the brain needs either glucose or ketone bodies. Ketone bodies come from fat metabolism. When there is a shortage of glucose, the brain feasts on ketone bodies. For reasons still unknown, ketone bodies provide stability to the neurons, which can prevent seizures. However, the ketogenic diet has several physiological consequences, including kidney stones, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, because of its effectiveness, Johns Hopkins hospital still prescribes the diet to epileptics who do not respond well to conventional medicine.
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