The only thing that the Pritikin and Atkins diets have in common is that they're both named after the men who developed and popularized them. Nathan Pritikin designed his high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet in the 1950s to reverse heart disease. Robert Atkins developed his high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet in the 1970s as a weight-loss program that helps your body burn stored fat.
Atkins Diet Basics
The Atkins program is a low-carb plan that promises to "turn your body into a fat-burning machine" by limiting your body's production of glucose and insulin and forcing your body to burn fat for energy. The diet is divided into four stages, each one adding more carbohydrates back into your daily diet. In the strictest stage, you're limited to only 20 g of net carbs, mostly in the form of nutrient-dense green vegetables. You are allowed to eat unlimited quantities of all types of meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and fats such as butter and oils. Cheese is limited to no more than 4 oz. daily.
Pritikin Program Basics
The Pritikin program emphasizes high-fiber carbohydrates while restricting fat consumption to less than 10 percent of your total caloric intake. Added fats are "forbidden" and animal proteins are limited. The Pritikin diet guidelines for fat and protein are lower than the recommendations found in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, while carbohydrate intake is greater. You're required to eat at least five servings of whole grains, four servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit and two servings of nonfat dairy products daily. You're limited to one 3.5-oz. serving of protein -- preferably seafood. Chicken is limited to once a week, and lean beef should be eaten only once a month. Egg yolks are not allowed, but you can eat up to seven egg whites weekly.
Pros & Cons of the Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet is popular because it can work, for a time. It doesn't require calorie counting or portion control, and you can eat as much as you like of noncarb foods. It's also easy to eat in a restaurant on the Atkins Diet. However, MayoClinic.com notes that weight-loss may occur because food choices are limited and both protein and fat slow digestion -- helping you to consume fewer calories. You may lose weight simply because you're consuming fewer calories. There is also a concern that the lack of fruits and grains may result in vitamin deficiencies -- the Atkins diet requires a high-quality daily multivitamin. A lack of fiber may lead to constipation, so you may also need a fiber supplement.
Pros and Cons of the Pritikin Program
The Pritikin program has more than 100 peer-reviewed studies showing that it can effectively reverse heart disease and type 2 diabetes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. There is little doubt that the program works, if you can stick with it. The Pritikin program is a very rigid diet that makes eating out extremely difficult. Be prepared to cook most of your meals at home. Because it is so low in fat and protein, you may often feel hungry, making the diet difficult to sustain long-term.
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