Atkins Mediterranean Combo Carb Diet Plan

The Atkins diet and the Mediterranean diet both have very different nutritional approaches promoting different foods and macronutrient ratios. Both diets have been studied separately and shown to help people lose weight, improve their blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well as their blood pressure. If you want the best of both worlds, Dr. Steve Parker, author of "The Advanced Mediterranean Diet," has combined both diets into a combo diet to help his diabetic as well as nondiabetic patients get healthier.

Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet was developed in the 1970s by Dr. Atkins to help people lose weight, control their diabetes and heart problems. This low-carb diet restricts carbohydrates from grains, sugar, starchy vegetables, milk, yogurt and fruits. Dieters following the Atkins diet need to learn how to count their carbohydrate intake to limit it to below 20 grams during the initial phase, which should mainly be provided by nonstarchy vegetables accompanied with protein and fats. For example, a typical breakfast could be a spinach and red bell pepper omelet cooked in olive oil served with cheddar cheese and a typical Atkins meal could be a filet of salmon or steak with asparagus, leafy greens or broccoli topped with butter.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is mainly based on plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, and emphasizes monounsaturated fats from olive oil, avocado, seeds, nuts and nut butters, as well as omega-3 fats from fish. The Mediterranean diet varies depending on the region around the Mediterranean sea, but this dietary pattern, which is free of processed foods and sugar, is usually recognized as being heart-healthy, A typical Mediterranean breakfast could be a bowl of steel-cut oats mixed with some plain yogurt, almonds and berries and a typical meal could be a vegetable and lentil soup served with a slice of whole grain bread dipped in olive oil with a glass of red wine.

Combo Diet

Dr. Parker combined the Atkins and Mediterranean diets to take advantage of the benefits of both diet plans. His version of the low-carb Mediterranean diet eliminates sugar, starchy vegetables, grains, beans, lentils and most fruits and focuses on nonstarchy vegetables, protein and healthy fats. Dr. Parker encourages the consumption of 1 to 2 tbsp. of olive oil every day, five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, one or two glasses of red wine a day, two weekly servings of cold-water fatty fish, such as herring, salmon or sardines, and three to five 1-ounce weekly servings of nuts, such as almonds or walnuts.

Health Benefits

A study published in the October 2008 issue of "Nutrition Journal" showed that a Spanish-inspired diet combining the low-carb approach of the Atkins diet with some key foods of the Mediterranean diet is an effective approach to improve health. In this 12-week study, participants lost weight, reduced their blood pressure, total cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol levels, triglycerides and blood sugar levels, while heart-protective HDL cholesterol levels increased. Consult your doctor if you contemplate doing a low-carb Mediterranean diet to ensure that it is appropriate and safe for you.