1. These Two Diets Are Polar Opposites
The Ornish Diet, a vegetarian program, recommends that you eat as much fresh fruit & vegetables as you want, but restrict your fat intake to about 10% of your diet. The Atkins diet recommends that you eat as much protein and fat as you want, but restrict your carbohydrate intake to only 20 grams (80 calories) per day in order to push your body into ketosis.
2. Both Have Some Basis In Science, But Only One Is Documented for Safety and Effectiveness
Both diets are based on physiological facts. The Ornish diet flows from decades of epidemiological research, looking at disease rates in large populations. The Atkins diet is grounded in physiology, recognizing that low-carb diets initially cause the body to burn fat. However, only the Ornish diet has a large body of evidence demonstrating long-term safety and effectiveness at treating heart disease and obesity. The Ornish Diet can reverse partial arterial blockages. This program also can help people to lose weight and keep it off, something the Atkins diet hasn't proven to do.
3. The Atkins Diet May Increase the Risk of Certain Cancers and Other Diseases.
Our bodies did not evolve to eat the high levels of animal protein that Aktins recommended. We can see this in the disease rates for people who eat lots of animal protein, as they are more likely to suffer from colon cancer, heart disease, gout and constipation.
High protein diets cause the body to excrete minerals, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. This happens because protein contains nitrogen, which is the basis of urea, uric acid or urine and our bodies only can process a limited amount of urea each day. Meat contains high levels of urea. When it overloads our system, the body releases calcium and other minerals from your bones to counteract the excess acidity.
4. Both Diets Have Weak Points
The Ornish Diet might be too low in Omega-3 fatty acids, which the body cannot manufacture by itself. These essential acids must come from a diet rich in foods like flaxseed, nuts and fish.
The Atkins diet will cause you to lose bone minerals and experience ketoacidosis, a stress state. Of the two diets, the side effects of the Atkins diet can be more harmful that the side effect of the Ornish model.
5. Consider a Customized Middle Path
Both diet programs tell you to steer clear of refined sugars of all kinds. A middle ground approach might be to eat mostly fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and the occasional lean protein, with a moderate amount of good fats from olive oil and avocados. Such a diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet, which shows indications that it can match the Ornish diet in long-term effectiveness and safety in preventing disease.
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