Six Reasons To Reconsider Low Carb Diets
1. Low carbohydrate diets are a short term attempt to solve a long term problem. Few people can maintain the usual low carbohydrate weight loss diets indefinitely. People often describe these diets as greasy and tiresome. The cyclical waxing and waning of low carbohydrate diet popularity is evidence of this. The diet works on the short term with good weight loss initially, but the diet becomes difficult to maintain in the long term. The diet does not teach long-term, healthful eating habits.
2. There is a large body of research that shows that blood lipid profiles (cholesterol, LDLs, HDLs) are adversely affected when people eat high saturated fat and high cholesterol diets when the diets are not accompanied with weight loss. Most low carbohydrate diets are high in animal protein and fats. Since the traditional low carbohydrate diets for weight loss cannot be maintained indefinitely what are the consequences when weight is regained and the consumption of high fat, high animal protein diets with more carbohydrate become the usual diet? A change from this eating style to one that is lower in animal protein and fat with more plant foods would be a significant change.
It should be noted that not all low carbohydrate weight loss diets are the same. Even the Atkins Diet was modified over the time of its cyclical reincarnations. The South Beach Diet is also different than the Atkins diet in that it encourages the consumption of certain fats considered healthful while limiting fats that are considered less healthful.
3. Epidemiologic studies have indicated that people who eat plant based diets have lower incidences of certain chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain bone diseases compared to people eating high animal protein diets. For this reason many nutritionists recommend diets higher in plant foods and lower in animal protein. This healthful association of plant based diets, which are high in carbohydrates, has been further reinforced by research into the benefits of the Mediterranean diet that is low in animal protein, especially red meat.
Because many of the studies on animal versus plant based diets (high carbohydrate) are epidemiologic studies we don’t know for sure that there isn’t a confounding factor such as lifestyle that could account for some of the beneficial associations of a plant based diet. Still, the association of plant based diets with less incidence of certain chronic disease cannot be summarily dismissed.
4. Research has documented many health benefits from eating diets with whole grains, fruits and vegetables. These foods contain many essential nutrients as well as phytochemicals for which we are only beginning to understand all of the health benefits. A truly low carbohydrate diet would be difficult to construct with recommended consumption of these foods. Certain low carbohydrate weight loss diets incorporate some vegetables, however, a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables is recommended. Consuming significant amounts of these foods is not possible with truly low carbohydrate diets.
5. Ultimately, the promotion of high animal protein diets (which low carbohydrate diets generally are) is also bad for the individual and the planet in some indirect ways. In the United States we raise most of our animal protein in concentrated animal feed operations that create enormous issues around the disposal of animal wastes, water pollution, use of antibiotics, and production of green house gases. The FAO estimates that livestock production accounts for one-fifth of the green house gases caused by human activity and is a major contributor to general global pollution. The high use of antibiotics is also producing antibiotic resistant organisms that pose a significant threat to human health.
6. Animal protein is a very inefficient use of resources. By necessity low carbohydrate diets are usually high in animal proteins. Livestock production requires large amounts of water, grain and energy. Animal protein production is a very inefficient use of these resources. This is a major concern in a world that is likely to struggle to feed itself especially as more people in India, China and elsewhere turn to higher protein diets. It is much more efficient to eat higher carbohydrate plant foods rather than feed them to livestock to produce high protein, high fat foods such as meat.
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"Low carbohydrate diets are a short term attempt to solve a long term problem." I've been low-carb for 4 years, and it just keeps getting better. No desire to go back.
"Few people can maintain the usual low carbohydrate weight loss diets indefinitely." Probably because they don't received the necessary support and guidance from health professionals! I've had no problem sticking with it, except when I fly because airlines have no clue what constitutes low-carb!
"People often describe these diets as greasy and tiresome." You betcha! I have 400 calories of whipping cream every day for breakfast on my low-carb muesli! All that grease is probably what makes my (younger) friends ask me how I have such nice skin!
"the diet becomes difficult to maintain in the long term. The diet does not teach long-term, healthful eating habits." No, doctors who conform to outdated ideas do not teach healthful eating habits and do not give patients the advice and support to be successful in the low-carb WOE. Luckily, I was able to do it for myself, after reading The Diabetes Solution by Richard K. Bernstein, M.D.
"There is a large body of research that shows that blood lipid profiles (cholesterol, LDLs, HDLs) are adversely affected when people eat high saturated fat and high cholesterol diets when the diets are not accompanied with weight loss." If not accompanied by weight loss, that means that people are still eating too much carb which stimulates insulin production which stores fat. I eat a package of brie or camembert EVERY DAY as a snack but my lipid profile is gorgeous and my BMI is 19.1! But of course, I don't eat carbs.
"what are the consequences when weight is regained and the consumption of high fat, high animal protein diets with more carbohydrate become the usual diet?" That's ALREADY the usual diet, or haven't you looked around?!
"It should be noted that not all low carbohydrate weight loss diets are the same." That's for sure!!!
"Epidemiologic studies have indicated that people who eat plant based diets have lower incidences of certain chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain bone diseases compared to people eating high animal protein diets." Epidemiological studies are the poorest kind, because too many variables are uncontrolled. Even controlled studies often rely on patient recall which is sketchy at best.
"This healthful association of plant based diets, which are high in carbohydrates, has been further reinforced by research into the benefits of the Mediterranean diet that is low in animal protein, especially red meat ." Plant-based diets are not necessarily high in carbs. It depends which vegetables you eat. I eat lots of vegetables. Just not potatoes and other starchy ones.
"Because many of the studies on animal versus plant based diets (high carbohydrate) are epidemiologic studies we don’t know for sure that there isn’t a confounding factor such as lifestyle that could account for some of the beneficial associations of a plant based diet. Still, the association of plant based diets with less incidence of certain chronic disease cannot be summarily dismissed." No, but it means that we need to devise (as many researchers already have) BETTER studies to answer the questions.
"Certain low carbohydrate weight loss diets incorporate some vegetables, however, a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables is recommended. Consuming significant amounts of these foods is not possible with truly low carbohydrate diets." There are very few nutrients that you can get from a fruit that you can't also get from a vegetable. Grains are a new introduction to the human diet, from an evolutionary perspective. Our bodies don't need them, and in many cases, cannot tolerate them.
"Ultimately, the promotion of high animal protein diets (which low carbohydrate diets generally are) is also bad for the individual and the planet in some indirect ways." The development of agrarian lifestyles was the worst thing that ever happened to this planet and to human. When we were running after our food (mammals, fish, birds, etc.), we remained in a state of equilibrium. It's the farming of grains that allowed the human population to explode beyond its natural limits.
"Livestock production requires large amounts of water , grain and energy ." Not if livestock are grazed rather than grain-fed - makes for better quality meat too.
"It is much more efficient to eat higher carbohydrate plant foods rather than feed them to livestock to produce high protein, high fat foods such as meat." True, although I'm sure this is offset by the fact that eating carbs MAKES YOU HUNGRY which makes you eat more than you need and store the excess as fat. If people only ate what they really need, less food would be consumed, more people would be healthy so fewer people would need to take antibiotics, etc.
Dr. Rengers noted, "There is a large body of research that shows that blood lipid profiles (cholesterol, LDLs, HDLs) are adversely affected when people eat high saturated fat and high cholesterol diets when the diets are not accompanied with weight loss."
This is essentially true. But the question that needs to be asked is, what is preventing the weight loss? Most often it is excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates coupled with failure to consume nutrient rich carbohydrate foods and/or nutrient rich animal products. There's a small body of research (Google "nutritionscienceanalyst") that suggests that high saturated fat intake, in the context of a nutrient rich diet, is not a health hazard.
1. With a minimum 5-7 servings of the food pyramid's recommended vegetable intakes for the day, many surpass the intake of healthy, cruciferous vegetables and their nutrients.
2. My lipids levels are lower on Atkins. Blood pressure? Fantastic.
3. Atkins is only a moderate protein plan. Many low-carbers are vegetarians. I couldn't feed a family a healthy low-carb plan were there not healthy vegetables, fruits, fibers and meats!
4. Atkineers eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
5. Low-carb consumers are tremendously educated and eat whole, healthy, organic foods, buying grass-fed beef and researching carefully.
6.In the most stringent portion of Atkins (induction), people eat only 30% of their calories from protein--and that's maximum. We should look instead at banning corn as a crop with high fructose corn syrups and grains and which requires an even greater amount of resources and land.
On libertarian principles, I just have to say that banning either corn as a crop or high fructose corn syrup is an absurd idea for many reasons (horrible for agribusiness, farmers, and the economy at large, among myriad others). The goal here should be education combined with freedom of choice. Some people will eat themselves to death regardless of their awareness of food/health issues. More importantly, many more will NOT.
I was being facetious, there, Psyop.
Ok, thank God! Touche!
Oops! I meant to say that low-carb diets ARE healthy. I had to futz with the limits on 1,000 maximum characters for so long that by the time I was able to finally send, I dimpled the wrong chad.
1. It provides delicious and nutritious weight loss success.
2. Modern research has shown it is equally effective for weight loss and lipid improvements along with excellent blood sugar/insulin control in diabetics.
3. Eating grass-fed meats and salmon provide healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids as well as healthy saturated fats which are not harmful to your health when carbohydrates are reduced.
4. You get to eat non-starchy, green leafy veggies and low-sugar fruits.
5. There are important nutrients you can only get from consuming meat.
6. Eating high-fat foods along with moderate protein keeps you satiated with no hunger.