The Return of the High Protein Diet
Suzanne Somers is doing it. Kenny Rogers is doing it. Oprah Winfrey is even back on the scene. The strive for weight loss has come full circle. The protein pendulum has swung back to the craze of the early 70′s when high protein, low carbohydrate diets were all the rage.
Bookstores are now filled with the latest carbo-phobic diets: Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolutions, The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, Protein Power, The Zone, Sugar Busters, Eat Yourself Slim and Get Skinny on Fabulous Foods. All of these books are based on a kernel of truth…blown way out of proportion. None of the authors has valid data to support his/her claims. Their weight-loss methods are not backed by credible research. Bottom line: weight loss is temporary unless you stay on the diet for life.
A fat-free decade
Carbohydrate paranoia struck when people discovered that all the fat-free food they loaded up on during the last diet craze was making them fat. Eating loads of Snackwell cookies and low fat frozen yogurt can result in excess calories and weight gain. In other words, fat-free does not mean calorie-free
. North Americans are eating 100-300 more calories per day than they did in the 70′s. When it comes to gaining and losing weight, it’s the total calories that matter.
How do high protein diets work?
Simply put, strict high protein diets make you feel sick. After a few days you feel nauseous, dehydrated and have headaches. . .so you eat less and lose weight. You also experience a quick initial water loss, giving the illusion of weight loss on a scale.
High protein diets are based on the idea that severely restricting carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables and grains) forces the body to burn fat for energy. Your brain needs glucose to work properly and prefers to get this needed fuel from carbohydrates. If you severely restrict carbohydrates from your diet, your brain has to make glucose from fat and muscle tissue. When you make glucose from fat, you produce ketone bodies. Ketones are a by-product of incomplete fat burning, and they pass out of your body in urine and breath. Production of ketone bodies is not normal or healthy. In fact, it’s a sign that you are starving your brain of carbohydrates, the only fuel that it can use to function properly. While being in ketosis may make you feel high, it also gives you really bad breath.
Long-term health concerns
Health risks associated with high protein, low carbohydrate diets over time include:
- Heart disease-high protein is coupled with high fat. More meat, cheese and cream mean more saturated fat and cholesterol. Limiting dietary fiber makes the problem worse.
- Cancer- low carbohydrate means low dietary fiber. Fiber in fruits, vegetables, beans and grains keeps your insides clean and helps prevent colon and prostate cancers. The numerous antioxidants in colorful fruits and vegetables also help to prevent cancer and heart disease.
- Kidney stones-more likely to develop on a high protein, ketogenic diet. High protein diets can also make gout worse.
While high protein, low carbohydrate diets are not recommended for successful long-term weight loss and maintenance, there will always be somebody praising their virtues. If you are going to try one, please do the following:
- Check with your doctor before you start. She may want to test your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and kidney function.
- Try it for the short term only.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
- Monitor your blood pressure.
- Take a multivitamin and calcium supplement.
- Do not diet when pregnant or breast feeding.
In case you are wondering, what I do recommend is a high carbohydrate, high fiber, mostly plant-based diet combined with plenty of physical activity for healthy weight loss. Focusing so much on food alone robs us of quality of life and makes living a real chore. Please drop by your local health unit for more information on healthy eating.
