High-fat/low-carb diets
DefinitionAll food is comprised of three essential compo-
nents ormacronutrients: fat,protein, and carbohy-
drate. High-fat/low-carbohydrate or low-carb diets
emphasize increased consumption of proteins and
fatsand a severe reduction ofcarbohydrates. These
diets are based on research that indicates high carbo-
hydrate consumption increases levels of insulin in the
blood. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body covert
food into energy in the form of glucose or sugar. High
insulin levels have been linked to medical conditions
such asdiabetes mellitustype II, cardiovascular dis-
ease, andobesity. These diseases are all part of a
syndrome called Insulin Resistance Syndrome or Syn-
drome X.
OriginsThe most popular and well-known of the current
high fat/low carb diets is theAtkins dietfirst published
in 1972 by cardiologist, Dr. Robert Atkins. However,
some anthropologists believe this way of eating is as
old as humanity and have called it the Paleolithic Diet.
The earliest recognized publication of a high-fat/
low-carb diet was William Banting’sLetter on Corpu-
lence, published in 1863, in which Banting reported
weight loss and improved health by following a low
carbohydrate diet prescribed by his doctor, William
Harvey. Banting suffered from obesity and hearing
loss caused by fat compressing his inner ear. After
following a low carb diet, he lost weight and his hear-
ing improved.
In the 1920s the Epilepsy Center at Johns Hopkins
Hospital began to use a high fat/low carbohydrate diet
called the Ketogenic Diet to treat children with
intractable, or hard to control, seizures. Johns Hop-
kins Epilepsy Center continues to use this diet pro-
gram today. Also in the 1920s explorers Vilhjalmur
Stefansson lived for many years with the Inuit people
of artic Canada. His diet consisted exclusively of meat
and fish. Since it was a virtually carbohydrate-free diet
and high in fat, it was expected that his health would
suffer. Once Stefansson returned home, Dr. Clarence
Lieb of Bellevue Hospital in New York, examined him
and found, to his surprise, that Stefansson was in
perfect health. Dr. Lieb was able to duplicate these
results later in a year long controlled study.
DescriptionHigh-fat/low-carb diets vary in the number of
grams of carbohydrates to be consumed each day.
Most plans include three or more phases or stages.
The earliest stages allow the fewest grams of carbohy-
drate to be eaten per day and typically last for two
weeks. The middle stage is the weight loss stage and
the carbohydrate grams may be slightly increased and
then maintained at that level until the desired weight
loss has been achieved. During the final phases, car-
bohydrates are gradually increased until weight loss
stops or weight gain begins. At this point, the dieter
reduces the amount of carbohydrate consumed until
weight has stabilized.
The number of carbs allowed varies according
the plan, but most plans consider the range of carbo-
hydrates that will allow an individual to lose weight
to be between 25 and 45 grams per day. The daily
number of grams of carbohydrate consumed after
ideal weight has been achieved will depend on the
age, gender, and size of the individual, but Dr. Atkins
reports that an individual of healthy weight who
exercises should be able to eat between 45 and 100
grams of carbohydrate a day and still maintain a
healthy weight and enjoy the health benefits of a
low carb lifestyle.
Most high fat/low carb diets include counting
grams of carbohydrate consumed each day or at each
meal. The term Net Carb is also used. The net carbs a
serving of food has is the total number of carbohy-
drates in the food minus the number of grams offiber
and the number of grams of sugar alcohol in the food.
While fiber is technically a form of carbohydrate, it is
not absorbed by the body and does not raise blood
insulin levels. Sugar alcohol is a neither sugar nor
alcohol. It is a chemically altered carbohydrate that
adds sweetness to foods but is metabolized more
slowly than sugar and is not as readily absorbed.High fat/low carb diets- Atkins Diet
- Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet
- Caveman Diet (Stone Age Diet, Paleolithic Diet)
- Diet Cure
- Eat Fat Get Thin Diet
- Ketogenic Diet
- Life Without Bread
- Neanderthin
- Protein Power Diet
- Schwarzbein Principle
(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)High-fat/low-carb diets