One Strike against Low-Carbohydrate Diets

Low carbohydrate diets: going against the grain.

Low-carbohydrate diets.

Americans spend dollar 33 billion annually on weight loss products and services, and a large portion of this money is spent on low-carbohydrate diets. Because of their higher protein and fat content and lower fiber and carbohydrate content, concerns have been raised about the potential health consequences of low-carbohydrate diets. Published long-term data are lacking. Short-term studies compar...

Low Carbohydrate Diets

Richard D. Feinman, PhD, is Professor of Biochemistry at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, co-editor-in-chief of the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, and Director of the Nutrition and Metabolism Society (www.nmsociety.org). Diabetes may be described as a disease of glucose intolerance: high blood glucose is both the characteristic indicator and the cause of complications. Th...

Very Low Carbohydrate Diets

• Background: Many patients are asking about weight reduction diets publicized in the lay press, such as “Protein Power,” “Sugar Busters,” and “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution.” A common theme of these diets is the restriction of carbohydrate intake. • Objective: To summarize the published medical literature regarding very low carbohydrate (< 40 g/day) diets. • Methods: A MEDLINE search and han...

Safety of low-carbohydrate diets.

Low-carbohydrate diets have re-emerged into the public spotlight and are enjoying a high degree of popularity as people search for a solution to the population's ever-expanding waistline. The current evidence though indicates that low-carbohydrate diets present no significant advantage over more traditional energy-restricted diets on long-term weight loss and maintenance. Furthermore, a higher ...