Understand The Disadvantages of The Atkins Diet

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Article care of low-carb-diet-plan.com

There are several disadvantages of Atkins diet compared to other healthy low carbohydrate diet plans. The Atkins diet does not include enough fruits, green leafy vegetables and whole grain compared to other healthy low carbohydrate diets. One of the disadvantages of the Atkins diet is that it may deprive the body of essential vitamins and minerals on a daily basis, especially the first two weeks of the diet (induction phase).

Another disadvantage of the Atkins diet is that it encourages the intake of excessive amounts of protein. The diet does not limit the amount of protein. An excessive amount of protein can be harmful to the body. An excessive intake of protein increases the amount of uric acid in the blood. An excessive amount of uric acid can precipitate into the body's joints and cause a condition called gout. Gout is a form of painful osteoarthritis. Also, an excessive amount of protein may cause uric acid to accumulate in the kidneys thereby causing kidney stones.

Another disadvantage of the Atkins diet is that is not well balanced, especially during the induction phase of the diet. The diet strongly recommends that you eat a lot of fat and protein, but very little carbohydrates. During the first two weeks of the diet, you are instructed not to eat more than 20 grams of carbohydrate a day. Such a limited amount of carbohydrates places your health in jeopardy.

According to the 2002 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for carbohydrates is 130 grams of glucose per day. The RDA for carbohydrates is based on the average minimum amount of glucose used by the brain. Thus, a significant disadvantage of the Atkins diet is that it does not meet the RDA requirement for carbohydrates, especially during the induction phase of the diet.

The brain is critically dependent on an adequate supply of glucose from circulating blood at all times. Glucose is derived from the digestion of dietary carbohydrates. Glucose is the only nutrient that can cross the blood-brain barrier at a rate sufficient to sustain normal body functioning. Thus, a disadvantage of the Atkins diet is that one may develop severe hypoglycemia during the induction phase of the diet. Consequently, you may experience headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, rapid heart beat and profuse sweating.

Essentially the Atkins diet allows you to eat as much fat as you like. It is well established by researchers and medical experts that too much saturated fat in the diet places you at risk for heart attacks and strokes. Diets high in saturated fats are known to increase your blood levels of LDL cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol can plug your arteries thereby decreasing the flow of blood to vital organs such as the brain and heart.