"Atkins diet" The Atkins diet (also called ‘Dr Atkins Super Energy Diet’) is a high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate, weight-reduction diet devised by an American doctor, Robert C. Atkins. The diet appears to contravene most of the generally accepted dietary guidelines for health since it relies on saturated fats as the main energy source.
Atkins recommended that a dieter should eat virtually no carbohydrate in the first week: no carbohydrate-rich alcoholic drinks, bread, fruit, potatoes, pasta, pastries, or sugar. An attractive feature of the diet is that it permits an unlimited intake of fat and protein foods (e.g. meats, poultry, fish, and cheese). After the first week, carbohydrate consumption increases a little, but is still kept at a low level. The low intake of fruit and vegetables could result in vitamin deficiency, except that Atkins prescribed very large vitamin supplements for his dieters.
Atkins claimed that the low level of carbohydrates forces the body to use body fat as a fuel. He suggested that it also stimulates the secretion of a fat mobilizing hormone that encourages the breakdown of fat. (There is no independent scientific evidence to support the existence of this hormone.) Calories are not counted. Instead, the dieter tests the urine with special paper strips which turn mauve-purple in the presence of ketones. Ketones are breakdown products of fat and indicate that it is being burnt off. Despite Atkins' claims to the contrary, they are not a good measure of the effectiveness of a weight-reducing diet.
The diet is unquestionably effective in reducing weight, up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in one week. High levels of ketones in the blood suppress the appetite, however it can be very harmful. The ketones create a diabetes-like environment in the body, potentially damaging to the kidneys and allowing blood sugar levels to fall dangerously low.
The Atkins diet is not generally recommended by medical practitioners or dietitians and its introduction provoked strong opposition from the American Medical Association.
How to cite this entry:
"Atkins diet" Food and Fitness: A Dictionary of Diet and Exercise. Michael Kent. Oxford University Press, 1997. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. 18 November 2011
