There are always different views and fads when it comes to diets and often the arguments we hear for adopting a particular type of diet are one-sided in the views that are presented to the prospective dieter. There are good arguments for adopting a high protein diet and also for adopting a high carbohydrate diet. So what is the way to go?
High Protein Diets
Good points:
Can boost the release of a hunger-suppressing hormone, according to a new study on mice.
Eating twenty five grams of soy protein daily can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Can increase body mass and strength which is helpful for athletes and people suffering from muscle wasting diseases.
Bad points:
Some studies suggest that eating too much protein causes excessive calcium loss, which can contribute to osteoporosis, and if the protein is ingested via red meat, our kidneys and liver are worked harder which could cause problems for people with renal or liver disorders.
Low Protein Diets
Good points:
The author could find no good points although it is possible that this would help people with kidney problems.
Bad Points:
According to the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, elderly ladies given low protein diets experienced significant losses in lean tissue, immune response, and muscle function.
High Carbohydrate Diets
Good points:
Provides a plentiful supply of energy, hence very popular with athletes.
Bad Points:
It has been shown in some people, who are on a low-fat diet and getting their calories mainly from carbohydrates, that their triglyceride levels become raised, (and hence their overall cholesterol level increases), and the level of the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) becomes lowered (which is harmful to a person's well-being), and the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increases (which is also harmful to a person's well-being); medical experts believe that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver for treatment, so HDL is considered to be beneficial to the body's health; LDL is synonymous with a build-up of plaque in the arteries which can lead to atherosclerosis.
Low Carbohydrate Diets
Good points:
You tend to lose weight reasonably quickly.
Bad points:
Eating less than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can lead to the build-up of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in our bloodstream; however, in order to lose weight and lose fat, eating low carbohydrates and eating little or no saturated fat is an absolute must.
The Atkins diet encourages people to eat low carbs in order to force the body to turn to other fuels for energy, i.e. to start using the body's fat supplies in order to provide the everyday energy requirements. Scientists do not yet appear to be united in their views as to whether or not the Atkins diet and other low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets affect kidney function.
The trouble is that although the Atkins diet promotes high protein and low carbs, many people interpret this as meaning high protein, high fat, and low carbs which can lead to cholesterol problems.
Low-carbohydrate diets typically include quantities of cholesterol, fat, saturated fat, and protein that exceed the recommended safe limits set by the National Academy of Sciences, and are often low in fiber and other important dietary constituents.
Article Source
High Protein Diets
Good points:
Can boost the release of a hunger-suppressing hormone, according to a new study on mice.
Eating twenty five grams of soy protein daily can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Can increase body mass and strength which is helpful for athletes and people suffering from muscle wasting diseases.
Bad points:
Some studies suggest that eating too much protein causes excessive calcium loss, which can contribute to osteoporosis, and if the protein is ingested via red meat, our kidneys and liver are worked harder which could cause problems for people with renal or liver disorders.
Low Protein Diets
Good points:
The author could find no good points although it is possible that this would help people with kidney problems.
Bad Points:
According to the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, elderly ladies given low protein diets experienced significant losses in lean tissue, immune response, and muscle function.
High Carbohydrate Diets
Good points:
Provides a plentiful supply of energy, hence very popular with athletes.
Bad Points:
It has been shown in some people, who are on a low-fat diet and getting their calories mainly from carbohydrates, that their triglyceride levels become raised, (and hence their overall cholesterol level increases), and the level of the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) becomes lowered (which is harmful to a person's well-being), and the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increases (which is also harmful to a person's well-being); medical experts believe that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver for treatment, so HDL is considered to be beneficial to the body's health; LDL is synonymous with a build-up of plaque in the arteries which can lead to atherosclerosis.
Low Carbohydrate Diets
Good points:
You tend to lose weight reasonably quickly.
Bad points:
Eating less than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can lead to the build-up of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in our bloodstream; however, in order to lose weight and lose fat, eating low carbohydrates and eating little or no saturated fat is an absolute must.
The Atkins diet encourages people to eat low carbs in order to force the body to turn to other fuels for energy, i.e. to start using the body's fat supplies in order to provide the everyday energy requirements. Scientists do not yet appear to be united in their views as to whether or not the Atkins diet and other low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets affect kidney function.
The trouble is that although the Atkins diet promotes high protein and low carbs, many people interpret this as meaning high protein, high fat, and low carbs which can lead to cholesterol problems.
Low-carbohydrate diets typically include quantities of cholesterol, fat, saturated fat, and protein that exceed the recommended safe limits set by the National Academy of Sciences, and are often low in fiber and other important dietary constituents.
Article Source