In their quest to lose weight, many people turn to the latest fad diets in the hopes that something will finally work. One of these diets is the high-protein diet. Though it comes in many guises, one popular version is the Atkins diet. This diet claims that as long as you avoid carbs and fill your meals with protein and some fat, you’ll lose weight. Proponents of these diets claim that carbs are the true source of weight issues, so dieters need to avoid them at all costs.
But do these diets really work? There is much controversy on this issue. Until recently, little scientific evidence supported their efficacy, and some evidence even suggested that high protein diets were dangerous. However, recent studies have shown that high-protein diets may have beneficial effects for those seeking to lose weight. These studies also claim that the alleged negative side effects of high protein diets are largely overblown.
If they do work, why? Is it truly because they eliminate carbs, and carbs are the source of obesity? The jury is still out on this issue. However, scientists have accrued much evidence that points strongly to the appetite controlling aspects of high-protein diets as a factor in their success. Diets high in protein make people feel fuller quicker. As a result, they eat less food, and therefore fewer calories. Combined with increased activity, the number of calories they ingest is lower than the amount they expend, leading to weight loss. Thus, a high-protein diet may ‘backdoor’ its way into a more traditional, calorie restricted diet. Whatever the final verdict, dieters should pick a diet that is safe and helps them lose weight.
