Links Between The Atkins Diet And Cholesterol
Most people might scoff at the idea that the Atkins diet might actually be good for a person’s cholesterol levels, but recent studies have begun to show that this just might be the case.
When people think of the Atkins diet, they immediately think of the types of foods that the diet allows participants to consume. Meats, cheeses, oils and all sorts of foods that other diets might prohibit are a staple of the Atkins diet. Other than prohibiting the consumption of high levels of sugars and carbohydrates in general, the Atkins diet does allow participants to eat just about any other food they want.
The freedom of food choices that the Atkins diet is seen by most critics as a strategy that is conducive to poorer health. After all, it almost seems impossible that a diet that allows participants to each all the cheese and oils that they want might actually end up being healthier than one that does not, but the facts are beginning to point in that direction.
Several recent studies that have compared the effects of a low-carb diet with the effects of a low-calorie, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet have actually found that participants who followed the low-carb plan actually lost more weight than the individuals who followed the other diets. The numbers associated with the participant’s cholesterol levels yielded some interesting results as well.
On average, participants in the Atkins diet actually lost about 26 pounds over the course of the six-month study, compared to the average of 14 pounds lost by the participants in the other diets. The results of the study were equally interesting in terms of the cholesterol levels of the participants. The low-carb diet participants were able to lower their levels of triglycerides and raise their levels of HDL, which is often referred to as the “good” cholesterol in comparison to the participants in the low-fat diets.
The nature of the Atkins diet makes most critics question just how healthy the diet really is. With the high levels of fats and oils that the diet allows, it isn’t difficult for critics to think that the diet is actually bad for people. After all, it isn’t difficult to assume that such a diet might actually contribute to bad health instead of good health. However, as more and more studies are commissioned, the results are beginning to show that the opposite is actually true.
An earlier study conducted at Duke University showed similar results. Individuals who participated in a low-carb diet experienced greater weight loss an improved cholesterol levels in comparison to individuals who took part in low-fat and low-cholesterol diets. In this particular study, both groups actually lowered their cholesterol levels, but the Atkins group saw a tremendous increase in the levels of HDL, again also known as the “good” cholesterol. Triglycerides also dropped in both groups, with the Atkins group lowering their levels of triglycerides by 49%, and the other group lowering their levels of triglycerides by 22%.
Related Information:
Is The Atkins Diet Really Good For You?
Depending on personal background as well as personal goals, the Atkins diet may or may
The Benefits Of Green Tea In A Low Carb Diet
The ultimate goal of the Atkins diet is to cause an individual to lose weight
