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<strong>Eat</strong>ing Plans That Work<br />
TIP<br />
<strong>Eat</strong>ing too much<br />
protein can cause<br />
a range of health<br />
problems including<br />
kidney stones <strong>and</strong><br />
osteoporosis.<br />
High-Protein,<br />
Low-Carbohydrate Diets<br />
Remember the Scarsdale diet <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Stillman diet? Those high-protein, lowcarb<br />
diets may be out of vogue, but<br />
Atkins is still hot. Protein-rich products<br />
<strong>and</strong> diets—Paleo, Zone, <strong>and</strong> more—<br />
seem to be ubiqu<strong>it</strong>ous.<br />
THE PROMISE All claim that you’ll lose<br />
pounds, feel peppier, <strong>and</strong> reduce your<br />
risk of heart disease.<br />
THE TRUTH People lose weight on<br />
high-protein plans because they take<br />
in fewer calories, not because they<br />
focus on protein. “Diets only work by<br />
lowering calories,” Seres says. “Where<br />
the calories come from doesn’t matter.”<br />
Many of these plans also recommend<br />
cutting back on or eliminating carbs.<br />
Get less than 50 grams of carbs per day<br />
(the amount in two apples) for three<br />
to four days in a row <strong>and</strong> your body will<br />
start tapping <strong>it</strong>s own fat <strong>and</strong> muscle<br />
for fuel instead of <strong>it</strong>s usual source: glucose<br />
derived from carbohydrates.<br />
This can have serious health<br />
consequences. “You’re altering your<br />
metabolism away from what’s normal<br />
<strong>and</strong> into a starved state,” Seres says.<br />
“People in starved states experience<br />
problems w<strong>it</strong>h brain function.”<br />
A high-protein diet also overworks<br />
the kidneys. That’s especially worrisome<br />
for people w<strong>it</strong>h kidney disease <strong>and</strong><br />
can predispose those w<strong>it</strong>h healthy<br />
kidneys to kidney stones. Over time,<br />
excessive protein intake leaches calcium<br />
from your bones, which can lead<br />
to osteoporosis.<br />
Far from increasing energy, that<br />
eating style might leave you fatigued <strong>and</strong><br />
nauseated. Constipation can also be a<br />
problem, because animal-based protein<br />
sources provide l<strong>it</strong>tle or no fiber.<br />
The saturated-fat-laden red meat that’s<br />
part of many high-protein diets may<br />
actually boost your risk of heart disease.<br />
According to a Harvard study of<br />
more than 120,000 people who were<br />
followed for more than 20 years,<br />
a meat-based low-carb diet raised<br />
the risk of dying from heart disease<br />
by 14 percent.<br />
THE BOTTOM LINE Steer clear. These diets<br />
have no proven long-term benef<strong>it</strong>s<br />
<strong>and</strong> are linked to a host of potential<br />
health problems.<br />
22 EAT HEALTHY CR.ORG
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