THE ADVANTAGES OF A HIGH-PROTEIN, LOW-CARB DIET

Low-carb, high-protein diets were all the rage for weight loss in the 1990s. People dropped pounds quickly while still eating many of their favorite foods like butter, eggs, bacon and burgers--without the bun. While adherence to a diet that restricts entire food groups can be challenging, there are many benefits to the low-carb, high-protein diet plan. A low-carb diet asks that you restrict carbohydrates to less than 40 percent of daily calories and elevate protein to as much as 35 percent. When followed with attention to limiting saturated fat and including some healthy carbohydrates, this type of diet offers many advantages.

Increased Satiation

In an editorial in a 2005 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," author Arne Astrup, reviewed a number of studies examining high-protein diets and concluded that people report greater feelings of fullness when eating high-protein diets than when following other restrictive plans. In the same issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," lead author David S. Weigle demonstrated that protein is more satiating than either carbohydrates or fats. The body simply takes more time to digest protein, making hunger return later and, as a result, you take in fewer overall calories.

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Reduces Intake of Refined Foods                                                              To  To stick to a low-carbohydrate plan, you reduce consumption of breads, white rice, baked goods and simple sugars found in jellies, sodas and sweets. Eliminating these nutritionally weak foods usually leads to a lower calorie, more nutritious diet plan. Many low-carb plans, like the South Beach Diet, recommend that the carbohydrates you do consume come from healthy sources like vegetables and whole grains. Fewer refined foods also means more stable insulin and blood sugar levels, which in turn reduces cravings.

Thermogenisis

The Harvard School of Public Health maintains that the digestion of protein requires more energy than either digestion of fat or carbohydrates. In addition, protein--when combined with strength training--increases lean muscle mass. A body with a greater percentage of lean muscle mass burns a greater number of calories, even while at rest.

Quick Results

People following llow-carb, high-protein diets see results quickly. This may be due initially to a loss of water weight, but is also due to the body's shifting into a state known as ketosis. Ketosis occurs when the body is deprived of its preferred energy source--carbohydrates--and in turn burns fat for energy. Some experts still warn that a long-term state of ketosis can lead to chronic health problems.