Battle of the Diets: Protein vs. Carbohydrates

You've seen the headlines...

Lose Weight While You Sleep...Slim Down Eating Chocolate...it's hard to believe anyone thinks we'd fall for these ploys.

Fortunately, there are also many more sensible diets out there. But with so many battling for our attention, most of us still don't know which way to turn. Is all protein, no carbs for you? Or should you cut out all fat and eat mostly veggies and fish?

Let's take a look at six of the most popular diet programs and see how they stack up: Atkins, Sugar Busters, South Beach Diet, the Zone, Ornish, and Pritikin.
 

*** Atkins: "Pass the steak and cheese and a slice of quiche, please."***

The Atkins diet is a high protein/high fat diet that is based on the premise that weight gain and obesity are caused by insulin resistance and hyper-insulinism. This diet restricts carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams a day. While it allows you to eat unlimited amounts of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese, it discourages consumption of fruit, bread, grains, starchy veggies like corn and carrots, refined sugar, and most dairy products.
 

*** Sugar Busters: "No spoonfuls of sugar here, but please top off my wineglass with that Cabernet, dear."***

Also high in protein, the Sugar Busters plan recommends more moderate fat intake than Atkins. Additionally, Sugar Busters believes sugar is toxic and maintains that insulin insensitivity causes obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it strives to reduce high-glycemic carbohydrates in order to lower insulin levels by encouraging consumption of lean meats, eggs, most fruit, nuts, whole grains, and high-fiber, non-starchy veggies. However, it discourages eating any refined grains (such as regular potatoes, white rice, and white bread), refined sugar, root veggies, and baked goods. It does, however, allow red wine.
 

*** South Beach Diet: "A diet without cravings...what a promise."***

Another diet in the high protein camp, this diet is based on the belief that much of our excess weight comes from the carbohydrates we eat, especially the highly processed ones. Decrease the consumption of those "bad" carbs (like white flour and white sugar), studies show, and you begin losing weight and metabolizing carbs properly. After an initial period of no carbs to eliminate cravings, it permits good carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains).
 

*** The Zone: "Hold the beef and butter if you please, filet of salmon puts me at ease."***

The Zone program is also high in protein, focusing on lean protein sources such as fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy products. It too discourages most grains and breads, starchy veggies, and some fruit. However, unlike Atkins, the Zone allows moderately restricted carbohydrates, and discourages eating egg yolks, red meat, most cheeses, and butter.
 

*** Ornish & Pritikin: "If it's crunchy and green, I'm sure to be lean."***

The final two programs- Ornish and Pritikin- are both low fat, high carbohydrate plans. The Ornish diet suggests that weight gain is a result of too much dietary fat. Based on this, the program emphasizes a plant-based, vegetarian diet that allows all vegetables and fruits, beans, legumes, and whole grains, but advises against consuming any meat, fish, or poultry, as well as alcohol, butter, and high-fat fruits and vegetables such as olives and avocados.

The Pritikin diet encourages you to get at least 75 percent of your calories from complex carbohydrates, and only allows for 10-15 percent of your caloric intake to be comprised of protein, leaving just 5-10 percent for fats. It does this by recommending that most of your foods be plant-based and high in fiber, coming from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It limits you to 4 ounces of animal-based protein a day, and discourages consumption of red meat, fatty poultry and fish, egg yolks, and most dairy products.
 

*** The Skinny on High Protein Plans***

I believe that all six diets have pluses and minuses in terms of women's health. On the plus side, there is emerging evidence that diets higher in protein do work, in part by helping to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels within the body.

However, this may be the only good thing I can say about these programs. The fact of the matter is these plans put you at high risk for inflammatory diseases and estrogen dominance, increase your risk for osteoporosis and coronary heart disease (CHD), and can even worsen existing kidney conditions.

In addition, the high saturated fat intake of the programs, especially the Atkins plan, increases your risk of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis. They also increase your risk for estrogen dominance-related conditions, such as fibroid tumors, by elevating estrogen levels within the body.

Additionally, the high protein content of these diets increases the risk of osteoporosis in women with low bone density by causing mineral loss in bones. While adequate protein intake is essential to bone health, excessive protein, especially from red meat and dairy products, can lead to bone loss by increasing your body's acid load, forcing it to pull valuable calcium and other alkalinizing minerals from your bones in order to bring your pH back into balance.

Finally, the Atkins plan puts women at a huge risk for CHD, because it's likely to increase your serum cholesterol levels. And all three programs can increase your risk of poor kidney function. According to a March 2003 study from the Annals of Internal Medicine, a diet high in nondairy animal protein may accelerate kidney function decline in women who have an existing kidney condition, even a minor one.

*** The Low-down on Low Fat, High Carbs***

The focus on whole grains and vegetables in the Ornish and Pritikin diets can be a huge health boon for women. The fiber in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables helps to lower your risk for estrogen dominance by helping to remove it through elimination. It also helps eliminate excessive fluid from the body.

These diets also support strong bones, again due to the emphasis on vegetables, grains, and legumes, all of which are rich in alkaline minerals needed for healthy bones. Finally, these plans support heart health by lowering serum cholesterol levels, thereby significantly lowering your risk for CHD.

There is, however, a significant problem with these programs. While they are rich in plant-based fiber and many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are necessary for optimal health, they lack many other nutrients needed for good health and well being, specifically essential fatty acids (EFAs) and vitamin B12.

The lack of EFAs could have a negative effect on ovulation, menstruation, and menstrual cramps in younger women. In older women, lack of oils may lead to dry skin, hair, and vaginal tissues, and could increase the risk for depression, fatigue, and inflammatory conditions. Similarly, low dietary intake of B12 can lead to fatigue, depression, and anemia.

Lastly, it may be difficult for women following these diets to take in sufficient amounts of vegetarian-based protein, thereby leading to fatigue, low energy, and poor immune function.
 

*** What Should You Do?***

Personally, I wouldn't recommend any of these programs as they are written. I don't believe that any long-term use of a high THIS, low THAT diet is healthy. In my experience, I've found the only healthy way to lose and maintain weight is to create your own weight loss program, one that's suited just for you.

Readers of my monthly newsletter, "The Lark Letter for Women," know I believe the first step to any weight loss program is ruling out foods that are keeping you from losing weight. You'll want to aim for a balanced program that allows for some fat, protein and "good" carbs, and most importantly helps you eliminate foods that are problematic for you.

***Know your Body type before You Choose one of these Diets***

If you are still interested in following one of these plans, I would recommend that you first determine your body type. Once you know your body type, it's much easier to learn which foods are right for you. For instance, you may feel tired and lethargic after eating a meal high in carbohydrates or you may feel energized by it. What works for a high alkaline producer, won't work for someone who's overly-acidic.

In my "Permanent Weight Loss" report, you'll learn how to determine your body type, which foods you should avoid and those you should eat. Once you begin eating foods that properly nourish your system, you'll find you'll eat less overall.

***What Works for High Alkaline Producers***

If you are a high alkaline producer, and therefore need more protein than carbohydrates in order to operate efficiently, I recommend you follow a modified form of either the Atkins, Zone, or Sugar Busters programs.

Specifically, you should avoid or at least minimize the red meat allowed in some of these diets, and opt instead for free-range poultry or fish. I would also suggest using olive oil or flaxseed oil instead of butter, and I would strongly suggest substituting soy cheeses and yogurts for their dairy counterparts. This will help to promote sufficient moisture to the skin and tissues, as well as provide you with the anti-inflammatory benefits of EFAs.

Finally, you'll need to take a good, high-potency multi-nutrient if you follow these programs, due to the low amount of carbohydrates, which are often your best sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients.
 

***If You are Overly-Acidic***

For the many women who tend toward over-acidity, extended use of the Atkins, Zone, or Sugar Busters diets would be nothing short of a health tragedy. Overly acidic women need a more vegetarian emphasis. Therefore, a program such as Ornish's may work for you, but you will need to modify it so that 20 percent of your total caloric intake comes from EFAs in the form of healthy oils (olive oil, flaxseed oil, etc.).

You'll also need to add a little more animal-based protein in the form of fish, eggs, and free-range poultry, or at least include a well-balanced vegetarian protein powder that you can add to shakes or smoothies. Finally, you should take a good, high-potency multi-nutrient, and supplement with at least 300 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day, and 100-500 mg of B12 a day.

Best of health to you,

Susan Lark, M.D.