High Protein Diet Plan

Diets that completely restrict the intake of one type of food products while recommending the excess intake of another type of food cannot be healthy. This is the view expressed by the American Heart Association. While there may be quick weight loss the body is being starved of some very essential nutrients. In the long run this can cause many serious health hazards such as coronary problems.

Diets which have been squarely criticized are the high protein diet plans popularly used by majority of Americans such as the Atkins and the Stillman diets, the Zone and Protein Power diets and also the Sugar Buster diet.
Almost all of these diets completely restrict the intake of carbohydrates and sugar while substantially increasing the intake of protein and fat.

They believe that the introduction of excess protein in the body with no sugar to digest it compels the body to use its fat reserves.
But in the process nutritional fruits and vegetables are also restricted which are very important sources of vitamins .

The dramatic weight loss caused by these diets is because of the body’s usage of glycogen in the absence of carbs and sugar. But glycogen is a major source of water retention in the body. As a result low carb diets inevitably cause the repletion of bodily fluids.

A condition called ketosis which is marked by a loss of appetite and nausea which is caused due to the presence of substances called ketones in the blood stream; is directly related to the high intake of protein.
Meats and chicken which form a crucial part of low carb diets are not only high in protein but also saturated fat.

Excess intake of saturated fat is a major cause of health concerns such as heart conditions and strokes. The high intake of protein also causes kidney problems with the excess secretion of creatinine. It is also responsible for diabetes, liver and bone problems.
According to research conducted by the American Heart Association, the ideal amount of fat consumption is as follows
From Fat- less than 35% of the total daily calorie intake
Saturated Fat- About 7% of the total daily calorie intake
Trans Fat- below 1% of the total daily calorie intake

When on a low carb diet the intake of fat is a lot more than mentioned above because of the inclusion of foods containing high amounts of saturated fat. Also without the consumption of carbohydrates these fats are not digested completely.
Since most low carb diets do not allow the consumption of vegetables and fruits rich in fiber the body doesn’t get its daily requirement of essential mineral such as calcium found in fruits, potassium found in many vegetables and magnesium.

However since the intake of salt stays constant there is an increase in the amount of sodium in the body. This may lead to an increase in blood pressure.

The right way for C is to follow a healthy well balanced diet without overeating or consuming too much of one type of nutrient. Limit the intake of sugar in the form deserts and colas, fat from fried foods and starch from potatoes etc. Couple this with daily exercise and very soon you will find yourself a few pounds lighter without any side effects.