The Atkins diet is characterized by eating low-carbohydrate foods like meats, nuts, and vegetables. Carbohydrates like grains, sugars, and fruits are limited.
There has been some debate about whether or not the Atkins diet is beneficial for heart health.
Here are some things you need to know about the Atkins diet and heart health.
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1. Followers of the Atkins diet lose weight, often doing so faster than those following other types of diets.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, low-carb dieters lost 8 pounds more than those on low-fat diets after one year.
2. Atkins dieters also see their bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides drop, while their good cholesterol (HDL) levels may rise slightly,
according to Dr. Axel F. Sigurdsson at Doc’s Opinion.
High cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease.
3. The Atkins diet does not require participants to keep track of how much fat they eat.
The high-fat nature of the diet does not seem to increase heart disease risk according to most studies.
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4. Eating more fat can help dieters stay full longer, decreasing their appetites and helping them stay on the diet.
5. It is possible to eat a vegetarian version of the Atkins diet, which focuses on plant-based fat and protein sources like beans, nuts, and seeds.
A vegetarian version of Atkins or a focus on only leaner proteins will avoid the negative impacts of traditional Atkins, although it will be even more difficult to follow.
6. But one study by nuclear cardiologist Dr. Richard Fleming
cited in Nutrition Facts found that a year after putting 26 patients on a healthy vegetarian diet, there was evidence of poorer arterial function in 10 of those patients.
All of the patients with stiffer arteries had switched to a low-carb diet during the study.
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