Atkins diet, otherwise also known as Atkins nutritional approach, is a high protein, low carbohydrate developed by Robert Atkins. As part of the Atkins diet food list protein rich foods such as red meat, poultry and fish are recommended while white flour and refined sugar are restricted. Foods included in the Atkins diet vary according to phase. For example in Atkins diet phase 1 people are inducted into the diet and allowed to eat a balanced mixture of fat and protein with no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates allowed per day. This protein rich diet resulted in a slew of popular recipes being modified to fit into the Atkins diet plan, some of these are Beef Filet with Bacon and Gorgonzola Butter , Barbecue Pulled Pork, Baked chicken with Artichokes, Barbecue Glazed Ham and Beef Tenderloin.
History of the Atkins Diet Plan
Atkins diet is based on research material published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Robert Atkins after creating the Atkins diet first used it to reduce his excess weight. He then proceeded to write many books based on the Atkins diet. These books helped popularize the Atkins diet plan and since then it has been used by many people as a weight loss tool. There are several misconceptions regarding Atkins diet plan, and the Atkins diet food list, one of which is that dieters can eat an unlimited amount of meaty products.
Dietary Laws Governing the Atkins Diet
Atkins diet and the Atkins diet food list is centered on the theory that the body needs more calories to burn fat and therefore calories that are eaten can be expended easily. While on the Atkins diet metabolism of the body is switched so that it burns stored fat more often than it does glucose. Based on this people on the Atkins diet plan are encouraged to eat specific foods which comprise the Atkins diet food list. These foods can be vegetarian or non vegetation and some examples found in the Atkins diet pyramid include shell fish, beef steak, olives and salads without any salad dressing.
Phases of the Atkins Diet Plan
Atkins diet is made up of four phases, starting with Atkins diet phase 1 the induction phase, phase 2 the ongoing weight loss phase, then is the pre-maintenance phase and the last is the lifetime maintenance phase. Each of these phases is created to deal with various stages of weight loss when people use the Atkins diet. The induction phase or phase one is all important and it can last from 14 days to one year, during which nuts are seeds are limited and people are weaned off caffeine and other carbonated drinks. During Atkins diet phase 1, constipation should be avoided and adequate water should be consumed. Since the body is adjusting to Atkins diet phase 1 here it is vital to make good food choices. It is also important during Atkins diet phase 1 to include a fair amount of natural fat such as butter in meals.
Health Benefits of Atkins Diet Food List
Ever since its introduction the effectiveness of this diet and its side effects have been debated widely. Some studies claim that the Atkins diet food list is ineffective as a weight loss method, causes cardiovascular diseases and high LDL cholesterol levels, while others make contrary claims. Many studies have even been conducted on the efficacy of the Atkins diet plan and the medical benefits it provides, and they have also thrown up contradictory results.
