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The Environmently Friendly Version of Atkins Eco-Atkins

By: Peter Whittington Atkins is one of the most popular diets ever created and medical research may also suggest that it is one of the most effective.

Medical Research

Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., and colleagues at Stanford University conducted an NCCAM-funded study of 311 overweight or obese pre-menopausal women. Four different diets including Atkins were used for the test and the women were randomly allocated to a diet. The Atkins group came out on top with an average weight loss of just over 10 pounds in the 12 month period.This group also had the most favourable metabolic effects.

Duke University Medical School

A study conducted at Duke University Medical School of 120 overweight volunteers, had patients following either an American Heart Association low-fat plan or the Atkins diet. Atkins dieters also took multivitamins and fish oil capsules. The study rusults after six months, the Atkins dieters had lost 31 pounds and the low-fat dieters had lost 20 pounds. For the low-fat group,Total cholesterol went down 6% vs. 4% for the Atkins group. Low fat dieters had a 22% drop in triglycerides and no increase in HDL, or "good" cholesterol. The Atkins dieters had a 49% drop in triglycerides and an 11% increase in HDL.

Health Impact

The long term health impact of eating red meat concerns many health professionals. The Washington D.C. based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) suggests that the protein heavy Atkins diet places those who follow it at risk. Thsy suggest that "High protein diets may cause permanent loss of kidney function;" and "meat-heavy diets significantly increase one's risk of colon cancer and osteoporosis."

Carcinogens can be caused by eating burnt meat. Many people like to eat their meat well done.

The Solution.

Many people believe that Atkins is bacon and red meat. Red meat is on the diet but there are many other other lean protein sources available.

A high vegetable protein and vegetable fat version of Atkins has been developed by the University of Toronto. The diet is called the Low Carbohydrate Portfolio or "Eco-Atkins" Diet.

The purpose was to exchange of the butter, eggs, cheese and meat in the Atkins diet for soy protein foods, other vegetable proteins including gluten and vegetable fats, nuts, avocado, olive and canola oil will result in dramatic rather than modest reductions in blood lipids with weight loss. In effect this will represent an exchange of saturated fat and animal protein for healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and vegetable proteins with significant effects on blood lipids while still encouraging weight loss.

Other Gains

Environmental Affect

Almost 6 tonnes of methane emissions annually is the result of one person eating fourteen servers of red meat per week.

Fast foods, snacks and processed meals are usually processed using large amounts of energy. For the average Western diet, it takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to create just one calorie of food energy. That's a whopping 3000 calories worth of fossil-fuel energy for a packet or crisps.

A 2% increase in fuel economy can be had by decreasing the weight in your car by 50 Kgs. Even Richard Branson recently signed a pledge to lose at least 6kgs in weight before taking a flight in one of his exclusive new fuel-efficient aircrafts.

The Eco-Atkins is a great way to save the world whilst you save yourself

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

You can mix environmental consciousness with weight loss. Diet food can be enviromentally sound. Drop weight and help Mother Nature. Refer to Environmentally Friendly Atkins

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