Are High Protein Diets Really Safe?
Many Americans have followed a wide variety of high protein diets that restrict the body of valuable nutrients. Popular high protein diets include Atkins, zone, protein power, stillmans diet and sugar busters. Most of these diets concentrate on increasing protein intake by consuming foods like meat, eggs and cheese.
According to the American Heart Association, high protein diets are not recommended for weight loss. The reason behind this is due to some of the following facts:
Protein diets violate nutritionally balanced eating- By providing your body with a balanced diet that is low in saturated fats, your body would be better equipped to loose weight and keep it off.
Protein diets are high in cholesterol and saturated fats- High protein diets can increase the risks of heart disease and cholesterol.
Overloading on protein can cause bone decay and puts added pressure on your kidneys- Excess protein can increase your risks of osteoporosis, because your body would not be able to absorb the calcium that is consumed. When you consume large quantities of protein your body has to eliminate more urea, which is a by product of protein. This pressurises your kidneys because they have to work faster and on a more regular basis to aid digestion.
High protein diets tend to forbid vegetables that can reduce the risk of heart disease - Vegetables like broccoli, spinach and green leafy vegetables can provide your body with a wide range of nutrients that can prevent heart disease.
Remember to keep in mind that high protein diets only seem to work because they starve your body of water, by eliminating carbohydrates. Therefore, the weight you might loose would only be water weight and not fat. This means that when you eventually switch back to a regular diet, in a matter of weeks your weight will increase rapidly.
