Dieting has been popular for the last hundred years or so. Among the most popular are low-carb diets. But is this method of losing weight really the most sustainable in the long run?
Not many know that there are other healthier methods of losing weight such as long-term fasting.
In today’s article, I’ll focus on the most popular fad diets – low-carb diets and compare them with long-term fasting.
This is the second article – a part of a series in April when I’ll be comparing the most popular fad diets with long-term fasting.
To refresh your memory, we’ll be going through the following fad diets in the series:
- Diets claiming to have fasting in them – the most popular being: Intermittent fasting and 5:2 Diet
- Low-carb diets, seem to be the most popular. I’ve decided to take a closer look at the following: Keto diet, Atkins diet, Gluten-free diet, South Beach diet
- Diets based on fruit and vegetables – the most popular among them being: the Paleo diet, Mediterranean diet, and Flexitarian diet.
- Other focussed diets – these have none of the above specifics and are using other techniques. Here, I’ve chosen four of the most popular: The alkaline diet, the Weight Watchers diet, the Whole 30 diet, and the Raw food diet.
Low-carb diets, seem to be the most popular. I’ve decided to take a closer look at the following: Keto diet, Atkins diet, Gluten-free diet, South Beach diet
You can read about the comparison between Diets claiming to have fasting in them here.
You can also brush up on the meaning of the term fasting.
As in the first article, I’ll be looking at the following criteria when comparing the low-carb diets to the Breuss long-term fasting:
- The characteristics of each diet
- It’s benefits
- Difficulties keeping up with it
- It’s sustainability over a longer period
- Comparison to the Breuss long-term fast
Low-carb diets
I’ll take a closer look at the following diets:
- Keto diet,
- Atkins diet,
- Gluten-free diet and,
- South Beach diet
Keto Diet
Characteristics:
- The ketogenic diet focuses on a significant reduction in carbohydrate intake, typically to less than 50 grams per day, and a high consumption of fats
- This way the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates
Benefits:
- The high-fat content and ketone production may help suppress appetite, leading to reduced calorie intake
- Some people report increased mental clarity and focus while on the ketogenic diet
- Can help stabilize blood sugar levels, making it beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance
- It may have benefits for conditions like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers
Difficulties:
- The diet may lead to nutrient deficiencies if not carefully planned, as it restricts many food groups rich in essential vitamins and minerals
- Not everyone responds the same way to the ketogenic diet, and its effectiveness and sustainability can vary widely among individuals
To learn more about the Keto diet, this article is a good place to start.
Atkins diet
Characteristics:
- It is a low-carb diet that emphasizes restricting carbohydrates to promote weight loss and improve overall health.
- It typically consists of four phases: Induction, Balancing, Pre-Maintenance, and Maintenance, each gradually reintroducing carbohydrates
- While on this diet you consume high-protein foods and healthy fats and limit carbohydrates
Benefits:
- Proponents claim it can lead to rapid weight loss by promoting ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel
- It’s flexible in meal planning, allowing you to tailor your food choices based on personal preferences and dietary needs
- Besides weight loss, it may improve blood sugar control, triglyceride levels, and HDL cholesterol
- By limiting carbohydrates, it reduces sugar intake, which may be beneficial for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance
Difficulties:
- You can experience initial side effects such as fatigue, constipation, or bad breath due to the drastic reduction in carbohydrates
- While effective for short-term weight loss, the long-term sustainability and safety of the Atkins Diet remain debated among health experts
To learn more about the Atkins diet, this article is a good place to start.
Gluten-free diet
Characteristics:
- A gluten-free diet involves eliminating foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye
- It’s the primary treatment for celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten ingestion
- Encourages consumption of naturally gluten-free foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and gluten-free grains such as quinoa and rice
- Includes gluten-free substitutes for traditional gluten-containing foods, like gluten-free bread, pasta, and flour
Benefits:
- It can alleviate symptoms in individuals with gluten sensitivity or intolerance, such as digestive issues, fatigue, and skin problems
Difficulties:
- This may lead to deficiencies in certain nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and iron if not properly planned
- Dining out can be challenging due to potential cross-contamination and limited gluten-free options at restaurants
- Adherence to a gluten-free diet can pose social challenges and feelings of isolation, particularly in social gatherings involving food
- Gluten-free products are often more expensive than their gluten-containing counterparts, impacting the affordability and accessibility of the diet
- The sustainability of a gluten-free diet over the long term may be influenced by factors such as cost, availability of gluten-free products, and nutritional adequacy
To learn more about the Atkins diet, this article is a good place to start.
South Beach diet
Characteristics:
- The South Beach Diet is a low-carb diet that emphasizes lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates
- It consists of three phases: Phase 1 is the most restrictive, focusing on eliminating sugar and refined carbs; Phase 2 gradually reintroduces healthy carbs; Phase 3 is the maintenance phase
- It promotes eating nutrient-dense foods while limiting processed and sugary items
- Encourages the consumption of healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil and advocates for whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins
- It aims for balanced nutrition, ensuring adequate intake of essential nutrients while limiting refined carbs and sugars
Benefits:
- It’s designed to improve heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases
- Promotes a sustainable, long-term approach to healthy eating, focusing on moderation and portion control rather than strict deprivation
- Offers flexibility with food choices, allowing for personalization based on individual preferences and lifestyle
Difficulties:
- While it provides a structured plan, its long-term sustainability may vary depending on adherence to healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes
To learn more about the Atkins diet, this article is a good place to start.
Comparison of the Low-carb diets with the Breuss long-term fast
Unlike Intermittent fasting, low-carb diets have nothing in common with long-term fasting in terms of the process.
With long-term fasting, you don’t ingest solid food for 3-6 weeks.
With low-carb diets the eating is regular, omitting certain food groups – in this case, carbohydrates.
I’ve written extensively about the benefits of long-term fasting in my previous articles.
The only comparison I can make is about the benefits and the sustainability.
Benefits:
Most of the low-carb diets claim significant improvement in health and weight loss.
This is similar although not as drastic as in long-term fasting.
The only difference is, that long-term fasting is done over 3-6 weeks (depending on your motivation) and the results in weight loss and health improvement are immediate (you lose 1-1,8 kg the first day), whereas low-carb diets need a significant amount of time to show any substantial results.
Sustainability:
No deprivation of any type of food is good for us in the long term.
All low-carb diets admit long-term sustainability is questionable.
This is also true for long-term fasting. You can only do one long-term fast per year. Which is more than enough to clean your body of toxins, and lower your weight sustainably (my last 3-week long fast I lost 18 kg – about 40 lb).
The conclusion
I’ve tried my fair share of fad diets in my 40+ years, but after discovering the long-term fasting method of Dr. Breuss, I’ve left all of them behind.
Why deprive myself of any kind of food group if I can eat all of them in a healthy dose?
The one diet I have been keen to stick to is Intermittent fasting. This is the same as long-term fasting but on an hourly scale not weekly. You can read about the comparison with long-term fasting in this article.
In next week’s article, I’ll tackle the next group of fad diets: Diets based on fruit and vegetables.
Until next time, stay curious,
Ann
