Atkins v Noakes dieting debate

WITH South Africans in their droves adopting strict high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets, detractors, most notably academics in the health sciences, are voicing concern about the health risks of following the diet for an extended period of time.

Dean of the faculty of health sciences at UCT, Wim de Villiers, has been particularly vocal, stating in an open letter: "While the consumption of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet might lead to initial weight loss, there is 'good reason' to believe it could result in nutritional deficiencies, and increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, kidney problems, constipation and some cancers."

Justin Strout of Atkins SA has added his voice to the escalating debate. "For too long, the misconception has been that Atkins restricts all carbohydrates, leaving users to fill up on fats and hearty proteins. In reality, the Atkins approach has always been about limiting, not eliminating, carbohydrates."

When people think of Atkins, they only think of the first of its four phases, "induction", which restricts carbohydrates to 20 net carbohydrates a day. After induction, users work up to their carbohydrate tolerance, somewhere between 80 and 120g of carbohydrates a day. The key is to establish a carbohydrate level low enough for the body to switch to burning fat over carbohydrates.

While advocating a low-carbohydrate diet, the Atkins approach promotes a wider range of "lean protein, good carbohydrates and good fats".