Dieters warned of health risks
TIM Noakes, the controversial professor from the University of Cape Town's Sports Science Institute, has ignited an eating rebellion which has seen thousands of South Africans converting to his "banting diet" with the zealousness akin to a cult following.
But herein lies the problem – Noakes's new dieting regime is not designed for the average "South African-Joe". It is a specific eating plan, intended for diabetics and those at risk of developing type-2 diabetes, whose bodies have lost the ability to control their blood sugar levels, and not for the mainstream, says nutritional advisor Patrick Holford.
The nutrition guru has released a media statement advocating a low GL approach to healthy eating – where slow-releasing carbohydrates are eaten together with proteins and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds. In it, he says the "banting" diet is not sustainable in the long term.
"The reason why this approach works is that these very low carb diets really do stabilise your blood sugar and that's the key. While it is a step in the right direction, it isn't enough to make a big difference in the long term. One step further is the low-GL diet, which factors in both the quality of carbs and the quantity, which has the net effect of stabilising blood sugar but without the extreme restriction on carbohydrates," says Holford.
"By eating a carbohydrate-free, or very low carb diet, a diabetic may be able to kick-start the correct functioning of the pancreas, which controls the levels of insulin in the bloodstream," he said.
However, Holford cautioned that this type of extreme diet is only advised for a few weeks and under strict medical supervision, as the very real risks associated with a very low-carbohydrate diet include breast cancer, decreased bone mass, added stress on the kidneys and low moods, as we rely on carbohydrates for energy "to feel good".
Back here in South Africa, Noakes, who discovered four years ago he is "carbohydrate-resistant" with a predisposition to developing adult-onset diabetes, thanks to his genetics and to years of advocating a high-carbohydrate, low fat approach to health, switched to the "banting" way of life.
He then reported a significant improvement in his health and is at his lightest weight in more than 20 years.
His book The Real Meal Revolution has reportedly sold more than 100000 copies and created a dieting-regime adopted by young and old throughout South Africa.
However, last week a study by Stellenbosch University declared the "banting" diet no more effective for weight loss than other diets. Published in the international PLOS ONE journal, the study reviewed the results of 19 international scientific trials which found Noakes's "banting" diet neither healthier nor better for weight loss than a balanced weight-loss plan.
Following the findings, both the Heart and Stroke Foundation of SA and the Association for Dietetics in SA, and various other health groups, including the Scientific Advisory Board on Weight Management in the UK, of which Holford is a member, have issued warnings of possible health risks associated with this diet.
Noakes himself agrees the diet is not for everyone.
