I grew up in the late eighties where fat was bad, everything was low fat this low fat that, carbohydrates was the base for many diets, the notion that you could lose weight by cutting out carbohydrates and eating plenty of protein was scoffed by many experts. Many big companies jumped on the ban wagon and came out with fat free everything, shortly followed by the rise of obesity in many countries. The Atkins diet is not new; Dr. Robert Atkins has been preaching his idea since 1975 but was never given much thought. In the past few years, many studies have been done that pitted high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets against low-fat, high-carbohydrate. These trials show that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets worked more quickly than low-fat diets.

Why do high-protein, low-carb diets seem to work more quickly than low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets? First, chicken, beef, fish, beans, or other high-protein foods slow the movement of food from the stomach to the intestine. Slower stomach emptying means you feel full for longer and get hungrier later. Second, protein's gentle, steady effect on blood sugar avoids the quick, steep rise in blood sugar and just as quick hunger-bell-ringing fall that occurs after eating a rapidly digested carbohydrate, like white bread or baked potato. Third, the body uses more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat or carbohydrate. Eating only proteins is a bad idea. Avoiding fruits, vegetables, and whole grains means missing out on healthful fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients. Choosing high-protein foods that are low in saturated fat will help the heart even as it helps the waistline. Cutting back on highly processed carbohydrates and increasing protein improves levels of blood triglycerides and HDL, and so may reduce your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other form of cardiovascular disease. Too much protein, though, could weaken bones.