Atkins High Protein Diet

Whilst the Atkins diet is more commonly known as a ‘low carbohydrate diet', it is sometimes referred to as a ‘high protein diet', owing to the fact that high amounts of protein are a critical aspect of the Atkins diet.

So what are proteins and carbohydrates, and why are they so important to the Atkins diet?

Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of glucose, or energy. Energy the body needs to function properly. The downside to carbohydrates is what energy isn't burned by the body is stored as unwanted fat, and this is a process which happens very quickly. By consuming extremely low amounts of carbohydrates, the body adapts to the fat cells stored and begins to burn those to release glucose instead. This is the desired effect of the Atkins diet.

Carbohydrates come from foods such as rice, leafy green vegetables, potatoes, pasta (and other starches) and sugar.

Proteins are primarily muscle building and repairing nutrients. When somebody embarks on the Atkins diet, if they did so without sufficient proteins muscle mass would also be consumed by the body's metabolism. This is a negative effect – muscle mass must be maintained, and this is where protein comes in. By consuming a high amount of protein, the muscle then becomes protected as fat deposits are lost.

Proteins come from eggs, meat and milk.

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