Introduction
Some diets have been created and adopted by people over the centuries. For example there is the Mediterranean diet originating from the locals of the Mediterranean Basin, the Optimal Diet originating from Poland, the South Beach diet which was initially meant to help reduce heart disease, and numerous other diets. In the following paragraphs, the pros and cons of the Low Carbohydrate and High Fat diets will be shed light upon and an inference will be drawn as to whether or not Low Carbohydrate & High Fat Diets are truly feasible or not.
Before adopting a diet and deciding upon adapting one’s lifestyle in accordance to a specific diet, it is necessary to evaluate the amount of commitment that one is willing to give to the diet. For instance, bringing down food consumption level altogether can have adverse effects on the health of a person. Therefore, current eating habits should be precisely measured and the new diet should be steadily integrated into the day to day activities.
Low carbohydrate diets
Low carbohydrate diets are designed to limit the consumption of carbohydrates by the body. A low carbohydrate diet is usually adopted when a reduction in body weight is desired or in cases where a medical complication renders the body incapable of digesting complex carbohydrates. High carbohydrate levels can be found in edibles such as butter, sugar and potatoes.
One of the principal purposes of a low carbohydrate diet is to regulate the blood sugar level of the body. This is why doctors around the world recommend low carbohydrate diets to all of their Diabetes patients.
This particular diet is administered by instigating a sharp decrease in the consumption of carbohydrates, causing the body to enter a state of metabolism commonly referred to as ketosis. In ketosis, the body functions by using the fuel that it attains from burning up the fat already present in the body (Web MD, 2008). This process causes a reduction in the fat stores of the body.
Of course, food consumption is carefully monitored during a low carbohydrate diet and consumption volume varies from person to person depending upon their body mass index and the level of insulin in their body.
High Fat Diets
A high fat diet is often observed to attain a relief from obesity. Also, a high-fat low-carbohydrate diet is often combined to form a particular diet referred to as a Ketogenic Diet. The Ketogenic Diet is more than often used while treating patients who have epilepsy and with children suffering from epilepsy in particular. This particular diet is designed to function in a manner that puts the subject through partial starvation.
A High fat diet has come under so much research and study that German doctors have considered using it as a tool to fight cancer (Friebe, 2007). Scientific evidence over the decades has pointed towards a direct proportionality between the variance of people diagnosed with cancer and people who exercise the high fat diets.
Because of their intense requirement upon the body, it is usually observed that high fat diets are generally adopted more readily in colder regions as compared to regions with tropical climate conditions. Also, high fat diets are commonly adopted by some people engaged in activities involving a lot of physical exertion to increase stamina (Kolasinski, 2007). Yet the authenticity of whether or not a High Fat Diet is effective for such individuals remains undetermined and research continues.
Health risks of Low Carbohydrate & High Fat Diets
Low carbohydrate diets discourage the consumption of carbohydrate rich food items while encouraging protein rich food items. For the same reason, experts argue that a low carbohydrate diet is not as effective as it is suggested to be because if the ultimate objective is that of reduction of fat, then a more appropriate way is to avoid consumption of carbohydrate rich food items once the required insulin level of the body has been attained (Collins, A., 2007). Low carbohydrate diets are often criticized to be too much protein reliant and fiber deficient in their content.
People consuming High fat diets are observed to be more vulnerable to the side effects of stress (Science Daily, 2007). High fat diets are also held responsible for the development of cancer, responsible for strain on the kidneys and even found to be responsible for strokes in some cases as well.
Low Carbohydrate and High Fat Diets are generally observed to cause the body to undergo drastic weight loss. However the debate of whether or not High-fat and Low-carbohydrate diets are good for the health of a person in the overall impact that they have is still roaring and studies continue to establish if High-fat and Low-Carbohydrate diets are as effective as they are claimed to be.
Conclusion
Low Carbohydrate and High Fat Diets have an extensive following, but the question of whether or not their benefits outweigh their side effects remains a controversial question and one that is still asks for further study and research. For the time being however, it is safe to conclude that these diets have their positive effects only as long as they are carefully monitored and not overdone.
References
Collins, A. (2007). Low Carb Diet Dangers, Health Risks. Web.
Friebe, R. (2007). Can a High Fat Diet Beat Cancer. Web.
Kolasinski, S. (2007). FIT – News & Events. Web.
Science Daily. (2007). A Steady, High-fat Diet Is Bad, But The News Gets Worse. Web.
Web MD. (2008). What are high-protein and low-carb diets? Web.