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All diets limit people in something–some suggest you stop eating once you hit a certain calorie count, while others cut gluten, dairy, red meat, etc. Many people find diets hard to follow for this reason, complaining about feeling hungry or deprived. The Atkins diet takes a different approach to weight loss, advertising that it “guides you to eat well–not less.” But what does the Atkins diet entail?
The Atkins diet was created in the 1960’s by cardiologist Robert Atkins. It is based on the idea that, instead of limiting calories for weight loss, limiting carbohydrates can lead to the same result. Instead of your body burning fat for energy, it would burn fat and boost metabolism (1). (It is the same line of thinking that the keto diet follows.)
Their approach allows participants to eat as many low carb foods as they’d like, without the need to count calories or control portion sizes. Instead, net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber content from the total carbs (2).
The Atkins diet consists of four phases, which begin restricting carbs to only 20 grams per day, and slowly adding more carbs until the fourth phase, which is meant to be maintained for life. The first and most restrictive phase of the diet is called the induction phase. (Note: People who follow the keto diet are virtually in the induction phase of the Atkins diet long-term.)
During the induction phase, the majority of your carbs are eaten in the form of vegetables. As you progress through the phases, though, you slowly add other forms of carbs, including beans, fruits, and whole grains.
In an effort to make the Atkins diet sustainable in the long-run, there are also different versions of the Atkins plan that increase/decrease the amount of carbs allotted per day, depending on your weight loss goals (3).
Because the Atkins diet contains four phases, the foods you can eat in the fourth (and most lenient) phase may not be the same foods you eat in the first phase. Below is a list of many of the foods that can be eaten on the Atkins diet, but note that you still need to count your carbs to ensure you are not going over the daily limit.
Foods that can be eaten on the Atkins diet include:
Meats: beef, pork, chicken, lamb, etc.
Fish and seafood: salmon, trout, sardines, etc.
Eggs
Low-carb vegetables: kale, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc.
Full-fat dairy: butter, cream, cheese, yogurt
Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
Healthy fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, etc.
Whole grains: brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, etc. (4)
Atkins meals typically revolve around a high-fat protein with a heaping side of vegetables and a small side of carbs (depending on the phase you’re in.)
Not many foods are off-limits in the Atkins diet. High carb foods are limited, including sugary foods, refined grains, and “diet” foods that typically contain a lot of sugar. However, depending on the phase of the diet you are in, these foods may be eaten in small quantities.
The Atkins diet has been both praised and criticized. Health benefits of the Atkins diet include weight loss, reversing the risk of heart disease/diabetes, and lowering blood pressure (2).
However, the Atkins diet is a high fat diet, which makes some doctors wary of saturated fat intake. Others note that the lack of carbs eaten usually means less fiber is being eaten, which may affect gut health and lower defenses against heart disease (4).
Like any diet, consult your doctor before starting the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet is not intrinsically alkaline or acidic. It encourages eating a mix of alkaline and acidic foods. One of the diet’s staples is protein, and both meat and eggs are acidic. Whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil can also be eaten on the diet, all of which are also acidic.
However, the diet also contains alkaline foods. Vegetables like kale and spinach are extremely high in alkalinity, and some nuts and seeds are also alkaline.
It is important to balance out overly acidic foods with alkaline foods. The Atkins diet makes this possible with its mix of alkaline and acidic foods, but some people want to go one step farther to ensure they are adding enough alkalinity to their diet. Swapping out your drinking water for alkaline water is a simple way to increase your alkaline intake, and it can be made at home easily through an alkalizing water filter.
The Atkins diet is a low-carb diet for weight loss. It is based on the idea that fat can be burned instead of carbs, so you do not need to limit your fat intake to lose weight. Protein sources like meat and eggs, vegetables, and nuts and seeds make up the majority of the Atkins diet, with carbs slowly being introduced as you progress through the phases of the diet. It is not explicitly alkaline or acidic, since the diet contains a variety of both alkaline and acidic foods.
What does the Atkins diet consist of?
The Atkins diet is a low carb diet. While it does not consist of counting calories, it does require counting carbs. The diet is a four phase plan, with the goal of keeping the weight off long-term.
What is a major problem with the Atkins diet?
Some concerns raised about the Atkins diet is that you are eating high amounts of saturated fats. Others note that eating less carbs means depriving your body of fiber.
Can I drink coffee on the Atkins diet?
Yes, you can drink coffee at any point on the Atkins diet.
References
Lisa Fields,WebMD,https://www.webmd.com/diet/atkins-diet-what-it-is
Mayo Clinic,https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/atkins-diet/art-20048485
Imashi Fernando, et. al.,Healthline,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/atkins-diet-101
