Chemistry and the Atkins Diet For DummiesLets talk about chemistry and the Atkins diet. People generally know little about the chemistry of dieting, and by that I mean the chemical processes going on in your body when you're on a diet. Basic knowledge of the principles will help you understand how a particular diet is likely to work or not work and why some people are often concerned about particular diets like the low carb ones. So let me try to explain in simple terms about the body chemistry of a normal diet, before explaining the differences of body chemistry and the Atkins diet. The body is normally conditioned to use glucose as its main energy source. Glucose is obtained from the carbohydrate in your food. As well as carbohydrate you would normally expect to eat some protein and some fat. In the right proportions these make up what would constitute a balanced diet. The right proportions are generally regarded as 30% fat, 40% carbs, and 30% protein. Now on a low carb diet clearly the proportion of carbs in your diet is going to reduce substantially, and the chemistry of the atkins diet becomes important. When your body consumes a low quantity of carbohydrate it will have too little glucose to provide the energy it needs to function. So it has to look elsewhere for an energy source. This is when a process called 'ketosis' occurs. Ketosis is the name given to the process where your body converts fat into energy. Body fat is broken down by your liver to produce fatty acids called ketones. Your body can then use these ketones as the alternative energy source it needs. As mentioned above, ketones are essentially fatty acids and they travel around in the blood. Therefore a high level of ketones in your body can be dangerous as the acidity of your blood could go beyond the level your body can tolerate. This can lead to serious damage to your kidneys and your liver. It's for this reason that health professionals recommend that extreme low carb diets like the Adkins diet shouldn't be followed for periods of more than 14 days. For more information on low-carb diets and information on recommended suppliers of dietary supplements to help you maintain a balanced and healthy diet take a look at some of the main pages on our web site. Next article >> |
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