Atkins Diet - Is the Atkins Diet Healthy for Teens?
The Atkins Diet has been mired in controversy from the beginning, when Dr. Atkins first expounded on his theory that the rise in the proportion of carbohydrates in our diet corresponds with the rise in obesity levels.
While some of Atkins ideas about refined carbohydrates are on point - eating a lot of refined foods filled with corn syrup is definitely not a healthy way to eat - the overall diet plan is very restrictive and can be risky for growing teens who need a balanced diet to continue to develop their brains and their bodies.
Atkins first phase is very strict, allowing no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates. The idea is that your body goes into ketosis - and begins to burn body fat because it does not have fuel in the form of carbohydrates.
It is not recommended that a growing teen try this diet. It is find to reduce the intake of refined carbs, but they should still have a good balance of whole grains and healthy vegetables and fruits in the diet.
The other drawback to Atkins is the high fat content. Many people go overboard, eating bacon and eggs, steak, and other proteins high in fat because the diet "seems" to give them carte blanche to do so.
In fact, if you read the Atkins plan carefully, especially the meal plans, you can see that you are not given license to eat all the fat you want.
The healthiest diet for teens is one that is well-rounded nutionally with no food groups completely eliminated. This way you can ensure that your teen is getting the nutrition he or she needs to continue to develop physically and mentally.
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