Focus on Healthy Eating

Popular Diets: Which One Will Work for You?

An estimated 65 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese. Dieting in hope of shedding excess pounds has become a way of life for many of us. Diet books purporting to be the magic bullet for weight loss abound on any store bookshelf.

The dilemma - which diet works the best?

Popular diets weigh in
Very low carbohydrate, high protein: Some call it a meat-eater's dream due to the higher amounts of protein and fat allowed on the diet. This diet is highly restrictive in carbohydrates (bread, rice and pasta), particularly early in the program. These diets are based on the idea that cutting out carbohydrates and eating higher amounts of protein and fat will regulate insulin levels and lead to weight loss, as well as reduced hunger and food cravings.

Potential benefits: Many people lose weight successfully on these diets in the short term, perhaps because of reduced hunger. It is not clear, however, whether the weight loss is maintained after six months.

What experts say: Emerging research suggests that eating higher protein (up to 35% of total calories) may have some benefits including loss of body fat, increased weight loss and increased satiety.

These early results are promising for weight loss but the long-term benefits and health consequences of higher protein and fat diets have not been determined. Most respected health organizations still recommend eating lean protein and lower fat dairy foods along with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains for optimal health.

Very low fat: Very low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets consist mainly of beans, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and non-fat dairy products. This diet is based on the idea that the key to weight loss is cutting out fat, which is higher in calories than carbohydrate or protein.

Potential benefits: Some scientific studies have shown that this diet leads to weight loss when combined with exercise; very low saturated fat diets may improve heart health in some people. In others, a very low-fat diet may increase their heart disease risk factors.

What experts say: Extremely low-fat, vegetarian diets have reversed heart disease in clinical trials but are very difficult to stick to for some people. Very low-fat diets may also increase triglycerides and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol. Neither of which is good for people at risk for heart disease. A moderately low-fat diet offers a relatively easy weight loss approach for many people and is still recommended by the American Heart Association for people with heart disease.

Carbohydrate, protein and fat in specific amounts: These diets claim that eating a certain ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fat (e.g. 40 percent of calories from complex carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from fats) will help you lose weight and prevent disease by regulating your hormones.

Potential benefits: Many people lose weight successfully on higher protein diets in the short term and claim that they are not hungry.

What experts say: Evidence demonstrating that balancing hormones by eating the certain amounts of food will lead to weight loss or cure disease may be exaggerated. It is based on the presumption that everyone is at risk for imbalanced hormones. In fact, most people are adept at balancing hormone levels (such as insulin) on a variety of diets.

Low fat, high carbohydrate: This diet is based on a large body of scientific evidence and promotes eating a variety of foods to obtain all of the important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed for good health using the food pyramid as a guide.

Potential benefits: A diet low in fat and higher in carbohydrate may reduce risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer.

What experts say: Eating a wide variety of foods from all food groups in the right amounts based on the USDA's MyPyramid food guidance system is a practical way to maintain a healthy weight and prevent disease in the long term.

More about low carb diets
Researchers at Tufts University compared four popular diets (excluding any exercise component) and found that despite their profoundly different approaches to weight loss, all four diets successfully helped people shed pounds and lowered risk of heart disease.

The one snag - you have to stay on the diets to see results, not just dabble and stop. Two studies published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed high drop-out rates among dieters on a very low-carbohydrate diet as well as those on a plan that cut calories but allowed more carbohydrates.

Although the low-carbohydrate group lost a lot more weight the first half of the year, after that they started regaining weight and gained it back faster than the group consuming a greater amount of carbohydrates. At the end of the year, there were no major differences between the two groups.

There is also little known about the long-term health consequences of low-carb diets. In these diets, carbs are replaced by fat and protein. Over time, high fat consumption, especially saturated fat, can increase your risk of heart disease and some cancers. High protein intake over long periods may eventually lead to kidney problems. Keep those risks in mind if you do try a low-carb diet, especially if you have a family history of heart disease or kidney problems.

Which diet works best?
A healthy diet provides vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed to keep your body healthy and functioning properly. That means eating a wide variety of foods from all food groups because each food group contributes unique combinations of specific nutrients.

The reason many diets "work," at least in the short term, is not due to a specific combination of nutrients but because fewer calories are eaten.

The bottom line: If you eat fewer calories than you use, you will lose weight. Eating a variety of foods including lean protein and lower fat dairy foods along with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is still recommended for optimal health.

Tips to help you shed pounds and keep them off for good

Visit Dairy Council of California's sister site, Meals Matter and search for recipes to match the eating plan that works for you!

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