The Effects of an Atkins Diet on High Cholesterol
Even though a lot of fatty and protein rich foods are eaten on the Atkins diet, the program tends to have a positive effect on cholesterol. It does not increase cholesterol; in fact, Atkins diet can lower cholesterol because it leads to improvements in the "good" cholesterol (HDL). Some of the dietary options on an Atkins diet are naturally high in cholesterol, and lead to fears about the risks of heart disease. However, the Atkins diet has so far shown to have no initial negative effects on high cholesterol levels. The reductions to high cholesterol when using the Atkins diet is thought to be linked with the weight loss itself.
As opposed to results found on a low-fat diet, high cholesterol levels show greater improvement on Atkins diet. However, there are no studies that have proven the long term effects of the Atkins diet on high cholesterol. Overall, it is generally believed that the Atkins diet raises "good" cholesterol levels and lowers "bad" cholesterol levels (LDL) on a short-term basis. The Atkins diet is considered to be a fairly healthy and effective diet for a certain amount of time, but it should not be used as a life plan for most folks. The longer the diet is maintained, the higher the risk of diseases and other health problems. The same can be said for any diet that restricts entire food groups.
Is the Atkins Diet a High Cholesterol Eating Plan?
When considering the core value of the diet and the base of the food pyramid, the Atkins diet is surely a high cholesterol eating plan. Nevertheless, as a short-term plan it does not raise cholesterol levels; instead it raises the amount of "good" cholesterol in the body and adjusts the ratio of HDL to LDL. As a long-term diet however, the Atkins plan can have a certain amount of negative effects like increasing heart problems and high cholesterol.
As the body produces most of the cholesterol in your system, it makes little difference to exclude it entirely from your eating plans. While it can be possible to reduce cholesterol levels by adjusting your diet, completely eliminating saturated fat and cholesterol is not the answer, and can actually lead to further health problems. To summarize, yes, the Atkins diet is a food plan that is full of high cholesterol but cholesterol is a necessary part of nutrients we require on a daily basis. At least for short-term use, the benefits of losing weight seem to far outweigh the other factors of this diet plan.
