Reduce Heart Risk using Eco-Atkins Diet

The “Eco-Atkins” diet; a high-protein, low carbohydrate, but entirely vegan-eating plan did a few tweaks to the latest Atkins regime and hit the “anti-meat” market.

According to a recent study published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, overweight adults who consumed a high-protein, entirely vegan diet were able to lose about the same amount of weight as a comparison group of dieters on a high-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetarian dairy diet. (Each group lost on average of just less than nine pounds).

However, while those on the high-carbohydrate dairy diet experienced drops of 12 percent in their LDL cholesterol, those on the high protein vegan diet saw cholesterol reductions of 20 percent.

Participants in the “eco-Atkins” group garnered their protein from gluten, soy, seitan, nuts and cereals as well as fruits, vegetables and vegetable oil (all vegan sources). The comparison group ate a more traditional high-carbohydrate but vegetarian diet that included dairy and eggs and was closely modeled on the DASH diet, an eating plan designed to lower hypertension.

Experts suggest the Eco-Atkins diet may be a potentially safer low-carb diet for people with heart problems.