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High Fat Diets: Pros and Cons

High Fat Diets

  • A diet high in fat isn’t all bad, in fact, it can help you lose weight
  • According to the Atkins approach to dieting, the way to burn fat is by switching out sugary carbs for foods with higher fat content
  • Diets high in fat and low in carbs can lead to ketosis, or a process that basically turns your body into a fat burning machine


Food loaded with fat is the way to lose weight! For some people this statement may seem absurd, but it is true. In fact, this diet technique has been used by millions of people over the last two decades. One of the most popular professional nutritionists was Dr. Atkins, creator of the popular Atkins Diet. He wrote several bestselling books about his dieting strategy, including the “Atkins Nutritional Approach.”

The main idea behind this diet is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates that you consume. When the body doesn’t get enough energy through carbohydrates it starts to use other sources of energy. The kidneys always contain a certain amount of glucose that is converted into glycogen. Stopping carbohydrate consumption prevents the intake of glucose. Kidneys start to convert the glycogen back into glucose to normalize the level in the body. At the same time, lipolisys’ break down fat in fat cells, allowing fatty acids to enter the blood stream. After the stores of glycogen are depleted, the kidneys start to produce ketones from fatty acids synthesized from the lipolisys’. That way, ketones supply energy to the brain and muscles. Basically, the body switches its energy source from carbohydrates to fats, which causes the body to burn fat.

Pros of a high-fat diet

If the diet is properly followed, weight loss is guaranteed.

Also, stringent restrictions for this diet are limited. Carbohydrates are the only concern, so any other foods are fine to eat.

This diet is also good for many people whose bodies are intolerant of starchy foods.

Cons of a high-fat diet

High-fat diets lead to ketosis, which is can cause irritability, and can cause the kidneys to work harder. Ketosis is also known to cause heart palpitations and in some rare cases, cardiac arrest.

Another disadvantage is that high-fat diets lack many vital nutrients. By restricting carbohydrate intake, many plant-based foods, which are rich in health-promoting photochemicals and cell-protecting antioxidant, are also restricted.

High-fat diets affect the cardiovascular system as well. Increased saturated fat intake raises the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. In addition, some high-protein/low-carbohydrate diets limit intake of high-fiber plant foods, which can help lower cholesterol.

Another disadvantage is that often the weight lost during dieting comes back after the diet has ended. That happens because weight loss comes from wrong place. When glycogen is burned, water is secreted. So after you stop following the diet it comes back and so does the weight.

Many of these “high-fat diets” originated in the United States and became very popular. Interesting, obesity rates in U.S. at the height of their popularity in the 1990s, rose from 12 to 21 percent. That rate is still rising.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.

3 Responses to “High Fat Diets: Pros and Cons”

  1. 1
    Frank Says:
    I should add, there are also two carb loadings per week plus up to 20 grams of carbs 3 times a day on non carb load days, which may eliminate some other concerns. This will take you less deep into fat burning but it is a fat burning diet.
  2. 2
    Frank Says:
    Here is a list of vegetables to be eaten in moderation when making the metabolic shift to fat burning: cabbage, celery, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, spinach, onions, garlic, asparagus, radicchio, mushrooms, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, avocado and radishes. Once the shift has been made larger amounts can be eaten. It makes this way of eating much more appealing and healthier. There are also increased hormone releases. Very good. This should be done for life, not just to diet weight off. “Natural Hormonal Enhancement” is the book this information comes from. The book is a review of scientific evidence.
  3. 3
    Kat Says:
    Sounds to me like high fat diets are simply not a good way to go. What they are saying about the body switching from one area to another to get its energy, however, makes sense so I can see where a modified higher fat diet could work for someone without compromising their body and the way it works.