Zero-Carb Diet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Zero-carb diet is described as human carnivorism. It excludes dietary consumption of all carbohydrates and suggests fat as the main source of energy with sufficient protein. A zero-carb diet is also a form of a ketogenic diet, any diet causing the body to go into a state of ketosis.[citation needed] It uses mainly animal source foods.
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[edit] History
The earliest and primary proponent of an all animal-based diet was Vilhjalmur Stefansson, an Icelandic explorer who lived with the Inuit for some time and who witnessed their diet as essentially consisting of meat and fish, with very few carbohydrates during the summer in the form of berries. Stefansson and a friend later volunteered for a one year experiment at Bellevue Hospital in New York to prove that he could thrive on a diet of nothing but meat, meat fat and internal organs of animals.[1] His progress was closely monitored and experiments were done on his health throughout the year. At the end of the year, he did not show any symptoms of ill health; he did not develop scurvy, which many scientists had expected to manifest itself only a few months into the diet due to the lack of Vitamin C in muscle meat. However, Stefansson and his partner did not eat just muscle meat - they ate fat, brain, liver, and other varieties of "meat."[2]
[edit] Criticism
According to Alexander Ströhle, Maike Wolters and Andreas Hahn,[3] hunters like the Inuits, who traditionally obtain most of their dietary energy from wild animals and therefore eat a low-carbohydrate diet[4] seem to have a high mortality from coronary heart disease.[5]
[edit] Precautions
- The lack of any dietary fiber in a completely carnivorous diet can result in constipation if not supplemented.[6]
- Increased consumption of processed animal protein as a substitute for carbohydrates has been linked to Cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Risk is higher with the increased consumption of ground beef such as that found in hamburgers.[7]
- There is convincing evidence that consumption of processed meat, as well as beef, pork, lamb, and goat from domesticated animals is a cause of colorectum cancer.[8]
- Limiting fruits, starchy vegetables, whole grains, and legumes inherently means limiting the vitamins and plant phytonutrients that can only be obtained from those foods. See the article on Nutrition.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ jbc.org
- ^ biblelife.org
- ^ Ströhle A, Wolters M, Hahn A. (January 2007). "Carbohydrates and the diet-atherosclerosis connection--more between earth and heaven. Comment on the article "The atherogenic potential of dietary carbohydrate"". Prev Med. 44 (1): 82–4. doi:. PMID 16997359.
- ^ Ho KJ, Mikkelson B, Lewis LA, Feldman SA, Taylor CB. (1972 Aug). "Alaskan arctic Eskimo: responses to a customary high fat diet". Am J Clin Nutr 25 (8): 737–45. PMID 5046723.
- ^ Bjerregaard P, Young TK, Hegele RA (February 2003). "Low incidence of cardiovascular disease among the Inuit--what is the evidence?". Atherosclerosis 166 (2): 351–7. doi:. PMID 12535749.
- ^ Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet, The Mayo Clinic
- ^ Too Much Red Meat Bad for Long-Term Health
- ^ "Second Expert Report - Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective"
