Atkins Nutritional Approach

The Atkins Nutritional Approach is the most popular and marketed low-carbohydrate diet in the world. It is commonly known as the Atkins diet or just Atkins. It was created by Dr. Robert Atkins (nutritionalist) in the 1960's, who used it to solve his own overweight condition. After treating over 10,000 patients with the diet, he released a series of books to popularise the diet, starting with Dr Atkins' Diet Revolution in 1972. He later on updated his own ideas in his new book Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution, however, remaining faithful to his old concepts. Dr Atkins was also aware of alternative medicine views on the effects of Candidia Albicans overgrowth, and prescribed an anti-fungal variety of his diet in his book Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution.

Nature of the diet

Dr Atkins claimed that there are two main factors common in western eating habits, firstly, that obesity is caused by eating refined carbohydrates such as sugar, flour, and high-fructose corn syrups. Secondly, that saturated fat is over hyped and that only avoiding hydrogenated oils with trans-fat need to be avoided. Dr Atkins was against the suggestions of the food pyramid and believed that over-eating of carbohydrates is the main cause of metabolism disorders. With most emphasis being on the diet, nutritional supplements and regular exercise are considered equally important elements.