Vegetarian Atkins Diet may work for those overweight and with high LDL

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Ron AKA Posted: Mon, Jun 8 2009 7:51 PM

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Here is a news article on an Eco-Atkins diet that is high protein, but only protein from vegetable sources. Said to overcome the disadvantages of the traditional high protein and fat Atkins diet -- increased LDL and heart attack risk.

I know we have joked about this option in the past, and now it seems to have some scientific basis. Probably works because the Atkins diet almost always is high in fat (especially saturated fat), and it is really hard to get a lot of fat as a vegetarian, unless you start chugging olive and canola oil.

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nance replied on Wed, Jun 10 2009 12:30 AM

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Ron AKA:

....... it is really hard to get a lot of fat as a vegetarian, unless you start chugging olive and canola oil.

I'm not quite vegetarian, but do use olive oil and canola oil.  Although, when it comes to chugging, I stick with flax oil.  Since I don't eat fish, I have started using the flax oil more liberally, and have found it tastes great right out of the bottle.....

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Ron AKA replied on Wed, Jun 10 2009 9:44 AM

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nance:

I'm not quite vegetarian, but do use olive oil and canola oil.  Although, when it comes to chugging, I stick with flax oil.  Since I don't eat fish, I have started using the flax oil more liberally, and have found it tastes great right out of the bottle.....

It is good to get omega-3 oils in moderation. I think canola has the healthiest balance of oil, and olive oil a close second. Not sure where flax fits in, as it is more used as a supplement. For supplements I prefer fish oils. They contain the longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). While it is often said that the body can convert the short chain vegetarian fatty acids to long chain, tests have shown this conversion is very inefficient to the point where very little or anything is converted.

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nance replied on Thu, Jun 11 2009 12:25 AM

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Ron AKA:

It is good to get omega-3 oils in moderation. I think canola has the healthiest balance of oil, and olive oil a close second. Not sure where flax fits in, as it is more used as a supplement. For supplements I prefer fish oils. They contain the longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). While it is often said that the body can convert the short chain vegetarian fatty acids to long chain, tests have shown this conversion is very inefficient to the point where very little or anything is converted.

After sampling quite a few flax oils, I finally settled on the Spectum original formula.  It has a good nutty taste and consistency, and isn't rancid or huge to swallow like most of the capsules.  Looking at their site tonight, I found the last paragraph on their information page mentions the conversion rate, which apparently varies from person to person.  http://spectrumorganics.com/?id=251

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SgtCedar replied on Thu, Jun 18 2009 3:06 PM

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I do not know about drinking flax oil but I love eating anything with flax seeds in it. They taste great.

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nance replied on Mon, Jun 22 2009 12:03 AM

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SgtCedar:

I do not know about drinking flax oil but I love eating anything with flax seeds in it. They taste great.

Well, I don't want to give the impression that I drink a lot of it -- only a sip or two here or there.  And only the original formula flax oil http://spectrumorganics.com/?id=59, not the one with lignans or the shelf-stable, because to me, they just don't taste as good.  Also, I grind flax seeds in a coffee grinder before eating with cereal, because otherwise their pointy little ends can scratch my insides.  I hope you're grinding your flax seeds, Sgt. Cedar.  By the way, I have just recently found a couple of brands of pre-ground flax seeds, but the fresh-ground flax seeds have a better flavor.