What is the difference between the keto diet and the Atkins diet? A comparison guide

The keto diet requires you to be on an extremely low-carb diet for the entire time you are dieting, but the Atkins diet only requires severe carb limiting in the first of its four phases.

06 Feb 2020

 

Kaitlin Sullivan

© Joos Mind/Getty Images

• Though the keto diet requires dieters to consume copious amounts of healthy fats to aid in ketosis, the Atkins diet limits fat and encourages protein consumption instead.
• The Atkins diet has no qualms with processed food, but the keto diet favors whole, fresh foods.
• This article was reviewed by Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, nutrition and wellness expert with a private practice based in New York City.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Both the ketogenic diet and the Atkins diet cut carbs and encourage weight loss, but that's about all they have in common.

The ketogenic diet was created in the 1920s as a therapy for epilepsy, but the diet has gained popularity in recent years as a rapid weight loss tool. Commonly referred to as keto, the diet is similar to other low-carb diets, including Atkins, but its guidelines include some key differences.

The difference in carb limitation for the keto diet and Atkins diet

According to the Mayo Clinic, a person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should get between 45% and 65%, or 225 to 325 grams, of those calories from carbohydrates. But when you eliminate the number of carbs stored in your body, it goes through a series of adaptations in order to, ultimately, burn fat reserves to get the energy it needs to function. This fat-burning state is called ketosis and the ketogenic diet requires you to remain in this fat-burning state long-term. The Atkins diet, on the other hand, induces ketosis, but only in the first phase.

The makeup of a typical keto diet is around 60% fat, 30% protein, and just 10% carbohydrates, although it's common to go as low as 5% carbs. For someone who consumes 2,000 calories per day, this means eating no more than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day, and sometimes as few as 20 grams. That's about 80 to 200 calories' worth of carbs. This is the way you eat for the entire time you're on the keto diet. The Atkins diet is different.

That Atkins diet is comprised of four phases: induction, ongoing weight loss (OWL), pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. The phases start with a dramatic reduction in carbohydrate intake - you're only allowed around 20 grams per day. But then you slowly reintroduce carbs once you achieve your weight loss goals. And once you've maintained your goal weight for a month, you enter the final phase, lifetime maintenance, which as the name suggests, should be the way you eat for life. In this last phase, you can increase your carbohydrate consumption and you're allowed to consume anywhere from 40 to 120 grams of carbs daily.

The Atkins Diet also functions on net carbs. You can calculate net carbs by checking the nutrition labels on your food. Just subtract the grams of fiber you consume from the total grams of carbs and that's your net carb intake for that meal.

Fiber has very little impact on blood sugar, which is why fiber-filled carbs don't count towards your daily limit on Atkins. The keto diet, on the other hand, makes no exception for carbs, fibrous or not.

The keto diet requires generous portions of fat, but the Atkins diet favors protein

According to Amy Miskimon Goss, an assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Atkins diet has traditionally recommended eating protein to subdue hunger, whereas a well-formulated ketogenic diet limits protein and uses fat to soothe a rumbling stomach instead.

Since the Atkins diet is more holistic, especially in its "lifetime maintenance" phase, there are no exact percentages for protein consumption.

The keto diet, on the other hand, is strict in its insistence upon high-fat consumption. In order to maintain ketosis, the keto diet requires dieters to consume a diet of mostly fats. In fact, you should be consuming about 60% to 75% of your daily calories from healthy fats found in foods like avocados, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil.

Keto encourages whole foods, but Atkins does not

Goss explains that a ketogenic diet should also be based on whole foods. This means eating salmon instead of beef jerky, unprocessed foods rather than anything heavily processed with excess sodium, and staying away from artificial preservatives.

The Atkins Diet, however, does not have these restrictions. The Atkins diet company encourages people to eat Atkins-brand bars, shakes and other pre-packaged foods that are specifically designed to support the lifestyle. That said, with the popularity of the keto diet, you can find many keto-friendly, processed, packaged foods as well.

If you're doing a keto diet, you might want to work with a doctor

Goss says that maintaining a keto diet without the assistance of a doctor or nutritionist can be tricky and even dangerous. According to the Merck Manual, a popular resource for medical professionals, eating fewer than 100 grams of carbohydrates every day causes keto acids to accumulate in the body from ketosis. In small amounts, keto acids don't harm the body, but if the body sustains ketosis, the acids can trigger side effects that range from nausea and fatigue to dizziness and abnormal heart rhythms.

"It's critical that patients with any chronic condition, especially diabetes or hypertension taking medication, to consult with their doctor before starting a keto diet because it's likely that medication adjustments will need to be made," says Goss.

Related stories about popular diets:

• Everything you need to know about the keto diet
• People often confuse the keto and paleo diets - here's how they differ
• Keto dieters who fuel up on bacon and butter are 'irresponsible' stewards of the planet, a Harvard nutrition expert says
• Everything you need to know about carb cycling
• Why the Mediterranean diet is touted as one of the best by dietitians
• Why the Noom diet is proven to help people lose weight
• Does intermittent fasting work? Research doesn't have a definite answer for its long-term effects

https://www.msn.com/en-my/health/nutrition/what-is-the-difference-between-the-keto-diet-and-the-atkins-diet-a-comparison-guide/ar-BBZJWxF?ocid=ientp

BBC: We don't need nearly as much protein as we consume

Many of us consciously eat a high-protein diet, with protein-rich products readily available, but how much protein do we really need? And does it actually help us lose weight?

• By Jessica Brown

23 May 2018

This story is featured in BBC Future’s “Best of 2018” collection. Discover more of our picks. 

In the early 20th Century, Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson spent a collective five years eating just meat. This meant that his diet consisted of around 80% fat and 20% protein. Twenty years later, he did the same as part of a year-long experiment at the New York City’s Bellevue Hospital in 1928.

Stefansson wanted to disprove those who argued that humans cannot survive if they only eat meat. But unfortunately for him, in both settings he very quickly became ill when he was eating lean meats without any fat. He developed "protein poisoning”, nicknamed “rabbit starvation”. His symptoms disappeared after he lowered his protein intake and he raised his fat intake. In fact, after returning to New York City and to a typical US diet with more normal levels of protein, he reportedly found his health deteriorating and returned to a low-carb, high fat, and high protein diet until his death aged 83.

His early experiments are some of the few recorded cases of high protein intake having extreme adverse effects – but despite soaring sales of protein supplements, many of us are still unsure how much protein we need, how best to consume it, and if too much, or too little, is dangerous.

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Despite obesity rates doubling over the past two decades, we’re becoming increasingly conscious of what we’re eating. In recent years many of us have swapped white bread for brown and wholemeal bread and full-fat milk for skimmed. Taking centre stage in our health kick is protein, with protein balls, bars and enhanced protein versions of staple products, from cereals to soup, dominating supermarket shelves. And with the global protein supplements market valued at $12.4bn (£9.2bn) in 2016, it’s clear we’re buying into the idea that we need as much protein as possible.

But some experts now argue that foods with inflated protein (and prices) are a waste of money.

Supplement brands advise drinking protein shakes after a workout to help the growth and repair of muscle tissue (Credit: Getty Images)

Protein is essential for the body to grow and repair. Protein-rich food such as dairy, meat, eggs, fish and beans are broken down into amino acids in the stomach and absorbed in the small intestine, then the liver sorts out which amino acids the body needs. The rest is flushed out in our urine.

Adults who aren’t especially active are advised to eat roughly 0.75g of protein per day for each kilogram they weigh. On average, this is 55g for men and 45g for women – or two palm-sized portions of meat, fish, tofu, nuts or pulses.

Not getting enough protein can lead to hair loss, skin breakouts and weight loss as muscle mass decreases. But these side effects are very rare, and largely only occur in those with eating disorders.

Despite that, most of us have long associated protein with building muscle. This is accurate. Strength-based exercise causes a breakdown of protein in the muscle. For muscles to grow stronger, the proteins need to rebuild. A type of amino acid called leucine plays a particularly big part in triggering protein synthesis.

Some experts even argue that not consuming protein post-workout could cause the breakdown of muscle to be higher than the synthesis – meaning there’s no net gain in muscle mass. Supplement brands advise drinking protein shakes after a workout to help the growth and repair of muscle tissue, usually in the form of leucine-rich whey protein, a by-product of making cheese.

Many people consume sport nutrition products such as protein bars and shakes (Credit: Getty Images)

Many consumers agree. Research company Mintel’s 2017 Report found that 27% of Brits use sport nutrition products such as protein bars and shakes. This figure rises to 39% for those who exercise more than once a week. But more than half of the individuals who use the products (63%) find it difficult to tell whether they’re having any effect.

Protein bars are really just candy bars with a bit of extra protein

Indeed, research on the muscle-building power of protein supplements is varied. A 2014 analysis of 36 papers found that protein supplements have no impact on lean mass and muscle strength during the first few weeks of resistance training in untrained individuals.

Over time and if the training becomes harder, supplements can promote muscle growth. However, the paper also concludes that these changes have not been proven over the long term. A 2012 review paper further says that protein “increases physical performance, training recovery and lean body mass”… but for the benefit to be optimal, it should be in combination with a fast-acting carbohydrate.

But even if athletes and gym goers may benefit from a post-workout protein boost, that doesn’t mean they should reach for the supplements and smoothies. Most people get more than their daily recommended allowance from food, says Kevin Tipton, a sport professor of the University of Stirling. “There’s no need for anyone to have supplements. They’re a convenient way to get protein, but there’s nothing in supplements you can’t get in food. Protein bars are really just candy bars with a bit of extra protein.”

The global protein supplements market was valued at $12.4bn (£9.2bn) in 2016 (Credit: Getty Images)

Tipton adds that even among bodybuilders, products like whey protein aren’t as critical as they are hyped up to be. “There’s too much focus on which supplements to take, as opposed to getting in the gym and working harder. There are so many other variables, such as sleep, stress and diet,” he says.

We need to maintain our muscle mass as we age, because we become less active and frail

Most experts agree with Tipton that protein is best consumed in food instead of supplements. But there are some exceptions, such as athletes who find it difficult to hit their daily protein targets, points out Graeme Close, professor of human physiology at Liverpool John Moores University. “I believe most need more than the recommended daily allowance, and there’s good evidence to support this,” he says. In this case, he says, a shake can be useful.

Another demographic who can benefit from extra protein? The elderly. That’s because as we age, we need more protein to retain muscle mass. But we also tend to eat less protein as we get older because our taste-buds begin to prefer sweet over savoury.

Emma Stevenson, professor of sport and exercise science at Newcastle University, is working with food companies to get more protein into snacks that the elderly  are known to regularly buy, such as biscuits. “We need to maintain our muscle mass as we age, because we become less active and frail,” she says. 

Close says the elderly should increase protein intake to around 1.2g per kg body weight.

Most people get more than their daily recommended allowance of protein from their diet (Credit: Getty Images)

Fortunately, it’s difficult to have too much protein. While we do have an upper limit of protein intake, it’s “virtually impossible” to reach, says Tipton. “There are concerns among some dieticians that a high protein diet can hurt the kidneys and bones, but evidence in otherwise healthy people is minimal. It is possible there could be a problem if someone with an underlying kidney [issue] eats high amounts of protein, but the odds of any adverse effects are very low.”

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s more important to have a high-protein breakfast

But while protein itself isn’t harmful, many protein supplements are high in carbohydrates called FODMAPs that trigger digestive symptoms like bloating, gas and stomach pain. Stevenson advises reading labels carefully on supplements, bars and balls. “Often, they’re very high in calories and contain huge amounts of carbs, often in form of sugar. You shouldn’t necessarily think that because it says it’s high protein that its healthy,” she says.

Weight loss

Protein has long been linked to weight loss, with low-carb, high-protein diets such as Paleo and Atkins promising to prolong the feeling of fullness. People fail to lose weight often because they feel hungry, and MRI studies have shown that a high-protein breakfast can help stop cravings later in the day.

There is sufficient evidence that protein is satiating, says Alex Johnstone of the University of Aberdeen. If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s therefore more important to have a high-protein breakfast, such as beans on toast or a dairy smoothie, rather than to have supplements.

But she doesn’t advocate “Atkins-type” diets and has found that cutting out carbohydrates has adverse affects on gut health (and we now know that maintaining a healthy gut is crucial to many aspects of our health and well-being).

Protein balls are often high in calories and can contain huge amounts of carbs (Credit: Getty Images)

Instead, Johnstone recommends that overweight people eat a high-protein and moderate-carb diet, consisting of 30% protein, 40% carbs and 30% fat – compared to the average diet of around 15% protein, 55% carbs and 30% fat.

But, of course, upping protein intake alone won’t help you lose weight. Choosing lean meat such as chicken or fish is key. Studies also show that eating large amounts of animal protein is linked to weight gain and red meat in particular is linked to an increased risk of cancer as well as heart disease.

Consuming more protein than need is wasteful in terms of money, and it’s paid down the toilet

There are, though, healthy proteins which are not meat, such as mycoprotein, which is derived from fungi. Quorn, for example, contains this type of protein, and is high in fibre too.

Researchers now are looking into how this unique composition (of both protein and fibre) can affect satiety and insulin levels, which are linked to type two diabetes. One team compared a mycoprotein diet to a chicken diet and found that the insulin levels in those who ate quorn achieved the same sugar control, but needed less insulin to be produced by the pancreas.

The risk of consuming too much protein is small, but the bigger risk might just be falling for overpriced products offering us more protein than we need. “Some products labelled as high protein aren’t, and they’re quite expensive. Anyway, consuming more protein than need is wasteful in terms of money, and it’s paid down the toilet,” says Johnstone.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180522-we-dont-need-nearly-as-much-protein-as-we-consume

Could Carbs Help Us Live Longer?

Emerging evidence suggests a 10:1 ratio of carbohydrates to proteins may protect the body from the ravages of ageing

• By David Robson BBC

18 January 2019

The search for the “elixir of youth” has spanned centuries and continents – but recently, the hunt has centred on the Okinawa Islands, which stretch across the East China Sea. Not only do the older inhabitants enjoy the longest life expectancy of anyone on Earth, but the vast majority of those years are lived in remarkably good health too.

Of particular note is the number of people who reach 100 years of life. For every 100,000 inhabitants, Okinawa has 68 centenarians – more than three times the numbers found in US populations of the same size. Even by the standards of Japan, Okinawans are remarkable, with a 40% greater chance of living to 100 than other Japanese people.

Little wonder scientists have spent decades trying to uncover the secrets of the Okinawans’ longevity – in both their genes and their lifestyle. And one of the most exciting factors to have recently caught the scientists’ attention is the peculiarly high ratio of carbohydrates to protein in the Okinawan diet – with a particular abundance of sweet potato as the source of most of their calories.

“It is quite the opposite of current popular diets that advocate a high protein, low carb diet,” says Samantha Solon-Biet, who researches nutrition and ageing at the University of Sydney. Despite the popularity of the Atkins and Paleo diets, however, there is minimal evidence that high-protein diets really do bring about long-term benefits.

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So could the “Okinawan Ratio” – 10:1 carbohydrate to protein – instead be the secret to a long and healthy life? Although it would still be far too early to suggest any lifestyle changes based on these observations, the very latest evidence – from human longitudinal studies and animal trials – suggest the hypothesis is worth serious attention. 

According to these findings, a low protein, high carbohydrate diet sets off various physiological responses that protect us from various age-related illnesses – including cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. And the Okinawan Ratio may achieve the optimal dietary balance to achieve those effects.

The people of Okinawa remain active and independent into their 90s, and are less 

likely to develop age-related illnesses (Credit: Getty Images)

Much of this research comes from the Okinawa Centenarian Study (OCS), which has been investigating the health of the ageing population since 1975. The OCS examines inhabitants from across the Okinawa prefecture, which includes more than 150 islands. By 2016, the OCS had examined 1,000 centenarians from the region.

Rather than suffering a prolonged demise, the Okinawan centenarians appeared to have delayed many of the usual effects of ageing, with almost two thirds living independently until the age of 97. This remarkable “healthspan” was evident across many age-related diseases. The typical Okinawan centenarian appeared to be free of the typical signs of cardiovascular disease, without the build-up of the hard “calcified” plaques around the arteries that can lead to heart failure. Okinawa’s oldest residents also have far lower rates of cancer, diabetes and dementia than other ageing populations.

Genetic jackpot

Given these results, there is little doubt that Okinawa has an exceptional population. But what can explain that extraordinary longevity?

Genetic good fortune could be one important factor. Thanks to the geography of the islands, Okinawa’s populations have spent large chunks of their history in relative isolation, which may has given them a unique genetic profile. Preliminary studies suggest this may include a reduced prevalence of a gene variant – APOE4 – that appears to increase the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s. They may also be more likely to carry a protective variant of the FOXO3 gene involved in regulating metabolism and cell growth. This results in a shorter stature but also appears to reduce the risk of various age-related diseases, including cancer.

Even so, it seems unlikely that good genes would fully explain the Okinawans’ longevity, and lifestyle factors will also be important. The OCS has found that Okinawans are less likely to smoke than most populations, and since they worked predominantly in agriculture and fishing, they were also physically active. Their tight-knit communities also help the residents to maintain an active social life into old age. Social connection has also been shown to improve health and longevity by reducing the body’s stress responses to challenging events. (Loneliness, in contrast, has been shown to be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.)

A feeling of social connection can protect your health, while loneliness is thought to be 

as damaging as smoking 19 cigarettes a day (Credit: Getty Images)

It is the Okinawans’ diet, however, that may have the most potential to change our views on healthy ageing. Unlike the rest of Asia, the Okinawan staple is not rice, but the sweet potato, first introduced in the early 17th Century through trade with the Netherlands. Okinawans also eat an abundance of green and yellow vegetables – such as the bitter melon – and various soy products. Although they do eat pork, fish and other meats, these are typically a small component of their overall consumption, which is mostly plant-based foods.

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The traditional Okinawan diet is therefore dense in the essential vitamins and minerals - including anti-oxidants - but also low in calories. Particularly in the past, before fast food entered the islands, the average Okinawan ate around 11% fewer calories than the normal recommended consumption for a healthy adult.

For this reason, some scientists believe that Okinawans offer more evidence for the life-enhancing virtues of a “calorie restricted” diet. Since the 1930s, some doctors and scientists have argued that continuously limiting the amount of energy you consume could have many benefits above and beyond weight loss – including a deceleration of the ageing process.

In one of the most compelling experiments, a group of resus macaques eating 30% fewer calories than the average monkey showed a remarkable 63% reduction in deaths from age-related diseases over a 20-year period. They also looked younger – they had fewer wrinkles and their fur retained its youthful lustre rather than turning grey. Due to practical difficulties, long-term clinical trials in humans have yet to be completed to test the effects on longevity, but a recent two-year experiment, funded by the US National Institute on Aging, was highly suggestive: participants on a calorie restricted diet showed better cardiovascular health – including lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

It’s still not clear why a calorie restricted diet would be so beneficial, but there are many potential mechanisms. One possibility is that calorie restriction alters the cell’s energy signalling, so that the body devotes more resources to preservation and maintenance – such as DNA repair – rather than growth and reproduction, while limiting ‘oxidative stress’ caused by the toxic by-products of metabolism that can cause cellular damage.

Sweet potatoes are one of the principle ingredients in traditional Okinawan cuisine (Credit: Alamy)

The benefits of the Okinawan Diet may not end with its calorie restriction.

Solon-Biet has conducted a series of studies examining the influence of dietary composition (rather than sheer quantity) on ageing in animals, and her team has consistently found that a high-carb, low-protein diet extends the lifespan of various species, with her most recent study showing that it reduces some of the signs of ageing in the brain. Amazingly, they have found that the optimum ratio is 10 parts carb to one part protein – the same as the so-called Okinawan Ratio.

Although there aren’t yet any controlled clinical trials in humans, Solon-Biet cites epidemiological work across the world that all point to similar conclusions. “Other long-lived populations have also been shown to have dietary patterns that include relatively low amounts of protein,” she says. “These include the Kitavans, [who live on] a small island in Papua New Guinea, the South American Tsimane people and populations that consume the Mediterranean diet.”

Once again, the exact mechanisms are murky. Like calorie restriction, the low protein diets seem to promote the cell repair and maintenance. Karen Ryan, a nutritional biologist at the University of California, Davis, points out that the scarcity of amino acids can encourage cells to recycle old material (rather than synthesising new proteins).

“Together, these changes may prevent the ageing-associated accumulation of damaged proteins within cells,” she says. This build-up of damaged proteins may usually be responsible for many diseases, she says – but the regular clean up when we eat a low-protein diet could prevent it.

So should we all start adopting the Okinawan Diet? Not quite. Ryan points to some evidence that low protein intake may limit bodily damage up to the age of 65, but you may then benefit from increasing your protein intake after that point. “Optimal nutrition is expected to vary across the life history,” she says. And it’s also worth noting one study, which found that the relative merits of protein and carbohydrates may depend on the protein's source: a diet higher in plant-based protein appears to be better than a diet rich in meat or dairy, for instance. So the Okinawans may be living longer due to the fact that they are eating (mostly) fruit and vegetables, rather than its high carb, low protein content.

Ultimately, the Okinawans’ health is probably due to a lucky confluence of many factors, Ryan says. “And specific interactions among these factors will also be important.” And we may need many more years of research to understand the importance of each of those ingredients before we finally come up with a true recipe for the “elixir of youth”.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190116-a-high-carb-diet-may-explain-why-okinawans-live-so-long

More Diabetes with Your Steak?

Many health-conscious consumers adopt low-carb eating habits to lose weight and ward off heart disease and diabetes. But be careful — it can backfire.

This post is on Healthwise

November 9, 2010

Many health-conscious consumers adopt low-carb eating habits to lose weight and ward off heart disease and diabetes. But be careful — it can backfire. A new study warns that a low-carbohydrate, Atkins-style diet with lots of animal protein actually may increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.

At the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, postdoctoral research fellow Lawrence de Koning, PhD, and his colleagues analyzed the medical records of 41,140 men (all free of heart disease, cancer and diabetes at the start) in the Health Professionals Follow-Up study. The participants completed questionnaires about their eating habits once every four years for more than 20 years, during which time 2,761 of the men developed type 2 diabetes.

After taking into account risk factors such as body mass index, physical activity, family history of diabetes, smoking, coffee and alcohol consumption and total caloric intake, Dr. de Koning and his team found that the men whose diets were lowest in carbohydrates (averaging 37% of calories) but high in animal protein (18% of calories) and animal fat (26% of calories) had a 41% higher risk for type 2 diabetes than men consuming a higher carbohydrate (57% of calories) diet where animal protein (10% of calories) and animal fat (12% of calories) were lower.

Dr. de Koning presented these results at the June 30, 2010, meeting of the American Diabetes Association. It’s important to note that the findings are preliminary, based on an observational study, and further research is necessary.

What to Eat?

Dr. de Koning said it isn’t that low-carbohydrate, high-protein and high-fat diets are inherently harmful, but rather that it depends on the type of protein and fat you consume. The problem with animal sources of protein, especially red and processed meat, relates to their fat and iron content. Taking in lots of saturated fats (as found in these meats) can reduce insulin sensitivity. Additionally, iron can accumulate in body tissue, generating oxidative stress, insulin resistance and (if the iron accumulates in the pancreas) problems in secreting insulin. 

Note:Iron is an important nutrient, and deficiency brings its own set of problems so people who are anemic may be advised to eat meat. Red meat (beef, of course, but also lamb, pork and veal) is rich in heme iron, which is the most effective at reversing iron deficiency, since it is absorbed better than nonheme. Moderation and balance are key.

A better way: The Nurses’ Health Study (also from Harvard) found that eating greater quantities of vegetable proteins and vegetable fats as part of a low-carbohydrate diet was inversely associated with diabetes risk, said Dr. de Koning. (See Daily Health News, “High Protein the Healthy Way,” January 14, 2010, for more information on the plant-based Atkins-type diet.)

For most folks, the best high-protein, low-carb diet includes very little red or processed meat, a smattering of chicken and fish, and lots of vegetable proteins (including legumes and nuts) and vegetable fats. Good protein sources include tofu (10.3 grams of protein per one-half cup)… black beans (15.2 grams of protein per cup)… roasted beets (3.9 grams of protein per one-half cup)… and almonds (6 grams of protein per quarter cup).

Eating a low-carb diet can be all-around healthy. It helps control your weight and, said Dr. de Koning, “may actually reduce your risk for chronic diseases if your sources of fat and protein (what you replace the carbs with) are chosen carefully.” That means that red meat should be ordered rarely… rather than rare, medium or well-done.

http://bottomlinehealth.com/more-diabetes-with-your-steak/

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