New low-carb diets disappoint nutritionists

Handout

Pierre Dukan, author of 'The Dukan Diet.'

EnlargeCloseHandout

Pierre Dukan, author of 'The Dukan Diet.'

The 17 Day Diet One strict new diet that promises fast results is The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor's Plan Designed for Rapid Results by Mike Moreno, a physician in San Diego, is No. 8 on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books List.

The diet starts with the accelerate cycle, which includes lean protein, "cleansing vegetables" such as broccoli and cabbage, and low-sugar fruits such as berries and apples, healthy fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil), low-fat yogurt, water and green tea.

It eliminates many foods, including most fast foods, fried foods, processed foods, starchy carbohydrates such as bagels, pasta, sugary cereals, crackers and white bread, and fruits such as pineapple, watermelon and bananas.

"Most people can expect to lose 10 to 15 pounds during the first 17 days," the book says.

In the second cycle, the dieter alternates high-calorie and low-calorie days to create "metabolic confusion," Moreno says. It includes some starchy foods such as corn and potatoes. The third cycle reintroduces other foods rich in carbohydrates, and the final cycle allows dieters to eat nearly anything in moderation.

Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian in Chicago, says people will lose weight on this diet because it's low in calories, not because of "metabolic confusion."

She says most of the book's advice is nutritionally sound, including the emphasis on consuming lean protein, veggies, fruit, low-fat yogurt, whole grains, healthy fats, water and green tea

View the Original article