ein, and 30% from fat (8). The increase in the intake of protein and the severe restriction of carbohydrates is the major difference between the high protein diet and the high carbohydrate, low fat diet that is currently accepted by all the major health organizations. Current Dietary GuidelinesAs you can see, the dietary recommendations of protein diets are quite different than what you have been told your entire life. To be sure that you do understand the difference, let’s look at what the current dietary standards are in the United States. In May 1992, the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided a new way of categorizing foods called the Food Pyramid (12). The Food Pyramid organizes foods into groups based on the Dietary Guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans were developed to reflect what was currently known about the effects diet has on a person’s health. There are seven Dietary Guidelines for Americans: a) eat a variety of foods; b) maintain a healthful weight; c) choose a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; d) choose a diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grain products; e) use sugars only in moderation; f) use salt and other forms of sodium only in moderation; and g) for adults who drink alcohol, do so only in moderation (12). These guidelines were developed to serve as a guide to help Americans live a healthy and prosperous life when the guidelines were followed closely. The Food Pyramid, which acts as a daily meal planner, even gives you examples of what you should and shouldn’t eat, as well as how many servings you should consume. According to the Food Pyramid, foods such as bread, cereal, rice, and pasta should make up the largest part of your diet: 6 to 11 servings a daily. As you recall, these are the foods that you are not allowed to have on the protein diet. However, this is only part of the conflict between the two diets. As you move up the pyramid you ...
