Table 2. Low carbohydrate (CHO) diets compared with a recommended, balanced weight loss diet.

	Low CHO diet, high fat varianta	Low CHO diet, high protein variantb	Balanced weight loss diet
Examples	Atkins diet [6], [7]	Zone diet [67], [68]	British Dietetic Association weight loss plan [69]
Energy
Is energy explicitly restricted?	No	Noc	Yes
Macronutrients
CHO	Extreme restriction	Moderate restriction	45–65% of total energy
Fat	Unrestricted fat	25–35% of total energy	25–35% of total energy
Protein	Unrestricted protein	Promotes lean protein	10–20% of total energy
Quality
CHO	Extreme restriction of all CHO food sources	Extreme restriction of grains and starches; fruit and vegetables recommended	High fibre, unprocessed; promotion of fruit, vegetables and legumes
Protein	Unrestricted, especially animal protein	Increased lean animal protein, protein bars and shakes	Emphasis on plant protein and lean animal protein
Fat	Promotion of increased ‘natural’ fats, including saturated (animal) fats	Promotion of monounsaturated fats, mention of omega-3 fats	Promotion of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, replacement of saturated fats with unsaturated fats, avoidance of trans fats; adequate omega-3 fats
Micronutrients
Is micronutrient intake addressed?	Not specificallyd	Not specificallye	Not specificallyf
Selected claimed health benefits
Main	Weight loss	Weight loss	Weight loss (if energy is restricted)
Other	“Improvement in risk factors for heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, inflammation”	“Reverses cellular inflammation”. “Cellular inflammation is what makes us gain weight, accelerate the development of chronic disease, and decrease our physical performance”	Reduces risk of obesity-related illness; Reduces risk of non-communicable diseases; Promotes nutritional adequacy

^aEnergy reduction is implicit as a consequence of extreme restriction of carbohydrates, the reported satiating effect of protein, and appetite suppressing effect of ketones.

^bEnergy reduction is implicit as a consequence of extreme restriction of grains and starches and reported satiating effect of protein.

^cPortion guides sometimes provided.

^dPotential risks of inadequacies by extreme restriction of carbohydrates, including most vegetables and fruit.

^ePotential risks of inadequacies by restricting grains and starches.

^fPromoted indirectly through recommending a variety of foods from all food groups and quality food choices (including plenty of vegetables and fruit).