Dukan's Diet: Helpful or Hurtful to Dieters?

NEW YORK, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dukan Diet book now out in the USA has been touted as a better version of the Atkins Diet.  What do the experts say about it?

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) named the Dukan Diet one of the five worst diets of 2011.  According to dietitian and BDA spokesperson Sian Porter , "The 'Do-can't diet' is hard to stick with, hard on your kidneys and expensive."  The French government National Agency for Food Environmental and Work Health identified it as one of the 15 imbalanced and potentially risky diets.  On this side of the pond, Frank Sacks, professor at the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University's School of Public Health has blasted it as "entirely unscientific."

Yet, the 69-year-old author, Dr. Pierre Dukan retorts, "I am built on the shoulders of Weight Watchers and Atkins diets." Yet, he criticized W.W. for counting calories and Atkins for too much fat.  Dukan's most infamous quote to date?  "I have a lot of respect for Atkins.  He was a legend...but Atkins is dead."

Atkins camp is firing back saying there is no legitimate comparison between the diets. Atkins, Inc. claims "Dukan's diet is extremely inefficient and starves the body of essential nutrients."

Co-authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel believe Dukan is pushing dieters in a dangerous direction: "Fat loss can be accomplished fast and healthfully.  Dukan eliminates nutrient-rich and water-filled fresh fruits from the daily diet, and often vegetables!  This should make any dieter reconsider its effects on their long-term health."  In their new book, TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust (BSH, 2011), the Griesels point out "fruit is an ideal food for everyone's daily diet whether fat loss is the goal or not."

"If this diet hadn't been picked up by a royal trying to get fit for a wedding, it would have fallen flat fast," says Tom Griesel.  "The diet's focus is lean protein and you are not allowed to have fat.  It doesn't mention that too much dietary protein will be converted to body fat."

"Participants complain of constipation, fatigue and bad breath. This is indicates dietary imbalance," says Dian Griesel, who has worked with cutting edge biotechnology and drug development companies for the past 15 years.  "Such symptoms during a scientific study would be noteworthy."

The Griesels conclude:  "The only carbohydrates we need to eliminate from our diets are those that are packaged and refined.  Eating fresh fruits and vegetables naturally high in fiber makes additional processed fiber, that is taxing to the digestive system, unnecessary.  An intense focus on protein, while reducing fat is not satisfying and will ultimately result in consuming more food than we need.  Excess protein is readily stored as body fat.  Dietary fat, however, naturally present in meats, certain fish and cheese will add both flavor, satisfaction and deliver a lean body faster."

To purchase a copy of TurboCharged, please visit:  www.amazon.com/dp/1936705001

For more information about the book and authors Dian and Tom Griesel, please visit:  www.turbocharged.us.com.

SOURCE Business School of Happiness