The popular low-carbohydrate diets appear to work because they force people to eat more protein, which consequently suppresses the appetite and not because of the lower carbohydrate intake. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle found that it's not necessary for people to cut back carbohydrates to lose weight. Protein appears to encourage people to eat fewer calories overall, so if people simply increase their intake of protein, it should help them lose weight. One can eat a little more lean meat and low-fat dairy products. It was noted that low-calorie diets rarely work. This has encouraged researchers to consider that changing the ingredients of the diet, but not its calories, makes a difference in people's waistlines. Previous research shows that low-carbohydrate diets, typically high in fat and protein - are effective, but so are low-fat diets. Researchers speculated that low-carb diets might work because they encourage people to eat more protein, which decreases people's appetites and causes them to consume fewer calories. To investigate, the researchers followed 19 people placed on different diets. As part of the first diet, which was designed to maintain body weight and lasted 2 weeks, people received 15 percent of calories from protein, 35 percent from fat, and 50 percent from carbohydrates. In the next diet, people followed a calorie-controlled diet for 2 weeks, in which they got 30 percent of calories from protein, 20 percent from fat and 50 percent from carbohydrates. People then spent another 12 weeks consuming the same percentage of calories from each type of food, but were told they could eat as many calories as they wanted. People reported feeling less hungry on the calorie-controlled, high-protein diet. When they continued the diet but could consume as many calories as they wanted, they took in nearly 450 fewer calories per day and lost almost 5 kilograms (11 pounds). Protein helps people lose weight because, calorie for calorie, protein ma