The back story: High-protein diets remain popular. Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets rely on high consumption of protein. Though the Atkins diet has come under fire for being high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, recent research indicates that a diet rich in lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey and fish, mixed with complex carbs and beneficial fats, may aid weight loss without adverse effects.

What advocates claim: Protein makes you feel full longer than carbs and fats do, leading to reduced calorie consumption. Foods high in protein slow the movement of food through the digestive tract and help stabilize blood sugar. The body also uses more calories to digest protein than it does to burn fat or carbohydrates. A diet rich in lean protein also targets abdominal fats and reduces triglycerides.

What we know: A University of Washington study found that participants felt more satisfied on a diet of 30 percent protein, 50 percent carbs and 20 percent fat than a baseline diet with 15 percent protein. When allowed to eat anything they wanted, as long as they maintained the 30 percent protein ratio, subjects ate 450 fewer calories, resulting in an average loss of 11 pounds in 12 weeks. A French study found similar results in rats.

Read more about the research conducted on the benefits of high protein diets at http://www.azcentral.com.