This is in response to Emily Gelsomin's column about low-carbohydrates diets ("Low-carb diets may not be best -- make sure you're balancing foods," Nov. 4).

I am concerned that you have misrepresented the "dangers" of low-carb diets. In particular, you say that high protein foods are often high in fat and cholesterol and you say, "I don't need to lecture you about heart disease."

If you research Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, you'll see that he makes the case that heart disease is directly related to diets high in refined carbohydrates, and that people who eat diets high in protein and natural sources of fat have their bad cholesterol reduced. You also make it sound like diets high in protein will destroy someone's kidneys. In fact, medical resources I've read say is only likely to occur in someone who eats a lot of protein and doesn't consume enough water for their body to function.

I am not trying to prove these dietetic facts; dieticians are hotly debating low-carb diets. My concern is that you are scaring people away from potentially beneficial diets by making claims which are not researched or qualified.