Low Carbohydrate Diet : the Facts and Myths

Are your clothes become too tight? Do you want to lose excess weight? Can low carbohydrate diet help you to cut off extra kilograms permanently? What is right way to go?

For most of us, carbohydrates are the primary source of energy. During process of digestion, our bodies convert carbohydrates to sugars. Insulin helps our body cells to produce energy from sugar.

Main sources of carbohydrates are grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk daily products, sweets and sugars.

Low carbohydrate diet – the Definition?

According to American Academy of Family Physicians, the definition of low carb diet is as follow:

Low-carbohydrate diets restrict caloric intake by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 20 to 60 g per day (typically less than 20 percent of the daily caloric intake). The consumption of protein and fat is increased to compensate for part of the calories that formerly came from carbohydrates.

Why this restriction?

It is based on the fact that some carbohydrates are considered to be bad carbohydrates, such as rice, white potatoes, pasta, cereal, peanut butter….etc. these foods can raise your blood glucose levels quickly.

The elevated glucose levels will stimulate your body to produce more insulin; high levels of insulin cause you to gain weight as it increases your hunger.

Furthermore, if you consume low carbohydrate foods, this will decrease levels of insulin in your blood, so your body will breakdown stored fats to produce energy, eventually, you will lose more weight.

However, researchers are still going on to understand the weight loss when using a low carb diet, because the role of the insulin and/or blood is still discussable.

Low Carbohydrate Diet - Who is eligible?

This diet is used in the following cases:

• want to lose more kilograms and have a normal weight (overweight; obese),

• or if you are diabetic

• or treat some conditions (chronic fatigue syndrome; polycystic ovarian syndrome; epilepsy)

Low Carb Diet – the menu

It is important to eat from all types of food for our body to normally function, especially when it comes to diabetics.

However, if your doctor wants you to put under a low carb diet or you want to easily and fast losing weight, then this rule is not eligible any more.

The menu of a low carb diet consist of reduction of high carb foods (bad carb foods) and high in proteins and fats.

Your menu contains:

Effects of low-carb diet on general health

Recently, there have been a lot of controversies about low-carb diet and its effect on general health. That's why it is good to consult your doctor or any dietitian before deciding to go for this diet.

Always remember that the best and the healthiest diet is the one that contains balanced amounts of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and low or free-fat sources of protein.

Low Carbohydrate Diet – for how long?

When you follow low carbohydrate diet, you will lose weight effectively in a very short period of time, up to 6 months, and then the amount of weight loss will decrease gradually.

However, most of people do not resist too much to the restriction. That's why, after achieving the “first months weight loss”, people usually quit. Furthermore, the “food-industry” is producing lots of tasty and smelly “yummy-teeth-pleasuring” foods that no body could resist. Even one on diet or diabetic. Thus, try to work with yourself against your gluttony to avoid future problems.

Good luck!

Related topics:

• How to select the Best Diabetes Diet?

• Sample Diabetic Diet 2000 Calories.