Are low-carb diets really healthier?

low-carb-diet-healthy

Could a low-carb diet give you an edge in losing weight? Help you keep weight off permanently? Here's what you need to know about the low-carb diet.

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates -- such as grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit -- and emphasizes dietary protein and fat. Many types of low-carb diets exist, each with varying restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates you can eat.

Purpose

A low-carb diet is generally used to lose weight. Some low-carb diets say that they have health benefits beyond weight loss, such as reducing risk factors associated with heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

You might choose to follow a low-carb diet because you:

1. Want to change your overall eating habits.
2. Enjoy the types and amounts of foods featured in low-carb diets.
3. Want a diet that restricts certain carbs to help you lose weight.
4. Check with your doctor or health care provider before starting any weight-loss diet, especially if you have any health conditions, including diabetes.

Diet details

Getting started down the path to low carb weight loss

As the name says, a low-carb diet restricts the number of carbohydrates you can eat. Carbohydrates are a type of macronutrient found in many foods and beverages. Most carbohydrates occur naturally in plant-based foods, such as grains. Food manufacturers also add carbohydrates to processed foods in the form of starch or added sugar. Even my depression disappeared for the most part. I’ve only needed antidepressants twice in the last 10 years, and that was when I was dealing with some extremely stressful situations. Once the situations were straightened out, I could easily leave the medications behind. Even with my weight struggles, I believe I’m better off than I was many years ago – struggling on a low-fat diet and always unhappy, hungry, and feeling sick. When I lost my gallbladder 15 years ago, my doctor informed me it was because of my low-fat diet. I had a hard time believing it then, but now? I have no doubts a diet lacking in healthy fats and loaded with grains, starches, and sugars contributed to many of the health problems over my adult life.

I realize this isn’t enough proof for many to who still believe in the lipid hypothesis. I’ll admit, I wasn’t completely convinced myself until I’d been on Atkins for an entire year. Not only did I feel amazing, but a blood test proved I was in great health. Below are the results of my tests in late 2002 (with the lab ranges at the time).

Your body uses carbohydrates as its main fuel source. Sugars and starches are broken down into simple sugars during digestion. They're then absorbed into your bloodstream, where they're known as blood sugar (glucose). From there, the glucose enters your body's cells with the help of insulin. Some of this glucose is used by your body for energy, fueling all of your activities, whether it's going for a jog or simply breathing. Extra glucose is stored in your liver, muscles and other cells for later use or is converted to fat.

The theory behind the low-carb diet is that insulin prevents fat breakdown in the body by allowing sugar to be used for energy. Proponents of the low-carb diet believe that decreasing carbs results in lower insulin levels, which causes the body to burn stored fat for energy and ultimately helps you shed excess weight and reduce risk factors for a variety of health conditions.

Typical menu for a low-carb diet

In general, a low-carb diet focuses on proteins, including meat, poultry, fish and eggs, and some nonstarchy vegetables. A low-carb diet generally excludes or limits most grains, beans, fruits, breads, sweets, pastas and starchy vegetables, and sometimes nuts and seeds. Some low-carb diet plans allow certain fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A daily limit of 50 to 150 grams of carbohydrates is typical with a low-carb diet. Some low-carb diets greatly restrict carbs during the initial phase of the diet and then gradually increase the number of allowed carbs.

Could a low-carb diet give you an edge?

In contrast, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbohydrates make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calorie intake. So, if you consume 2,000 calories a day, you would need to eat between 900 and 1,300 calories a day from carbohydrates, or between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day. As the name says, a low-carb diet restricts the amount of carbohydrates you can eat. Carbohydrates are a type of macronutrient found in many foods and beverages. Most carbohydrates occur naturally in plant-based foods, such as grains. Food manufacturers also add carbohydrates to processed foods in the form of starch or added sugar. A low-carb diet full of processed meats, too much cheese, unhealthy fats, and the low-carb snacks sweetened with alcohol sugars is not a healthy diet. Sausage, bacon, hot dogs and some sliced meat have nitrites that may combine with other substances to form N-Nitroso compounds in the body. Research on nitrites and health is conflicting (they may be rendered harmless by an adequate vitamin C intake), but these compounds may be part of the reason why eating processed meats has been associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer. Some people also worry about hotdogs and brain tumors.

• Eat lots of green vegetables daily like asparagus, broccoli and green beans
• Try several varieties of delicious greens and lettuce with low-carb dressings such as bleu cheese and italian dressings
• Choose fish over red meat that is high in saturated fat
• Drink plenty of water (add a slice of lemon or lime for variety
• Berries make a terrific low-carb dessert
• Consider taking a daily multivitamin and calcium supplement
• Avoid processed meats that contain nitrites and saturated fats

Red meat and low-carb snacks like pork rinds are very high in saturated fat, which is the type of animal fat that is associated with inflammation and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Low-carb snacks are fine to eat occasionally, but many of them are sweetened with alcohol sugars that tend to cause gas, abdominal cramps and they can still be fairly high in calories.Low-carb snacks are fine to eat occasionally, but many of them are sweetened with alcohol sugars that tend to cause gas, abdominal cramps and they can still be fairly high in calories.

One big positive component of low-carb diets is the removal of added sugar and refined carbohydrates, such as candy, sugary sodas, white bread, and pastries, from the diet. Sugary foods generally have a lot of calories and not much nutritional value.

Some possible problems with low-carb dieting are a lack of dietary fiber, not getting enough fruits, and a good chance of being deficient in calcium and vitamin C. A low-carb diet with lots of low-carb vegetables and berries will take care of the fiber and vitamin C need, but taking a calcium supplement may be beneficial if you don't consume enough dairy.