Home | Health | Diet & Nutrition | Low Carb Diet | Low-Carb Diet Information

Low-Carb Diet Information

by Kim Catanzarite

Overview

Low-carb diets have been proven to help people lose weight---at least on a temporary basis. (All diets are temporary unless eating habits are changed for the better for the long-term.) Some popular low-carb diets are: the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, the Zone and Protein Power.
Why Carbohydrates

When unhealthy sugar- or starch-laden foods (i.e., high-carb foods) are consumed, a dramatic rise of blood sugar occurs and the body releases insulin into the bloodstream to keep blood sugar from rising too high. Some of the sugar is stored in the liver and muscle, but most of it is stored as fat. When insulin drops, you naturally become hungry again, so you eat again and a cycle starts.

Features

On a low-carb diet, you give up sugar- or starch-laded foods such as bread, baked goods, pasta, candy, potato chips and pretzels. Allowable foods include proteins such as chicken, beef and pork, fats such as butter and oils, and some vegetables, but only within the daily amount of carbohydrate allowed. Some low-carb diets have been criticized for their lack of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Time Frame

Low-carb diets are often broken into phases, with the first allowing the least amount of carbs. This is because a very low carb intake forces the body into a state of ketosis---without a readily available source of energy (carbohydrates) to appeal to, the body resorts to the next best thing: the fat stores. As long as the fat stores are being burned for energy, you will lose weight. Subsequent diet phases allow you to gradually introduce healthy carbs such as whole grains until you eventually arrive at your target weight---no longer losing or gaining.
Benefits

In a low-carb diet, you start to lose weight quickly and the weight you lose comes from the loss of fat. Highly processed and sugary foods have little nutritional value, while whole grains and whole foods have high nutritional values---so the carbs that you are allowed to consume provide a lot more nutrition for the calories consumed.
Warning

A recent study done in Britain, where the Atkins Diet was highly popular, found that many dieters show a significant buildup of plaque in their arteries. The Atkins Diet does not limit calories and allows you to eat as much fat as you like. The South Beach Diet, on the other hand, encourages you to eat only healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil and to cook with low-fat and fat-free products while limiting calories. Consider the details when choosing a low-carb diet.