The Facts on Low Carbohydrate Diets

by Liam Derbyshire Del.icio.us Delicious Digg Digg Facebook Myspace Myspace Ask Ask

Diets! They seem to come with an attached baggage of stress, dogged determination (or in some cases, lack thereof) and usually a grumbling stomach.

The above seems to be the norm, but what we don’t realize is that the word diet simply means one’s food eating habits. “To diet” however is a completely different story, the verb evokes many reactions. The correct way to diet is of course to do so in such a way as to prevent obesity or to reduce your weight if it is above average. In fact low-carb diets can even help ease the diabetic condition. However dieting should be done very carefully because, more often than not, dieters harm their bodies instead of achieving a healthier lifestyle.

What is a low carbohydrate diet? The American Academy of Family Physicians provides the following definition of low-carbohydrate diet.

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. (www.forum.stripes.net)

At this juncture it is prudent to point out that while diets such as the Atkins diet involve a low intake of carbohydrates they are dangerous and involve a severe cut in carb intake and replacement with fats and proteins. There are many low-carb diets doing the rounds today. Atkins, the Protein Power Life Plan, the Go Lower Diet and the South Beach diet are some of them.

To go on a low carb diet, one need not follow these strict regimes, or buy the books, because, let’s face it, there are those out there who feed on (pun intended) clueless dieters.

What we want to do is reduce insulin production in our bodies and deliberately induce ketosis where the liver converts fat into fatty acids.

Here are some of the basics: processed sugar should be reduced, if not cut out of the diet. Intake of highly processed grain (for example bread) should also be reduced. Fat intake however should remain moderate. What one must understand is that in order for the body to enter in to the state of ketosis and then maintain that, one needs to adopt this eating lifestyle for life. In other words, a temporary diet will only lead to temporary weight loss.

DON’T think that vegetables and fruits are mean carbohydrates and that one can not eat them. One can easily have broccoli, spinach cauliflower etc. Fruits are concentrated in sugar but you can always have some in small quantities. Moderation is the key.

If one is at a complete loss as to what and how to eat meals, the internet is a great source for recipes. Just remember to keep the diets varied to break the monotony and to make sure that the website is credible. Supervision by a physician is strongly recommended.