Could a low-carb diet provide you an edge in dropping weight? Aid you maintain weight off permanently? Below's what you require to find out about the low-carb diet.
What Is A Low Carb Diet
A low-carb diet limits carbs-- such as those discovered in grains, starchy veggies and fruit-- as well as emphasizes foods high in protein and also fat. Numerous sorts of low-carb diet exist. Each diet has varying restrictions on the types as well as amounts of carbs you can consume.Objective
A low-carb diet is usually utilized for losing weight. Some low-carb diet might have health benefits beyond weight reduction, such as minimizing threat elements associated with type 2 diabetes issues as well as metabolic syndrome.Why you might follow a low-carb diet
You might choose to follow a low-carb diet because you:- Want a diet that restricts certain carbs to help you lose weight
- Want to change your overall eating habits
- Enjoy the types and amounts of foods featured in low-carb diets
Check with your doctor before starting any weight-loss diet, especially if you have any health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Low Carb Diet details
As the name says, a low-carb diet restricts the type and amount of carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates are a type of calorie-providing macronutrient found in many foods and beverages.Carbohydrates can be simple or complex. They can further be classified as simple refined (table sugar), simple natural (lactose in milk and fructose in fruit), complex refined (white flour) and complex natural (whole grains or beans).
Common sources of naturally occurring carbohydrates include:
- Grains
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Milk
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
Food manufacturers also add refined carbohydrates to processed foods in the form of sugar or white flour. Examples of foods that contain refined carbohydrates are white breads and pasta, cookies, cake, candy, and sugar-sweetened sodas and drinks.
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Typical foods 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, legumes, fruits, breads, sweets, pastas and starchy vegetables, and sometimes nuts and seeds. Some low-carb diet plans allow small amounts of certain fruits, vegetables and whole grains.A daily limit of 0.7 to 2 ounces (20 to 60 grams) of carbohydrates is typical with a low-carb diet. These amounts of carbohydrates provide 80 to 240 calories. Some low-carb diets greatly restrict carbs during the initial phase of the diet and then gradually increase the number of allowed carbs.
In contrast, the 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.
Benefits
Weight loss
Most people can lose weight if they restrict the number of calories consumed and increase physical activity levels. To lose 1 to 1.5 pounds (0.5 to 0.7 kilogram) a week, you need to reduce your daily calories by 500 to 750 calories.Low-carb diets, especially very low-carb diets, may lead to greater short-term weight loss than do low-fat diets. But most studies have found that at 12 or 24 months, the benefits of a low-carb diet are not very large. A 2015 review found that higher protein, low-carbohydrate diets may offer a slight advantage in terms of weight loss and loss of fat mass compared with a normal protein diet.
Cutting calories and carbs may not be the only reason for the weight loss. Some studies show that you may shed some weight because the extra protein and fat keeps you feeling full longer, which helps you eat less.
Other health benefits
Low-carb diets may help prevent or improve serious health conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. In fact, almost any diet that helps you shed excess weight can reduce or even reverse risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Most weight-loss diets — not just low-carb diets — may improve blood cholesterol or blood sugar levels, at least temporarily.A report from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the Obesity Society concluded that there isn't enough evidence to say whether most low-carbohydrate diets provide heart-healthy benefits.
Risks
If you suddenly and drastically cut carbs, you may experience a variety of temporary health effects, including:- Headache
- Bad breath
- Weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Fatigue
- Skin rash
- Constipation or diarrhea
If you follow a low-carbohydrate diet that's higher in fat and possibly higher in protein, it's important to choose foods with healthy unsaturated fats and healthy proteins. Limit foods containing saturated and trans fats, such as meat, high-fat dairy products, and processed crackers and pastries.