A Beginner's guide to low-carb diet

When you think about dieting and losing weight, your first thought might be to cut back on carbs. While that’s not necessarily a bad idea – especially if you have insulin resistance or diabetes – many people take this advice to an extreme. The low-carb diet has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. Carbs are not the enemy; it’s usually the sugar and refined grains that we eat those cause problems.

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of a low-carb diet, how they work, what foods you should avoid when following a low-carb plan, and how to start one if that sounds like something you want to do.

How does a low-carb diet work?

When you follow a low-carb diet, you drastically reduce your intake of carbohydrates while increasing your fat intake. For most people, that means consuming less than 40 grams of carbohydrates per day (some people may need to go as low as 20 grams or fewer per day).

There are many low-carb diets, including:

Atkins

Ketogenic diet

Paleo

Zone diet

If you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your blood sugar will spike and then crash, causing you to feel hungry soon after eating. This is because the body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar, which is why they are considered “simple” carbohydrates.

Low-carb diets reduce your blood sugar by replacing those carbohydrates with other nutrients. Instead of a pancake for breakfast, for example, you might eat eggs. You might eat chicken breast instead of bread for sandwiches. Instead of pasta for dinner, you might eat fish.

Pros of a low-carb diet

Blood sugar control: This is one of the most important benefits of a low-carb diet. If you have diabetes or are at risk of developing it, you can use a low-carb diet. This diet helps to lower your blood sugar and reduce your risk of complications.

Weight Loss: Some high-carbohydrate foods are indeed relatively high in calories. Overall, research shows that people following a low-carb diet lose more weight than people following a high-carb diet.

Improved Insulin Sensitivity: When insulin sensitivity is high, your body can metabolize glucose more effectively. This leads to lower blood glucose levels, which can help you avoid, or even reverse, type 2 diabetes.

Cons of a low-carb diet

Calorie Restriction: This is because carbohydrates contain about four calories per gram, while fat contains about nine calories per gram. So if you replace some of your carbohydrate calories with fat calories, you will probably end up eating fewer total calories

Nutrient Deficiencies: The reason for this is that some of these nutrients are found in high concentrations in carbohydrate-rich foods. For example, many vegetables and fruits are high in vitamin C

Feeling Hungry: because your body has gotten used to a certain amount of carbohydrates in your diet, and now it needs fewer carbohydrates.

Things to remember before starting a low-carb diet

Be Prepared to Count Calories: if you are going to reduce your carbohydrate intake, you will have to be careful to not reduce your overall calorie intake too much

Be Prepared to Eat Different Foods: if you are used to eating a lot of bread and other carbohydrate-rich foods, you will probably have to make some changes in what you eat

Be Prepared for Gastrointestinal Distress: for the first few days, you may experience gastrointestinal distress when you reduce your carbohydrate intake.

In comparison to refined carbs, complex carbohydrates are generally absorbed more slowly and have a smaller impact on blood sugar. Moreover, they offer fiber.

Is the still low-carb diet popular and why?

Diets that are low in carbs have a long history. Greek Olympic competitors may have followed a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates in 776 BC to retain their stamina, muscle mass, and athletic prowess. However, these dietary habits didn't become more common until the second part of the 19th century. William Banting highlighted the advantages of a low-carb diet for weight loss and optimum health in his 1863 publication, Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public. Nowadays, Banting is referred regarded as "the father of the low-carb diet."

Who needs to follow a low-carb diet?

Typically, a low-carb diet is recommended to lose weight. In addition to helping you lose weight, several low-carb diets may also lower your chance of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

You might decide to adhere to a low-carb diet if you:

Want to burn fat by sticking to a diet that restricts a specific kind of carb?

Want to alter your eating patterns generally?

Enjoy the varieties and portions of food that are part of low-carb diets.

Before beginning any weight-loss program, especially if you have a medical condition like diabetes or heart disease, consult your doctor.

Conclusion

Research shows that low-carb diets can be an effective way to lose weight and improve health. You can use a low-carb diet to reduce your blood sugar and improve your insulin sensitivity. You can also use a low-carb diet to improve your cholesterol numbers.

When following a low-carb diet, it’s important to replace the carbohydrates you’re cutting out with healthy alternatives. It’s also important to keep an eye on your calorie intake and make sure you’re getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals.

Reducing our carbohydrate intake can improve our metabolic and cardiovascular health. We may be able to lose weight and feel better if we consume less of this macronutrient.

However, there are drawbacks to this. Many nutritious foods contain carbohydrates, especially fruits and whole-grain foods. If you reduce these, you may have difficulties receiving enough fiber and important nutrients, which may force you to turn to supplements.

Although they are frequently blamed, carbohydrates are your brain's primary energy source, and a lack of them can cause mental fatigue and brain fog. They have a crucial role in enhancing athletic performance, particularly in endurance-based sports.