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IS THE LOW CARB DIET SAFE ?

LOW CARB LIVING SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION:

• With advances in technology and medicine, the level of obesity in the world is increasing.
• Main cause of obesity is overconsumption of carbohydrates (carbs).
• Carbs.

1. Great source of energy.
2. Type and quantity of carbs define the level of obesity.

WHAT IS LOW CARB?

• Includes consumption of food low in carbohydrates and glycemic.
• Carbs Digestion Process:

1. Consumption of carbohydrates leads the body to excrete insulin.
2. Glucose-effect of insulin excretion- either gets burned by our body if we need immediate energy or else gets stored as fat.
3. Continuous hike in insulin level causes a person to get hungry in 2-3.

HOURS THEREBY  CREATING  A VICIOUS  CIRCLE: 

• Low carb diet is limited to 60-130 grams, or 240-520 calories of carbohydrates per day as compared to 225-325 grams recommended by government diet guidelines.

  
  
  
  

• Reduced carbs over period of time can lead to ketosis, a condition in which your body uses fat as energy instead of carbs.

This can cause serious fat loss and is the main reason of living a low carb lifestyle.

IS THE LOW CARB DIET SAFE ?

It is safe if cutting of carbohydrates is done selectively at moderate levels ?
E.g. reducing fat in the diet without considering the type of fat can lead to high blood cholesterol.

Have adequate knowledge as to what diet should or shouldn’t include:

1. Refraining from fruits and vegetables does more harm than good.

        E.g. Restriction of bananas having high glycamaeic levels may lead to potassium deficiency.

2. Reduced intake of calcium rich food may cause osteoporosis or menstrual issues in women.

Before selecting a diet plan one should understand his or her body well:

1. A kidney patient should pay attention to his/her protein intake.

2. A heart patient should concentrate more on fats.

       Changes in your lifestyle will require changes in diet plans too:

3. People working out/bodybuilding or pregnant women have different diet needs.

WHICH LOW CARB DIET IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Different diets:

1. The Atkins diet:

•  Allows you to eat a lot of vegetables and then in later phases add in carbohydrates like fruits and whole grains.
• Harder diet as it pushes you to lean towards more proteins in starting phase.
• Easy to prepare at home.

2. The No White Diet:

You just stop eating anything that is white or has white ingredients such as sugars, white flour (pasta, bread, cake, donuts, etc.), white rice, and white potatoes.

Easier to accomplish and allows for healthier diets.

 Significant points regarding these diets:

1. Long-range success rate for low-carb and other diets is comparable.
2. Little data exists on the long-term efficacy and safeness of variations of the low-carbohydrate     diets.
3. Rigorous low-carb diets are generally not sustainable as a routine way of eating. Boredom most often overcomes willpower.