Low Carbohydrate Diet

Information about Low Carbohydrate Diets

The Low Carbohydrate Diets

What are Low Carbohydrate Diets ?

Low-carbohydrate diets or low carb diets, are food diet programmes for weight loss and dietary health that advocate restricted carbohydrate consumption, based on research that ties carbohydrate consumption with increased blood insulin levels, and increased insulin with obesity.

The most common low carbohydrate diets are the Atkins Diet and the Hay Diet.

About Low Carbohydrate Diets

Low carbohydrate diets are based on the premise that a diet very low in carbohydrate leads to a reduction in the body's insulin production, resulting in fat and protein (muscle) stores being used as its main energy source.

The aim of low carbohydrate diets is to force the body to use fat as its main energy source, when this happens a person produces 'ketone bodies' to fuel parts of the body that can not use fat as an energy source - the brain, and red blood cells, in particular.

When this happens a person is said to be in a state of ketosis - characterised by smelly breath (an acetone smell like nail varnish) and side effects such as nausea and fatigue.

Do These Diets Work ?

In the short term, most people who go on low carbohydrate diets lose weight very quickly. However, the majority of weight loss comes from loss of water (because carbs help store water in the body) and muscle tissue, not fat which is what you need to lose to keep the weight off.

Also, if you're trying to lose weight permanently, losing precious lean muscle tissue is like sabotaging your own body. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, and burns calories even when you are at rest. A decrease in the amount of muscle tissue you have will lead to a decrease in the number of calories you need each day to maintain your weight, making it much harder to keep your weight under control when you stop following the low carb diet.

The Government's View

"Low-carbohydrate" diets in particular have had a lot of publicity recently. These diets usually involve cutting out starchy foods altogether. It's a common misconception that starchy foods are fattening – actually they contain less than half the calories of fat. And starchy foods are an essential part of a healthy balanced diet.

Cutting out starchy foods, or any food group, can be bad for your health because you could be missing out on a range of nutrients. This type of diet also tends to be unrealistic and dull, and not palatable enough to be tolerated for a long time.

Low-carbohydrate diets tend to be high in fat, too, and eating a diet that is high in fat (especially saturated fat from foods such as meat, cheese, butter and cakes) could increase your chances of developing coronary heart disease.

High-fat diets are also associated with obesity, which is currently increasing in the UK. People who are obese are more likely to develop conditions such as diabetes and some cancers.

Low-carbohydrate diets also restrict the amount of fruit and veg you eat, but these foods provide lots of different vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre, which are vital for good health.

Eating plenty of fruit and veg can also help to protect us against heart disease and some types of cancer. So, to stay healthy, we should all be trying to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, whether they are fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced.

So, rather than avoiding starchy foods, it's better to try and base your meals on them, so they make up about a third of your diet. Starchy foods include bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, oats, noodles, maize, cornmeal, yams and plantains. Remember not to cook or serve starchy foods with too much fat – this is what can make them fattening. And don't forget to eat plenty of fruit and veg too.

If you're concerned about your weight, contact your GP or a dietitian. If you think you need to lose just a little weight, try to eat only as much food as you need, improve the balance of your diet, and get more active. back to top

There is no magic bullet - a healthy balanced diet with regular exercise seems to be the key.

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