What is a low-carbohydrate diet

A low-carbohydrate diet reduces the amount of carbohydrates, such as those found in grains, starchy vegetables and fruits. A low-carb diet emphasizes foods high in protein and fat. There are many types of low-carbohydrate diets. Each has different restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates you can eat.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are the name for the nutrients in food that provide energy, usually converted into a sugar called glucose. They are found in all foods with added sugar (such as baklava, cookies, cakes, biscuits, jams, puddings and chocolates) and in starchy foods (loaves, bread, pita bread, potatoes, rice crackers, pasta, macaroni). Other foods such as fruit and milk contain carbohydrates in the form of natural sugar. More information about carbohydrates can be found here.

What is a low-carb diet?

A low-carbohydrate diet (commonly called low-carb) is designed to restrict the amount of sugary and starchy carbohydrates you eat. This diet helps people lose weight and/or improve their diabetes (glucose) control.

A low-carb diet aims to limit carbohydrates to less than 130g per day.

The basics

• Use food labels and search apps, books, and other online resources to track your carbohydrate intake and keep it within the specified amounts
• You don’t usually need to count calories
• The approach should be based on your own preferences
• It should be consistent with the culture

What’s the method?

Research has shown that a low-carbohydrate diet can lead to weight loss that improves health outcomes/risk for diabetes in people who are overweight or obese. For overweight type 2 diabetics, a low-carbohydrate diet can improve diabetes (glucose) control, reduce the need for diabetes medications and can, in some cases, put diabetes into remission.

If a person carries more weight around their stomach, this is usually associated with fat accumulation around important organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines. When you lose weight through a low-carb diet, the fat content in these organs is reduced which means the pancreas gland will be better able to produce insulin, the hormone needed to push glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells to be used as energy.

Is it safe?

To minimize the side effects you may experience, try to slowly reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat. Research studies show that a low-carb diet is safe and effective in the short term (up to a year) but there is no information about long-term effects. As you get used to the diet, you may find that you experience some side effects including

• Feeling dizzy
• palpitations
• A change in bowel habits – either constipation or diarrhea
• headaches

Most people find that they feel better when they drink lots of water and get over it after the first two or three weeks. If these symptoms persist or if you’re concerned about them, talk to your healthcare provider.

How much will I lose?

Most people can lose weight if they reduce calories and increase their physical activity. To lose 1 to 1.5 pounds (0.5 to 0.7 kilograms) a week, you need to eat 500 to 750 fewer calories each day.

Low-carbohydrate diets, especially very low-carbohydrate diets, may lead to greater short-term weight loss than do low-fat diets. But most studies suggest that the benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet are minimal over 12 or 24 months.

Reducing calories and carbohydrates may not be the only reason for weight loss with low-carb diets. Some studies show that you may lose weight because the extra protein and fat help you feel fuller for longer. And feeling fuller for longer makes you eat less.

What can I eat?

For a low-carb diet, try to stick to these guidelines:

• Avoid refined sugary and starchy carbohydrates (such as cakes, cookies, candy, white bread, pasta, and white rice)
• Reduce your overall carbohydrate intake
• Avoid processed and prepared meals/fast foods/pizza
• Replace refined carbohydrates with whole grain options
• Eat healthy Mediterranean-style foods (lots of vegetables, fish, nuts, nuts, olives, avocados, and berries)
• Eat more proteins, healthy fats, non-starchy vegetables and low-carb fruits instead
• Pay attention to your portion size

Avoid refined sugary and starchy carbohydrates

Starchy carbohydrates are found in bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, cereals, cereals, pita breads, baked goods, noodles, macaroni and flour. “Refined” carbohydrates are foods such as white bread and rice that are highly processed, meaning the whole grains that contain nutrients and fiber have been removed.

Your body digests refined carbohydrates quickly, causing your blood glucose levels to rise quickly. Whole grains or healthier options can be added in limited portions. Healthier options include oats, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and breads with whole grains or seeds.

Examples of foods to avoid include:

Baklava, halva, dumplings, sugar, candy, chocolate, jam, marmalade, honey, syrup
Pudding, Om Ali, sweets, ice cream, ice cream, biscuits, cookies, cakes, baked goods
Cereal, porridge, maple syrup
Bread, potatoes, pasta, noodles, rice (white and whole grain)
savory snacks – samosas, chips, crackers, corn snacks, salted popcorn
Anything made from flour – baked goods, butter, sauces
Most prepared and processed foods

Other foods that contain natural carbohydrates that you can eat include:

• Natural milk and yogurt
• whole fruits
• Most vegetables except for starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, cassava and sweet potatoes
• Legumes and pulses (peas and dried beans)

What can I eat?

Low-carb vegetables

One serving is equivalent to the size of one of your folded hands. Try to eat 5-6 servings of vegetables per day. Almost all vegetables are low in carbohydrates so fill your plate with all kinds of leafy greens, six fingers, eggplant with mushrooms, onions, eggplant, bean sprouts, carrots, peas and parsnips.

Some vegetables are high in carbohydrates including potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and sweet corn and should be avoided as much as possible.

Vegetables

Add a serving of green leafy vegetables and salad greens at every meal. You should eat at least two servings of vegetables with meals, but you can add more to replace the carbohydrates on your plate.

Try cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, kale and fresh cooked green peas instead of large portions of pasta, potatoes or rice. Add flavor from turmeric, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, parsley, coriander, sumac, or add a spice blend like allspice, ras el hanout, thyme, or harissa to flavor and add texture to meats with tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. All of these flavors are very low in carbohydrates and are a good source of fiber.

Fruit

One serving is the size of your fist and you can choose to eat two servings of fruit per day. Choose fruits with lower sugar content, such as berries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, and citrus fruits. Avoid tropical fruits with higher sugar content, such as bananas, mangoes, papayas and pineapples.

Lean proteins

One serving is the size of your palm and the thickness of your little finger or the size of a deck of cards. Aim for 2 to 3 servings a day. All meat, chicken and fish, especially oily fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines, can be eaten freely.

Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein and two eggs count as one serving. Try different ways to cook eggs, such as omelet, scrambled, poached or fried.

Highly processed meats such as burgers, nuggets and sausages should be avoided as much as possible. Include vegetarian options such as eggs, lentils, peas and dried beans, and you should try to eat one serving of lentils or peas per day.

Dairy

Milk and dairy products are another good source of protein. You can have 237 ml (½ cup) of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and a small bowl of plain natural yogurt or Greek yogurt with berries and chopped nuts every day. You can have it for breakfast, as a snack or as a dessert.

Types of low-carb diets

There are many diets that rely on minimizing and sometimes almost completely cutting out carbohydrates, such as the strict Carnivore diet. In some diets, healthy carbs can be added in a small way, but the amount is very limited. Here are the most popular ones:

• Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (LCHF): This diet reduces carbohydrates but allows more fat, with an emphasis on whole, unprocessed foods.
• The Atkins diet: This diet consists of several phases, starting with a very low carbohydrate intake and gradually increasing it. It focuses on protein and fat with some reintroduction of carbohydrates as the dieter progresses.
• Paleo diet: While not strictly low-carb, the Paleo diet reduces carbs by eliminating processed foods, grains, and legumes, and focusing instead on whole foods such as lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
• Ketogenic (keto) diet: This diet emphasizes very low carbohydrate intake (usually less than 20 grams per day) and high fat consumption. It aims to induce ketosis, a state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose.

Benefits of a low-carb diet

The benefits of following the LOCARB diet are not limited to weight loss, but there are many other benefits for physical and mental health, and here are the most prominent ones:

• Weight loss: Many studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can be effective for weight loss. By reducing carbohydrate intake, many people benefit from a reduced sense of hunger and eat appropriate and satiating amounts during the day, which helps with weight loss.
• Improved blood sugar control: For those with diabetes or insulin resistance, a low-carbohydrate diet can help stabilize blood sugar levels, but consult your doctor before following any of these regimens indiscriminately.
• Lower triglycerides: Low-carbohydrate diets often lead to lower triglyceride levels, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
• Increase HDL cholesterol: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, known as “good” cholesterol, often increases on a low-carb diet, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
• Improved mental clarity and focus: Some people report improved mental clarity and cognitive function on low-carbohydrate diets, possibly due to stable blood sugar levels and ketosis.

What are the downsides of Low Carb?

If an individual stops eating sugar and starches, they may experience some side effects while on the diet, for some people, these side effects are mild, while others find them more difficult. They usually last a few days, up to two weeks, and can be overcome by reducing carbohydrate intake gradually, over a few weeks.

When an individual starts following the Low Carb Diet, they may experience some side effects such as:

Flu-like symptoms

Flu-like symptoms are the most common short-term side effect of the Low Carb Diet, which is why some dieters feel uncomfortable for a few days after starting low-carb.

Here are some common symptoms:

• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.

These side effects subside quickly as the body adapts and begins to increase fat burning, and usually disappear within a week, or at most two weeks.

The main reason for these symptoms may be that carbohydrate-rich foods can increase water retention within the body, so when an individual stops eating carbohydrate-rich foods, they will lose excess water in their body, this can lead to dehydration and salt deficiency during the first week, leading to the above-mentioned symptoms.

An individual can minimize these side effects of the Low Carb Diet by drinking more fluids, and at least temporarily increasing salt consumption.

There are five relatively common side effects experienced by low-carb dieters, many of which can be mostly overcome by getting enough fluids, and salt such as:

• leg cramp
• Constipation.
• Bad breath.
• heart palpitations
• Reduced physical activity

Conclusion

Low Carb can provide various health benefits, including weight loss, improved glycemic control, and improved lipid levels.

If you choose to follow a low-carb diet, pay attention to the fats and proteins you choose to eat. You should also limit foods that contain saturated and trans fats, such as meat and high-fat dairy products. These foods can increase your risk of heart disease.