Weighing-in On Low Carb Diets
|
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of information, it's no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the value and safety of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are raging everywhere! Whether it's Atkins, the South Beach or some other low-carb plan, as many as 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.
Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.
Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale show a year after going off the diet? Let's see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may be insufficient information available to answer all questions.
- Differences Between Low-Carb Diets
There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake. Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.
- What We Know about Low-Carb Diets
Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly. Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.
Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce.
Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting. This helps to explain discrepancies between studies. The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.
Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. But, adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of the studies.
Researchers note that losing weight typically leads to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range weight change for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).
Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn't matter weather they come from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.
What Should You Do? - There are 3 important points I would like to re-emphasize:
- The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.
- Despite their popularity, little information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.
- Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal way of eating.
Boredom usually overcomes willpower.
It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are needed. There just isn't a lot of good information available, especially concerning long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this might cause health related complications.
The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your weight goal. If you can't see yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it's not the right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.
If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember that certain dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from animal origins.
Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red meat!
Another alternative to "strict" low-carb dieting would be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not "throw out the baby with the bath water". In other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and whole grains, retained.
Tim Robinson is the owner of Weight-Loss-Diet-Search.com
Visit this site for fresh health, weight loss and dieting articles, useful books, guides and software, and latebreaking health & fitness news.
|
|
|
Ancient Secret For Weight Loss
"THE SECRET REMEDY OF THE ANCIENT WARRIORS"Since what would seem to be the beginning to most, there has excised an all natural elixir that warrior tribes and armies have used in healing throughout the ages. What's now being called mother nature's perfect food? Apple cider vinegar has proven the test of time. It's made from fresh, crushed apples' witch are allowed to mature naturally in wooden barrels, because the wood some ho...(related: Weight Loss)
Finding The Right Diet Pill
Hundreds of products on the market today claim to be the best weight loss product available. How can you know which one is right for you, or which ones even work?Of course, the best possible way to lose weight and get in shape is to eat right and exercise. But even when we commit to a diet and exercise program, we often want that extra "boost" to keep us lose some weight quick...(related: Weight Loss)
Liberate Your Set Esteem And Lose Weight
Are you a 'look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet ever created, read a zillion diet books, and yet are still unhappy with your weight?Has your quest for the holy grail of dieting become a substitute for actually making changes required to take the ill health out of your current diet?If so, you may not realise your thou...(related: Weight Loss)
Fast Weight Loss -- The Healthiest Fast Weight Loss Plan
In general, fast weight loss is not healthy. The faster you lose weight, the faster you'll gain it back. Here are the top 5 reasons fast weight loss plans are not healthy...
A Revolutionary Product Called Hoodia Part 2
The rediscovery of the wealth of the wonder drug Hoodia was a chance occurrence. While scientists were busy searching a cure for HIV/AIDS they found it and the test conducted revealed that the expedition turned out...(related: Weight Loss)
Summer Dieting Tips
Cut the Calories, Bring Out the BikiniSummer's almost here and you want to get into the swim of things, but the B word ? bikini ? has been blindsided once again by that C word ? calories.What can you do to get in shape at the last minute?Adam Shafran, co-author of the new book "You Can't Lose Weight Alone The Partner Power Weight Loss Program," says it's never too late to start losing weight. Aside from diet and exercise, Shafran says it is important to have a partner or buddy who can be there for you through your thick and thin days and nights."Find someone ? a friend, a partner, a husband, who you can be accountable to," he says. "Some...(related: Weight Loss)
Eating Food Just To Be Rid Of It
What to Do with the Leftovers?
Okay, tell me if you've ever done this: It's Monday late afternoon. You decided yesterday that starting today you were going to 1) eat right, and 2) start to get regular exercise, and 3) give up all your bad habits. So, you're picking things up around the house and starting to notice all the little bits and pieces of leftovers from the past weekend. Namely, cookies here, and small bits of candy there. In my house today I noticed I had three large shortbread cookies (I'm overly fond of shortbread cookies with icing), several bags of the...(related: Weight Loss)
Weight Loss For Good ? If Only You Had Known?
Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or from a letter in the mail, it's hard to face the truth at times. Hear-ing it can really cut to the core of our be-ings.Today, fitness books are mostly filled with advertisements, pill pushers and un-real...(related: Weight Loss)
Do You Know These Tricks To Help Conquer Food Cravings?
Food cravings are crafty -- they appear from nowhere and hit you just when you least expect them, don't they?And the critical thing is that the way you respond to your food cravings might just make or break your success at weight loss and maintenance.That's why you need simple ways to deal with cravings whenever they pop up.Now, veering off from your eating plan occasionally will not be earth-shattering, but if you make a habit of giving in to your eating impulses, your moments of weakness will certainly catch up with you.The good n...(related: Weight Loss)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster - shukra1111 [AT] yahoo.com | All Rights Reserved | Weight Loss