Understanding 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 DietsThere 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 DietsAlmost 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..
This article provided courtesy of http://www.low-cholesterol-facts.comLow Carb Diabetic Diets
Thanks to Jennifer Aniston, Dr. Atkins' low-carb diet is the latest craze among weight watchers.
However, the furor it has caused in the medical circles is also due to the fact that it is steeped with immense benefits for diabetics. In fact, it is fast gaining precedence over the traditional low-calorie, low-fat diet once prescribed for diabetics?a diet that has now been conclusively proven to be detrimental to the diabetic patient's health.
This all-out attack on carbohydrates is understandable, as diabetes is a condition where sugar and starch are not properly absorbed from the bloodstream. And when the body is incapacitated in this way, an excess of carbohydrates can be harmful.
Anything more than 5%-10% carbohydrates in your daily caloric intake is a taboo in all the low-carb diets. These place emphasis on consumption of protein and fats so that the body is full and doesn't experience hunger pangs. For it is only when the body feels that...
Diets > Low Carb Diabetic Diets
The Relation between Diets and Gout
Gout is a very common disease among the elderly and people with weight problems. The disease predominantly affects men and it has the highest incidence among people with ages over 50. Although gout has a pronounced hereditary character, people who follow "unhealthy" diets are very susceptible to developing the disease as well.
For years, medical scientists have been trying to reveal conclusive evidence regarding the contribution of diets in the occurrence and the progression of gout. Thanks to the abundance of accumulated data upon this matter, nowadays we know for a fact that gout is most likely to strike among the people who follow fatty meat and seafood diets.
Meat products and seafood have been confirmed to greatly increase the levels of uric acid in the blood, thus facilitating the occurrence of gout. However, research studies have also revealed the fact that inappropriate diet isn't the only cause of the disease, as many people with high uric acid levels...
The Relation between Diets and Gout
Diets > The Relation between Diets and Gout
Why Diets Don't Work
One of the biggest scams ever successfully pulled on the American public is - somewhat appropriately - a 4-letter word. That word is, of course, Diet. By now you have seen advertisements for more diets than you can easily remember, and have also most likely seen an article or television show debunking some of those diets. Unfortunately, the art of shooting holes through the credibility of a diet plan is normally done by ANOTHER diet company, solely for the purpose of getting you to use their product instead. Well, this article has nothing to sell, nor really anything to gain, save the knowledge that hopefully the reader - that's you - will put down the Diet Madness Menu, and get a real world point of view on why diets don't work, and what you can do about it.
Eating, the Lost ArtIf you are considering a diet, or have in the past, your primary motivation was most likely to lose weight. What if I was to tell you that in order to lose weight, you actually need to eat MORE than you...
Why Diets Don't Work
Diets > Why Diets Don't Work
An Ideal Gift For the Granny and Grandad Who Have Just About Everything
Granny & Grandad's Christmas Gift. I don't know about you, but come this time of the year I am absolutely wracking my brains trying to think of a gift for my grand-parents. You know the problem, they are of an age where they have most things, and if they haven't they are financial secure enough to just go out and get them. Also they are not in their dotage, and would not thank me for thermal underwear or a hot water bottle. They enjoy good holidays, but don't like sitting on a beach, they are...
An Ideal Gift For the Granny and Grandad Who Have Just About Everything gift baskets Understanding Low Carb Diets
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photo printers Understanding Low Carb Diets Diets
Auto Owners Insurance ? Do You Really Need It?
If you think you don't have any need for auto owners insurance, just consider the answer to this question. How would you manage to pay the medical bills of someone who gets hurt in an accident when you are at fault? If you do not have an unending supply of money, then you definitely need auto owners insurance.While getting auto owners insurance does add to your annual expenses, you can pay out the cost of the premiums through a monthly payment plan. When you get a quote for auto insurance, you...
Understanding Low Carb Diets
Diets > Auto Owners Insurance ? Do You Really Need It?
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hair loss Understanding Low Carb Diets
Strapless Heart Rate Monitor
Strapless Heart Rate Monitor is a specialized heart rate monitor that helps you to measure and record the exact rate of heart beat. These monitors are the one with no chest strap. Strapless Heart Rate Monitor is the best medium of measuring your heart rate and adopts a proper treatment whenever there is a slight increase in the heart rate. Strapless Heart Rate Monitor has lots of features. Easy to read LCD display with EL backlight, simple to operate, needs to touch sensors to get a reading and...
Strapless Heart Rate Monitor handbags Understanding Low Carb Diets
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