Millions of Americans are dieting to lose weight at any given time. With the health risks of obesity, including serious diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, it's important for those who are overweight to lose weight. Yet dieting is a confusing concept for many Americans, with so many different types of diets from which to choose. Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets are two popular, yet opposing, diet formats.
Low-Fat Diets
Low-fat diets are based on the premise that dietary fats contribute more calories than protein or carbohydrates (nine calories per gram of fat vs. only four each for protein and carb grams) and that eating too much of it causes weight gain. Additionally, eating too much fat, especially saturated fat, can lead to heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Low-fat diets encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats instead of high-fat animal products such as steak, bacon and butter.
Low-Carb Diets
According to the Mayo Clinic, low-carbohydrate diets are based on the premise that eating carbs causes a person to produce more of the hormone insulin, which prevents the body from burning fat. Low-carb diets restrict foods such as pasta, rice, baked goods, candy, starchy vegetables and even certain fruits. This way, the body is forced into a process called ketosis, in which fat is burned for energy instead of carbs.
Variety
Both the low-carb and low-fat diets restrict foods, but the low-fat diet offers more variety of foods from which to choose. People on low-fat diets can still eat foods from every food group, including grains, fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy. They simply choose lower-fat versions of meat products such as skinless chicken breasts instead of steak. Low-carb diets often restrict the entire grain group of the food pyramid, making it harder to eat out at a restaurant.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of low-carb diets vs. low-fat diets has been tested recently by Harvard Medical School, which found that people tend to lose weight faster on low-carb diets, but by a year into the diet, both low-carb and low-fat dieters lose about the same amount of weight.
Risks
A few of the risks associated with low-carb diets include dehydration, dizziness, irritability and constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic. These effects occur due to a lack of carbs and fiber in the diet. There are no known risks associated with low-fat diets. While fat is essential for hormone production, getting as little as 25 percent of daily calories from unsaturated fats is plenty to sustain health.
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