According to the Mayo Clinic website, a low-carb diet restricts the amount of carbohydrates eaten, instead focusing on eating sources of protein and fat. There are several different low-carb diets out there, each having varying restrictions on the amount and type of carbs you can eat. These include the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, and the Zone diet, just to name a few.
Purpose of a Low-carb Diet
Generally speaking, most people go on a low-carb diet as a way to lose weight. According to the Harvard Medical School website, people lose weight faster on a low-carb diet. In a recent study, people on the low-carb diet plan had more weight loss than people on a low-fat diet plan within the first six months.
Foods to Avoid
The MayoClinic.com lists the following foods to be high in carbs and should be avoided on a low-carb diet: grains, dairy products, fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, sugar, and sweets. This means staying away from bread, cereal, rice, pasta, potatoes, candy, non-diet soda, juice, chips, alcohol, and beer.
Foods to Eat
According to the Mayo Clinic website, a typical daily limit of 50 to 150 total carbohydrates is acceptable on a low-carb diet. Although there are many restrictions on a low-carb diet, there are still many foods you can eat and enjoy. These include: meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and most vegetables. Examples of meat include: beef, pork, lamb, bacon, and ham.
Accepted types of fish include: tuna, salmon, sole, trout, flounder, sardines, and herring. Examples of fowl you can eat include: chicken, turkey, duck, goose, quail, pheasant, and cornish hen. Accepted shellfish include: oysters, mussels, clams, squid, shrimp, lobster, and crab. Finally, acceptable cheese includes: aged & fresh, cow & goat, cream cheese, cottage cheese, swiss and cheddar.
Risks
Although there are many benefits to losing weight on a low-carb diet, there are also some risks you need to consider. According to the MayoClinic.com, a low-carb diet is often high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which may increase your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Ketosis is also a risk of a low-carb diet. Ketosis is a condition in which the body cannot break down all of the fat consumed. Symptoms of ketosis include weakness, dizziness, dehydration and nausea.
Considerations
Because of the possible risks of a low-carb diet, it is important to first discuss it with your doctor to find out whether a low-carb diet is right for you.
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