The premise of a low-carb diet is just as it sounds, but this doesn't mean the elimination of carbohydrates from your diet entirely. It mainly involves minimizing consumption of carbohydrates such as breads, grains, rice, starchy vegetables and starchy fruit. Most low-carb diets encourage eating nonstarchy fruits and vegetables.
Why Do It?
The main idea behind a low-carb diet is quick rapid weight loss. This loss is due to a deficit of calories, not loss of water. Consumption of carbohydrate calories on most typical diets ranges from 45 to 65 percent of a 2,000 calorie diet, according to the Mayo Clinic. But if you are restricting your carbohydrate intake to 50 to 150 grams a day, down from 225 to 325 per day, you can see that a large portion of your calorie consumption has been eliminated.
Atkins
This is the very first of the mainstream low-carb diet plans. The premise is minimizing carbohydrate ingestion, while accounting for total carbohydrate calorie consumption, regardless of where the carbohydrate is coming from. There are several phases in this diet. The first phase requires a drastic restriction of carbohydrate intake, 20 grams per day for two weeks. After this phase carbohydrates are slowly reintroduced.
South Beach
The South Beach Diet is another mainstream low-carb diet. It includes parts of other diets, such as Atkins and Dr. Richard Bernstein's Diabetes Diet. The South Beach Diet restricts almost all types of carbohydrates at the onset. The South Beach Diet website says this stage is designed to eliminate cravings for sugar and refined starches so as to stabilize blood sugar. The second stage is the long-term weight-loss plan. Whole-grain breads, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, as well as many other foods, are allowed.
Protein
The Protein Power Diet pushes proteins while limiting carbohydrates. It isn't as strict as the Atkins or South Beach diets, but it does require calorie counting. It permits you to consume some carbs for energy, but it isn't overly concerned about the type of carb. This diet requires you to divide your protein and carbohydrate allotment into three meals and one snack and teaches portion control and carb counting along the way.
Diabetes Diet
Although this next diet is called Bernstein's Diabetic Diet, it can be used by anyone who wants to try a low-carb diet. In this diet, developed by Dr. Richard Bernstein, who himself is a diabetic, carbohydrate consumption is limited to about 30 grams per day. The 30 grams are spread throughout the day.
Member Comments