A Low Carbohydrate Diet Plan

A low-carbohydrate diet restricts the amount of carbs you eat each day. Low-carb diets enjoy enormous popularity among dieters, and there are an array to choose from, including the Zone, Atkins, South Beach, Sugar Busters and the GO-diet. While the low-carb premise is consistent among such diets, other rules can vary. Always check with a health care provider before you start a new diet.

Identification

A low-carbohydrate diet will limit your daily intake of carbohydrates. A daily limit of 50 to 150 g of carbs is typically allowed, according to the Mayo Clinic. For example, the GO-Diet limits total intake to 50 g and allows you to consume only 12 to 15 g per meal, notes Johnny Bowden, author of "Living the Low-Carb Life." The Atkins diet limits you to 20 g of carbs in the initial phase, then allows you to add another 5 g in the second phase and another 5g in the third phase, according to "The Ultimate Low-Carb Diet Cookbook," by Donna Pliner Rodnitzky.

Types

In many low-carb diets, the type of fat you are allowed to consume is not specified. That can raise your risk for heart disease if you eat meals high in saturated fat and cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. In other plans, the type of fat is specified. For example, in the GO-diet, you must make sure that half of the fat you consume is monounsaturated. This type of fat comes from seeds, nuts, olive oil and avocados. Also, lean beef and lean chicken havemonounsaturated fat, notes Bowden.

Effects

A low-carb diet can increase your feeling of fullness, or satiety, because protein and fat take longer to digest than carbohydrates do, according to the Mayo Clinic. This may lead you to consume fewer calories. Limiting the variety of foods you are allowed to consume also may reduce your caloric intake. Weight loss on low-carb diets is mostly associated with fewer calories as opposed to reduced carb intake, notes Paul M. Insel, author of "Discovering Nutrition." Fat, however, has more calories per gram than protein and carbs, at nine calories per gram compared to four calories per gram for the other two.

Features

A low-carb diet may have other rules. Many ban specific foods, such as bread, sugar and white flour. The Neanderthin diet, for example, disallows potatoes, sugar, dairy products, all grains, beans and potatoes. Some diets have requirements for what you must add in as well. On the GO-diet, you must consume a minimum of 25 g of fiber daily. Most people in the United States consume only about 10 g per day, Bowden notes. You're also required to eat a minimum of five servings of vegetables daily. Some low-carb diet plans also include an exercise component, though many do not, Bowden says.

Considerations

A low-carbohydrate diet can lead to about 4 percent greater weight loss, or about 8 lbs. more, than a conventional diet for the first six months. However, the difference in weight loss is not significant at the one-year point, says G.D. Foster, lead author for a study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine." Foster studied 63 obese people who followed either a conventional diet, meaning a low-calorie, low-fat and high-carbohydrate plan, or a low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diet for one year.

Limiting fruits and whole grains can lead to an inadequate fiber intake, which can lead to constipation or other gastrointestinal problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. You also risk a condition called ketosis, which is due to inadequate fat breakdown. This can lead to nausea, weakness, dehydration, irritability and dizziness, according to the clinic. A low-carb diet can lead to higher blood cholesterol levels, too, if you are eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol.

If you are nursing, you should avoid a low-carb diet, advises the American Dietetic Association. That's because your baby needs nutrients from all food groups to grow properly.