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Low-Carb Diet Recommendations

Jun 14, 2011 | By Karen Frazier
Low-Carb Diet Recommendations
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Low-carbohydrate diets can be an effective weight loss tool. Each diet maps specific plans designed to maximize your success. Though the diets vary, there are many similarities among them, and there are general recommendations for success. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet.

Background

Dr. Robert Atkins is considered the father of the low-carbohydrate diet. His 1972 book, "Dr. Atkins; Diet Revolution," brought modern low-carb diets into the public eye. The diet had many avid supporters, who enjoyed losing weight while eating foods that were forbidden on other diets, such as bacon, butter, and heavy cream. In 1992, Dr. Atkins re-released the diet with a few updates. With the widespread popularity of "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution," other physicians began to take a serious look at low-carb diets as a viable method for weight loss --- and many low-carb diets followed.

Theory

In his book "Good Calories, Bad Calories," Gary Taubes examined low-carb diets and why they work. According to Taubes, the key to success on a low-carb diet is insulin. When you eat carbohydrates, your blood glucose rises and your body releases insulin to control the rise in blood sugar. Insulin is a hormone that causes your body to store food as fat, and it also prevents your body from using stored fat as fuel when it is present in the bloodstream. Low-carb diets control insulin, allowing your body to burn stored fat as fuel. Atkins calls this process "ketosis," and suggests that it is the primary mechanism by which low-carbohydrate diets accomplish weight loss.

Foods

Low-carbohydrate diets focus on animal proteins, non-starchy vegetables, low-sugar fruits such as berries, fats, as well as some seeds and nuts. The foods are all low in carbohydrates and provide your body with essential nutrients for health.

Recommendations

Recommendations vary depending on the low-carb plan you choose; however, some general recommendations cover virtually all plans. Avoiding sugar is extremely important on low-carbohydrate diet plans, suggests Dr. Michael Eades, author of "Protein Power Lifeplan." Sugar in all of its forms causes large spikes in blood glucose and stops the chemical process necessary for weight loss in low-carbohydrate diets. Another recommendation of most low-carb diet plans is avoiding baked goods, grains like rice, corn, and foods made from flour such as pasta and cereal. These foods are very high in carbohydrates and cause large spikes in blood glucose. In specific diets, Atkins recommends eating fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates from leafy green vegetables each day, then gradually increasing your carbohydrate intake to an individual carb tolerance level. The Protein Power plan suggests eating a large amount of protein based on your height, weight, sex, and age, and limiting carbohydrate intake to between 7 and 10 grams per meal. In his Zone diet, Dr. Barry Sears suggests eating 40 percent of your calories from protein, 30 percent from fat, and 30 percent of from carbohydrates. The PaNu, or Paleolithic Nutrition, diet, meanwhile, recommends eating as hunter-gatherer societies did --- animal protein, fruits, and vegetables.

Considerations

The Mayo Clinic suggests that, while low-carbohydrate diets can lead to weight loss, there are inherent some problems, too. If you return to your former eating habits, lost weight is likely to return. The clinic also reports that a low-carb diet is not without risks. Increased levels of cholesterol may result, as well as the potential for increased risk of heart disease and some cancers. The clinic further warn that many low-carb diets are low in fiber and may lead to gastrointestinal issues like constipation and diverticulitis.

References

Article reviewed by Will McCahill Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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