Low Carbohydrate Diet And Weight

Many dieters are turning to low-carbohydrate diets to help lower body weight. The diets have been in popular use for more than three decades. Anecdotal reports suggest that following a low-carbohydrate diet plan has enabled many overweight people who have been unable to lose weight on conventional low-calorie, low-fat diet plans to attain success in both losing and maintaining weight loss.

Identification

Low-carbohydrate diet plans restrict intake of dietary carbohydrates, which come from sugars, starches, grains, fruits and vegetables. Atkins, Protein Power, PaNu, South Beach, Neanderthin and Zone are all popular low-carbohydrate or semi-low-carbohydrate weight loss diets. Most suggest that you make animal protein and vegetables your primary source of nutrition; however, the diets vary in the implementation and amount and types of carbohydrates allowed on the diet.

History

According to Drs. Mary Dan and Michael Eades, who created the Protein Power Diet, low-carbohydrate diets date back to the time of prehistoric man. Early humans lived in hunter-gatherer societies, and they subsisted on animal proteins, animal fats and plant foods for millions of years before the onset of the agricultural cultivation of grains. The Eades contend that human beings were meant to eat low-carbohydrate diets because little human evolution has occurred since prehistoric times, and that human beings have not evolved to eat sugars, starches and grains. The predominance of these foods in the modern diet is the reason that obesity is so widespread, and returning to the eating habits of early humans can help to reduce weight. More recently, low-carbohydrate diets came into popular use in the 1970s when Dr. Robert Atkins published the book, "Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution." He re-released the book in 1992 as "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution," and many low-carbohydrate weight loss diets soon followed.

Theory

Gary Taubes, author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories," explains that the reason low-carbohydrate diets bring about weight loss is insulin control. Eating foods high in sugars and other carbohydrates cause blood glucose levels to rise, and the pancreas releases insulin to control blood sugar. Insulin is a fat storage hormone, and while it is present in the bloodstream, stored fat remains trapped in your fat cells. By removing insulin from the equation with a low-carbohydrate diet, your body is able to use stored fat as a source of fuel. Dr. Atkins refers to this state as "ketosis" and suggests that achieving ketosis can also help to control hunger and provide increased energy while it brings about weight loss.

Research

A 2003 study reported in "The New England Journal of Medicine" followed dieters on low-carbohydrate diets and conventional low-calorie diets for a year. The study concluded that low-carbohydrate diets produced a 4 percent greater weight loss than conventional diets during the first six months; however, after a year there were no significant differences in the results from the two diets. Temple University conducted a two-year study comparing low-carbohydrate diets to conventional low-calorie diets. The study concluded that either diet worked equally well for weight loss when coupled with a behavioral support program.

Considerations

Low-carbohydrate diets may lead to weight loss, but there may be unwanted negative health effects, cautions MayoClinic.com. Weight regain can occur if eating habits change, and the high level of cholesterol and saturated fat coupled with the low fiber intake in most low-carbohydrate diets may lead to increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers, as well as gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, and increased blood cholesterol. Atkins further cautions that because ketosis is a chemical condition, you need to follow the diet strictly throughout or it won't work.