Low-carbohydrate diets have gained popularity with evidence of rapid weight loss, and while some benefits are associated with this type of diet, health concerns over cutting out a macronutrient class also exist, including nutrient deficiencies and improper body and brain function. Additionally, low-carb diets tend to be higher in fat, which can increase cholesterol, plaque build up and risks for heart disease. Consult your physician before starting any new diet plan.
History
Some anthropologists believe low-carb/high protein diets date back to the beginnings of humanity as part of a Paleolithic Diet. In 1863, one of the first successes in weight loss using a low-carb plan was published. The current popular incarnation of low-carb diets, such as the multi-phase Atkins program, has been around since the 1970s.
Benefits
Cutting out refined carbs such as white bread, cookies, cakes and doughnuts from today's typical diet can decrease consumption of empty calories, which in turn leads to weight loss. Monitoring carb intake also can lead to lifelong healthy habits of choosing more nutrient-dense carb sources, such as whole grains and vegetables.
Warning
Cutting carb intake below the minimum recommended 130 g/day can interfere with brain function. Low-carb diets tend to be excessively high in protein, which can cause kidney problems. People with kidney concerns, coronary artery disease or gout are not good candidates for low-carb, high-fat diets. Low-carb diets also decrease plant consumption and reduce the intake of fiber, which can cause digestive health complications.
Considerations
Research has found that most calorie-restricted diets, allowing for weight loss and maintenance, can decrease the risks for heart disease, and that it is not necessary to restrict an entire group of macronutrients. A 2010 study by Christopher Gardner and colleagues in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that diets that significantly limited a macronutrient group, whether it was fat, protein or carbohydrates, could lead to micronutrient deficiencies. Low-carb diets led to deficiencies in thiamine, folic acid, vitamin C, iron and magnesium.
Expert Insight
Sports dietitian Jill Tarver warns that weight lost on low-carb diets is usually temporary as carbs are stored with water and that the initial loss is water weight. Furthermore, glucose is needed for brain function, so if you don't consume enough carbs, protein or fats will be used to make glucose to fuel the brain. Proteins are needed for many other roles in the body, and fats have to be converted to ketones to make glucose, a process that upsets the natural acid/base balance in the blood. Tarver recommends that instead of eliminating carbs from the diet, choose nutrient-dense carbs such as brown rice, whole grain tortillas, whole grain crackers and quinoa, a grain that is also a great source of protein.
References
- "Atkins diet"; Teresa Odle; "Gale Encyclopedia of Diets"; Jacqueline Longe (editor); 2008
- "High-fat/low-carb diets"; Deborah Nurmi; "Gale Encyclopedia of Diets";Jacqueline Longe (editor); 2008
- AJCN: Micronutrient quality of weight-loss diets that focus on macronutrients (study)
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