Overview Of A Carb-cutting Diet

If you've seen the abundance of low-carb diets books, low-carb foods and low-carb advertisements, you may believe that cutting carbs is an efficient way to quickly lose weight. However, some health professionals are skeptical about low-carb diets because the diets have some potential adverse health effects, notes the Virginia State University Cooperative Extension. Getting the facts will help you decide whether a carb-cutting diet is right for you.

Limits and Focus

Carb-cutting diets limit intake of carbohydrates such as grains, rice, beans, sweets, bread, fruits and starchy vegetables. Daily intake is limited to an average of 50 to 150g of carbohydrates. The majority of a low-carb diet consists of foods such as poultry, fish, meat and eggs and a few nonstarchy vegetables. However, more lax carb-cutting diets allow for intake of more vegetables as well as some fruits and whole grains, according to MayoClinic.com.

Rationale

When you digest carbohydrates, the carbohydrates are converted into sugar. At this point, a hormone known as insulin steps in and sends sugar into the body's cells for energy. Supporters of carb-cutting diets believe that if a body has a high level of insulin, it will be less capable of breaking down fat for energy because all the energy will be coming from sugar. In theory, decreasing carbohydrate intake would reduce insulin production and allow the body to burn off fat instead, leading to weight loss. However, weight loss from low-carb diets is unlikely to be related to insulin or blood sugar, according to MayoClinic.com.

Effects

Short-term weight loss is a major benefit of a carb cutting, high-protein diet. In comparison with a traditional low-fat, low-calorie, high-carbohydrate diet, carb-cutting diets are likely to result in more weight loss in the first six months of the diet, according to a May, 2003 study in the "New England Journal of Medicine." However, another May, 2003 study in the same journal showed that, one year in, low-carb dieters gained back more weight than traditional dieters, eventually leading to similar weight loss results in the long-term. Contributing factors to initial weight loss in a carb-cutting diet may include water weight loss, increased fullness due to increased intake of fat and protein and reduced caloric intake overall, according to MayoClinic.com.

Risks

Reduced carbohydrate intake is known to lead to difficulty engaging in long or high-intensity exercise, according to Health Services at Columbia University. People on carb-cutting diets may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to higher intake of foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, according to Health Services at Columbia University. Low-carb diets may also lead to kidney damage, nutritional deficiencies and gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation.

Considerations

Carb-cutting diets emphasize the importance of eating protein and not focusing on fat intake, but some fats are healthier than others, notes the Virginia State University Cooperative Extension. High-fat meats, butter and heavy creams are just a few examples of foods that may increase your risk of heart disease if you consume them too frequently. If you're going to eat a diet that is low in carbohydrates, focus on eating healthy unsaturated fats -- found in foods such as fish, nuts and avocados -- and include at least some whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet.