Carb Restricted Diet

A carb restricted diet, which is generally used for weight loss, limits the intake of carbohydrates, such as rice, grains, fruit and starchy vegetables, according to the Mayo Clinic. Various low-carb diets are out there, some of which are healthier than others. Understanding how a carb restricted diet works will help you decide whether you want to follow one and, if so, help you decide which to follow.

Function

Your body turns carbohydrates into sugar when you digest them. This causes your blood sugar level to increase, which triggers an increase in a hormone known as insulin, according to the Mayo Clinic. Supporters of carb restricted diets believe that insulin gets in the way of fat breakdown in the body by allowing sugar instead to be used for energy. If this theory holds true, according to diet proponents, decreasing carbohydrate intake would decrease insulin levels and lead the body to burn off stored fat instead of sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Most carb restricted diets focus on protein-rich foods, such as fish, meat, poultry and eggs, and limit or exclude grains, breads, beans, added sugars, pastas, fruits and starchy vegetables, according to the Mayo Clinic. Generally, daily carb intake is restricted to 50 to 150 g. Less rigid diet plans allow whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Phases

Carb restricted diets have multiple weight loss "phases." For example, the Atkins diet has a two-week "Induction" that reduces carb intake to 20 g -- about one and a half bread slices -- every day, followed by "Ongoing Weight Loss," allowing up to 60 g of carbs every day, then slowly allows more carb intake as long as weight loss is maintained during the "Pre-Maintenance" phase and encourages dieters to continue at that level for the lifelong "Maintenance" phase.

Long-Term Results

Most low-carb diets result in initial weight loss, potentially due to lost water weight, increased fullness due to fat and protein intake and reduced caloric intake, according to the Mayo Clinic. Whether you can continue to lose or maintain weight loss depends on your ability to stick to the diet. However, an August, 2010 study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" notes that dieters on a reduced carb diet were as likely as low-fat dieters to maintain an average weight loss of 7 percent throughout the two-year study. An extra bonus was that, throughout the study, the carb restricted dieters' "good" cholesterol levels improved more than twice as much as that of the low-fat dieters.

Considerations

If you are considering trying a carb restricted diet, find one that allows carbs, such as beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, recommends the University of Maryland Medical Center. You are at increased risk of gastrointestinal issues, such as constipation, if you don't get enough fiber in your diet, warns the Mayo Clinic. Also focus on eating mostly heart-healthy forms of fat and protein, as you increase your risk of heart disease if you eat too much cholesterol and saturated fat, according to the Mayo Clinic.