Diets that focus on a reduced intake of carbohydrates have been gaining more popularity in recent years. While these diets can encourage good eating habits such as cutting back on sugar, they face criticism for their potential long-term health effects. A modified low-carbohydrate diet follows the same general principles but makes some additions that might help make these eating plans healthier in the long run.
Basics of Modified Carbohydrate Diets
Most low-carbohydrate diets call for eliminating a wide range of carbohydrates, including some deemed healthy such as whole grains and other starchy foods rich in fiber and other healthy nutrients. Their focus on animal proteins such as full-fat dairy --- lower in carbohydrates than fat-free and low-fat versions --- and meat can increase the risk of heart disease.
Modified carbohydrate diets allow for a greater percentage of carbohydrates as part of your daily caloric intake and encourage eating fiber-rich complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats. MayoClinic.com explains that diets such as South Beach fall under the category of a modified low-carbohydrate diet. It focuses on the aforementioned foods and calls for 28 percent of your calories to come from carbohydrates, higher than the 20 percent or less that many low-carb diets recommend. Some modified carbohydrate diets however, like this one, initially call for lower intake of carbohydrates, and the higher percentages come in the maintenance phase where you adopt these eating habits long-term.
Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar
These types of diets aim to curb hunger through blood sugar control. MayoClinic.com explains that research has shown that elevated blood sugar can lead you to eat more. Restricting carbohydrates that break down very quickly, such as low-fiber refined carbohydrates and sugar, can reduce these spikes in blood sugar.
Diet Recommendations
A modified low-carbohydrate diet will focus on a wide range of fruits and vegetables. Particularly desirable vegetables include non-starchy low-carbohydrate ones such as leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, onions, garlic, zucchini and cucumbers. While healthful, you would eat smaller servings of vegetables such as potatoes, corn, yams and sweet potatoes, which are higher in carbohydrates.
Modified carbohydrate diets also encourage consumption of healthy fats such as olive oil, canola oil, fatty fish, avocados, nuts and seeds. These diets believe that making these fats a part of a modified carbohydrate eating plan will lead to better appetite control.
Recommended proteins include chicken, fish, low-fat dairy and lean cuts of red meat. You will reduce intake of white flour foods, saturated fats, sugar and trans fats.
Research
A study conducted by Y. Wady Aude, MD, and colleagues published in a 2004 "Archives of Internal Medicine" found that a modified low-carbohydrate diet resulted in more weight loss than the National Cholesterol Educational Program Diet recommended to reduce heart disease. The former diet focuses on reducing overall carbohydrate intake with a focus on complex carbohydrates, monounsaturated fats and protein, while the latter diet mainly favors increasing carbohydrate intake over saturated fat.
The group following the MLC diet lost an average of 13.6 lbs. over 12 weeks vs. the NCEP group, who lost 7.5 lbs. The MLC group also experienced a greater reduction in waist to hip ratio.
MayoClinic.com notes that no long-term research exists as of 2010 on whether diets such as these significantly impact general health and/or cardiovascular health.
Considerations
The rapid weight loss that occurs in the initial stages of diets such as these often results from loss of water and muscle, both of which are affected by the amount of carbohydrates you consume. A diet such as South Beach, for instance, restricts carbohydrate to just 10 percent of your total caloric intake in its first phase and claims you will lose 8 to 13 lbs. You still need to exercise regularly to maximize weight loss and encourage a faster metabolism.
Even though a modified carbohydrate diet calls for more carbohydrates and a focus on healthier fats, current recommendations for a balanced diet call for about 40 to 60 percent of your diet to come from carbohydrates. Even modified carbohydrate diets fall far short of this.
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