The many different low-carb diets recommend different amounts of carbs. Carbohydrates are mainly found in grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, sugar, processed foods, fruits and fruit juices. The premise of a low-carb diet is that the ingestion of carbohydrates stimulates the production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas, which then promotes fat storage. So limiting your carb intake and eating larger amounts of fat and protein should lead to greater weight loss compared to low-fat diets.
Expert Opinion
According to the Institute of Medicine, "the lower limit of dietary carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed." They report that some populations, such as the Masai, the Inuits and other indigenous people, have lived on a high-fat and high-protein diet with limited access to carbohydrates without any apparent effect on their health or life expectancy. Although most nutritional recommendations suggest consuming more than half of your calories in the form of carbohydrates, there is no scientific evidence to support this recommendation, and humans may actually live healthier lives when consuming a lower amount of carbohydrates.
Research
A study published in March 2007 in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" showed that participants following a low-carb diet lost double the amount of weight after 12 months when compared to the low-fat group. The low-carb diet included less than 20 g of carbohydrate for the induction phase, which usually lasted for two to three months. It was followed by the consumption of 50 g or less of carbohydrate in the ongoing weight loss phase. After a year, the low-carb dieters lost an average of 10.3 lb. compared to only 4.9 lb. for dieters on the low-fat diet, which promoted the consumption of 50 to 60 percent of the daily calories as carbohydrates.
Induction Phase
Most low-carb diet plans recommend starting with a very low-carbohydrate intake to speed up weight loss and help the body switch more rapidly from using carbohydrate to using fat as its main source of fuel. When counting carbohydrates, you count "net carbohydrates" as opposed to total carbohydrates. Net carbohydrates correspond to the amount of carbohydrates per serving minus the fiber content. Fiber is part of the carbohydrate that is not broken down into sugar. During the induction phase, dieters typically aim for less than 50 g of carbohydrate. If you can go below 20 g, you will have even faster results. But it is important that your carb intake be adjusted to your lifestyle so you can maintain your level for two to three months or as long as you need to to lose most of your excess weight.
Maintenance Phase
After having lost most of your excess weight, you can incorporate a little more carbohydrate back into your diet. Most diet plans recommend increasing your carbs slowly, by about 5 g a day each week and to monitor your weight closely. Every person is different; some people can tolerate more carbs, whereas others need to be more strict. After slowly and gradually increasing your carbohydrates, you will find the right amount of carbohydrates that will allow you to maintain your desired weight. This amount of carbohydrate should be your daily target for the rest of your life to prevent regaining the weight you lost. Eating low-carb needs to be a way of life in order to be effective.
References
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- Why Low Carbohydrate Diets Work
- Journal of the American Medical Association: Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN Diets for Change in Weight and Related Risk Factors Among Overweight Premenopausal Women
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