Are Low Carb Diets Good For You?

Low-carb diets restrict foods high in carbohydrates such as sugar-rich foods, bread, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal. There is no consensus on whether low-carb diets are good for you or not. The American Heart Association speaks out against them on the grounds that they can lead to cardiovascular disease. But low-carb diets also have some documented benefits. They are often effective weight-loss diets and can also help reduce seizures and resistance to insulin.

Low-Carb Diets

Traditional low-carb weight-loss diets cut carbohydrates down to 20 g per day. This equals about two cups of cooked, green vegetable. While some low-carb diets recommend eating healthy fats, most of these diets do not put any restrictions on the amounts of fat and protein that you may consume. So, you are free to consume unlimited amounts of good vegetable oils, lean meats and unsweetened low-fat dairy products. An alternative to the traditional low-carb diet puts a further restriction on the kinds of carbohydrates you are allowed to consume. Sugar and processed carbohydrates are prohibited, whereas whole grain carbs can be eaten in larger amounts.

Weight Loss

Low-carb diets are effective because they avoid foods that trigger spikes in your blood sugar, or glucose, levels and, hence, can cut back on the occurrence of extreme hunger pangs. Carbohydrates convert more easily and more quickly to glucose than protein and fat. When processed carbohydrates are consumed, glucose production starts in the mouth. Protein and the glycerol components of fat can be converted into glucose, but this is not nearly as easy and doesn't occur while the food passes through your digestive system. Traditional low-carb diets avoid over-eating by avoiding the spikes in glucose. Low-carb diets that avoid processed carbs but permit whole grain carbs are based on similar principles. Whole grain carbs do not convert as easily into glucose as processed carbs. So, avoiding processed carbs helps to control your appetite.

Seizure Control

Low-carb diets have been used successfully to treat epileptic seizures in children who do not tolerate or respond positively to conventional medicine, according to Epilepsy.com. Low-carb seizure-prevention diets cut carbohydrates even further than the similar weight-loss diets. Seizure-prevention diets also control the consumption of protein. The reason for this is that the diet only works if it triggers a shift in brain metabolism. The brain ordinarily uses glucose, but if glucose is limited because components that convert into glucose, such as carbs and protein are limited, it can use ketone bodies, a product of fat metabolism. Though it is not clear exactly how, ketone bodies apparently make neurons less likely to get over-excited, which is what initiates seizures.

Insulin Resistance

Another benefit of low-carb diets is that they may help control insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the insulin receptors are damaged or fail to transmit the hormone's signal. When you are insulin resistant, you body cannot remove blood sugar from the bloodstream at a very fast pace. So, blood sugar is likely to accumulate, which may damage the kidneys and the nervous system. A diet that consists mostly of protein and fat keeps glucose levels relatively stable. If the insulin resistance is not complete, the slower pace at which glucose enters the bloodstream helps insulin complete its tasks before glucose accumulates.

Health Risks

The American Heart Association warns against following a low-carb high-protein diet because this kind of diet ordinarily substitutes meat, eggs and dairy for bead, fruit, vegetables and legume. This inevitably leads to a higher consumption of animal fat. However, some low-carb diets are not subject to these concerns. For example, a diet that consists mostly of fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna and sardines, good vegetable oils, tofu and other soy products can be quite healthy, especially if you supplement with a daily vitamin and mineral tablet.