If you are overweight, one of the best things that you can do for your health is to lose weight. Although there are a number of different approaches to weight loss, one common technique is to employ a diet which restricts carbohydrates, which typically causes you to eat more fat and protein. These diets can help you lose weight but must be done properly to be safe.
Concept
When you follow a diet which is very low in carbohydrates, you will typically be limited to between 50 and 150 g of carbohydrate each day, the Mayo Clinic explains. Often these diets start off by severely limiting carbohydrate intake and then allow you to gradually add more carbohydrates to your diet each day. These diets typically emphasize poultry, meat, eggs, fish and some nonstarchy vegetables and allow for very little in the way of grains, sweets, fruits and starchy vegetables.
Theory
The theory behind diets which are low in carbohydrates and high in other nutrients is that carbohydrates cause glucose levels in your blood to rise. Glucose is your body's preferred form of fuel, which means that when you have elevated levels of glucose your body will use your glucose first. As a 2004 article in the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine" explains, limiting your carbohydrate intake forces your body to burn fat, in the form of triglycerides, as fuel. Ultimately, the goal of these diets is to force your body to burn more fat.
Effects
In general, a high-fat low-carbohydrate diet and a low-fat high-carbohydrate diet will produce similar weight loss. A 2010 study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" measured weight loss in people following both kinds of diets and found no significant difference in how much weight they lost. In addition, people on the low-carbohydrate diet had lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels and also had a greater increase in HDL cholesterol, which is the good type of cholesterol.
Considerations
Although low-carbohydrate diets can be safe, the "Annals of Internal Medicine" article reported that people on the low-carbohydrate diet were more likely to suffer from bad breath, constipation, hair loss and other adverse effects during the first six months of the diet. In addition, any sort of restrictive diet carries with it the risk of vitamin deficiencies and an insufficient amount of dietary fiber. When following a high-fat, high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet, be sure that you limit your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol, as eating too much of these substances can increase your cholesterol levels.
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