A low-carb diet is almost the opposite of the low-fat diet that has been promoted to Americans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid. Eating low-carb means eliminating, or strictly limiting, food groups that constitute the foundation of the food pyramid, such as refined or whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, milk and yogurt. Instead of getting more than half of their calories from these high-carb foods, low-carb dieters get the bulk of their energy from fat, such as the fat in olive oil, avocado, nuts, full-fat cheese, butter, coconut oil, bacon, salad dressing, mayonnaise and cream, accompanied by protein from fish, poultry, meat and eggs.
Side Effects
Although switching to a low-carb diet can induce a few side effects in some dieters, these symptoms are not dangerous and only transitory. The symptoms often experienced include fatigue, dizziness, irritability, headaches and constipation. Once your body adapts to burning fat instead of burning carbs, which usually does not take more than one to two weeks, you will start feeling better and have more energy. Some of these side effects can actually be due to dehydration, as a result of the diuretic effect of restricting dietary carbohydrates. You can alleviate these symptoms by drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water every day to stay hydrated and supplementing your diet with 1/2 tsp. of salt a day if your carb intake is lower than 50 g a day to replenish your electrolytes. Consult your doctor if you have a sodium or fluid restriction.
Heart Health and Blood Cholesterol Levels
Many people fear low-carb diets because of their high fat content. Although low-carb diets are high in fat, you can choose the type of fat you add to your diet. You can choose unsaturated fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds; saturated fats from butter, cheese, bacon, cream and lard; or a mixture of both. No matter what type of fat you choose, there is no risk in increasing your fat, or saturated fat intake, according to a recent rigorous and comprehensive meta-analysis indicating the absence of relationship between saturated fat and heart diseases published in the January 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Low-carb, high-fat diets are even associated with a greater improvement in triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels compared to a low-fat diet, according to a study published in May 2004 of the "Annals of Internal Medicine."
A Healthy Low-Carb Diet
A healthy low-carb diet should be moderate in protein and high in fat. Fat, coming from your diet and your own body fat stores, will become your main source of energy when eating low-carb and protein will keep you satiated longer between meals. Even if you want to keep your carb intake very low, try to include plenty of low-carb, nonstarchy vegetables in your diet. Nonstarchy vegetables are the most nutritionally dense foods and are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, yet low in carbs. For example, a healthy low-carb meal could include 1 to 2 cups of onions, mushrooms, asparagus, leafy greens or broccoli; 4 to 6 oz. of protein from chicken, fish, pork or beef; and 1 to 2 tbsp. of fat from olive oil, coconut oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing or butter. Avocados, full-fat cheese, bacon, nuts and nut butter also make good choices to increase your fat content and supply you with enough energy.
Testing Low-Carb Diets
Although a low-carb diet is not risky, the best way to determine whether it is a good option for you is to give it a try. Consult your doctor first because if you take medications, dosage may need to be tweaked once your start eating a low-carb diet. Ask to have some blood work done, as a baseline, and repeat these measurements after one, three and six months of eating a low-carb diet to see how your blood cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and other health parameters change. It is also a good idea to write down your starting weight and take measurements of your body to later evaluate changes in your body composition.
References
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies Evaluating the Association of Saturated Fat With Cardiovascular Disease; Patty W Siri-Tarino et al.; January 2010
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet Versus a Low-Fat Diet to Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia; William S. Yancy Jr., et al.; May 2004
- "The New Atkins for a New You"; Eric C. Westman et al; 2010
- MyPyramid.gov: Food Groups
- "Nutrition & Metabolism"; The Case for Not Restricting Saturated Fat on a Low Carbohydrate Diet; Jeff Volak and Cassandra E Forsythe; August 2005
- "Nutrition & Metabolism"; The Case for Low Carbohydrate Diets in Diabetes Management; Surender K. Arora and Samy I. McFarlane; July 2005
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