A no-carb diet consist in eliminating all carbohydrate-rich foods from your diet, including all grains, sugars, starchy vegetables, legumes, fruits, milk and yogurt. Non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, mushrooms and onions, contain vary little carbohydrates and are usually allowed on very low-carb diet, which can help you obtain the fiber, antioxidants and other important nutrients. If you have decided to skip the bread, rice, pasta, sugar and other carbohydrate-rich foods, you may have some questions about your new way of eating. It is important that you first do your own research to determine whether a no-carb diet is appropriate for you.
What are the Side Effects?
One of the most common question about diets eliminating carb foods concern the side effects of this way of eating. The standard American diet is very high in carbs -- 45 to 65 percent of the calories for most Americans. Switching to a no-carb diet reduces that to less than 5 percent of calories from carbs and may result in some fatigue, dizziness, headaches and constipation during the transition period. Most people do not experience these side effects for more than a few days, although it may last up to two weeks. These side effects are not dangerous but if you have a medical condition or take medications, it is important that you discuss your new diet with your doctor. You can alleviate the side effects of restricting your carb intake by drinking at least 64 oz. of water and adding 1/2 tsp. of salt to your food every day, according to Dr. Eric C. Westman, co-author of the book "New Atkins for a New You."
What to Avoid?
Carbs are predominant in the American diet and if you want to restrict your carb intake, you will need to avoid all major carb-containing food groups. In the grain category, foods like breakfast cereals, oatmeal, pancakes, granola bars, bread, buns, pasta, rice, couscous, bagels, muffins, cookies, croissants and other baked goods should be avoided. Stay away from starchy vegetables, such as potato, sweet potato and corn, as well as beans, lentils, fruits, milk and yogurt. Large quantities of carbohydrates are found in sugar and sugar-containing foods. Avoid sugar, jams, syrups, soft drinks, fruit punches, energy drinks, candies, desserts and specialty coffees.
What to Eat?
A diet eliminating the major carbohydrate-containing foods should be based on non-starchy vegetables, protein and fat. Non-starchy vegetables include onions, broccoli, mushrooms, tomato, asparagus and leafy greens; protein is found in fish, seafood, eggs, cheese, poultry and meat; and fat can be obtained in olive oil, coconut oil, cream, butter, mayonnaise, salad dressing, avocado, nuts and nut butter. For example, you could have spinach, eggs, cheese and olive oil for breakfast; leafy greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chicken, avocado, bacon bits and salad dressing for lunch; and steak, mushrooms and asparagus with butter for dinner.
What is Ketosis?
A no-carb diet often is a ketogenic diet, which means that restricting your carbs below 50 g a day usually results in ketosis. Many people wrongly believe that ketosis is harmful, but they confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is a serious medical condition that generally occurs in Type 1 diabetics with uncontrolled blood sugar levels. On the other hand, if your no-carb diet induces ketosis, it simply means that you are in fat-burning mode. Your body is using fat and ketones, which are a by-product of fat burning that can be used as a source of fuel by the muscles, heart and brain, instead of relying on carbs, as its primary source of energy.
What are the Health Benefits?
Following a no-carb diet is not only about weight loss, but also about improving or maintaining good health. In a group of overweight and hyperlipidemic men randomly assigned to either a very low-carb diet, providing less than 20 g of carbs a day, or to a low-fat diet for 24 weeks, the low-carb group experienced a greater weight loss. Additionally, they demonstrated improvements in their blood lipids compared to the low-fat group, as published in May 2004 in "Annals of Internal Medicine." A group of Type 2 diabetics were also able to reduce their average blood sugar levels by reducing their carb intake in a study published in May 2008 of "Nutrition & Metabolism."
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans"
- Protein Power; Metabolism and Ketosis; Michael R. Eades; May 2007
- "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
- "Nutrition & Metabolism"; Low-Carbohydrate diet in Type 2 Diabetes: Stable Improvement of Bodyweight and Glycemic Control During 44 Months Follow-Up; Jörgen V. Nielsen et al.; May 2008
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- "The New Atkins for a New You"; Eric C. Westman et al; 2010
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