A no-carb diet consists in eliminating all major sources of carbohydrates and usually means restricting your daily carb intake to below 50 g, which is very little compared with the 300 g a day consumed on average on the standard American diet. To restrict your carb intake, high-carb foods like breads, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, baked goods, granola bars, desserts, sugar, soft drinks, fruit punches, fruits, milk and yogurt need to be completely eliminated from your diet. Consult your doctor before making drastic dietary changes. Some dieters might experience side effects such as diarrhea when transitioning to this different way of eating.
No-Carb Diet Food Choices
When eating a no-carb diet, you eliminate all carb-rich foods and base your diet on foods that contain very little carbohydrates. To follow a well-balanced no-carb diet, you should not exclude non-starchy vegetables like lettuce, kale, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, broccoli and asparagus because their carb count is very low and they are a very nutritionally dense source of important nutrients. Track your carbs to ensure you stay below 20 or 50 g of carbs a day, depending on your personal target. The rest of your diet should be divided between protein from poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, meat and cheese; and fat, from butter, cream, mayonnaise, salad dressings, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and their butters.
Lactose Intolerance
If you have recently started your no-carb diet, you might have increased your consumption of cheese as a result. If you weren't used to consuming dairy products, you could discover that you are lactose intolerant. Soft and fresh cheese, such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, goat cheese, feta cheese and fresh mozzarella, contains more lactose than hard, aged cheeses like cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss, cream cheese and Brie, according to registered dietitian Leslie Back. The symptoms of lactose intolerance include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas pain and diarrhea. You might not experience all of these symptoms, but if you have diarrhea within 30 to 120 minutes after eating lactose, it might indicate that you are lactose intolerant. Try staying away from dairy products to see if your condition improves.
Higher Fat Intake
A higher fat intake also might be responsible for your diarrhea when switching to a no-carb diet. If you used to eat a low-fat diet, your body might not be used to digesting large amounts of fat and you might need some time to adjust. Try dialing back your fat intake to see if your diarrhea improves. If it does, you will know that fat was responsible. Slowly and gradually increase your fat intake to allow your body to adjust and prevent diarrhea.
Supplements
If you have started taking supplements when starting your no-carb diet, they might be responsible for your diarrhea. For example, you might experience diarrhea if you take too much magnesium or do not slowly ramp up the dosage because one of the roles of magnesium is to increase gut motility. Start eliminating your supplements for a week to see whether you notice any improvements.
Treatment
If you suffer from diarrhea, it is very important that you drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. You also should replenish your electrolytes by adding some salt to your foods. You also cam try adding soluble fiber to your diet to help increase your transit time. Soluble fiber, such as flaxseed, psyllium husks and oat bran, can help absorb the excess water in your intestines to improve the consistency of your stools. Consult your doctor if your diarrhea does not improve.
References
- Atkins: Frequently Asked Questions
- "The New Atkins for a New You"; Eric C. Westman, et al.; 2010
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- LeslieBeck.com; Coping with Lactose Intolerance; May 2004
