Carb Free Diet For One Week

Low and no-carb diets are popular because they produce big results quickly. Most low and no-carb diets have an initial phase of three weeks in which carbs are nearly non-existent. However, healthy carbs are re-introduced in later phases because, despite their bad reputation, carbs play a part in health. Going on a carb-free diet for a week requires severely limiting the foods you can eat. Before attempting a carb-free diet, consult your doctor to make sure you don't have any health conditions that can be made worse by eliminating carbs.

No Carb Diets

Carbs are converted to glucose to provide energy for the body. By eliminating carbs, your body uses fat for energy in a process called ketosis. While the low carb diet suggested by Dr. Robert C. Atkins has been around since he published his first book in the 1970s, the first documentation regarding a no-carb diet is from Artic explorer Vilhjalmur Steffanson, who lived with Eskimos who ate mostly meat in the early 20th century. A 1930 study looked at the effects of Steffanson's no-carb diet and concluded that there was no evidence of ill effects from eating only meat.

Benefits

Except for the 1930 study, there is little research on the effectiveness of no-carb diets. However, there are several studies on low-carb diets that show reducing or eliminating carbs results in weight loss, which can lessen the risk of heart disease and diabetes. A 2011 study reported by Science Daily found that a low-carb, high protein diet reduced the risk of cancer and slowed the growth of existing tumors. Because carbs are converted to glucose, they can be a problem for diabetics who have difficulty processing glucose for fuel. Katharine Morrison, a general practitioner, reports that consuming fewer carbs results in needing less insulin for type 1 diabetes and reduced workload for the pancreas in people with type 2 diabetes.

Carb-Free Foods

Nearly all the food groups have foods that contain carbs. A carb-free diet consists mostly of protein foods such as meat, seafood and eggs. Fats from oils and butter are also no-carb. Some cheeses, such as cheddar, parmesan and Muenster, have no carbs. Most vegetables have carbs in the form of fiber or starch, however butterhead lettuce is carb free. Many beverages are carb-free, including water, black tea or coffee and diet drinks with aspartame or saccharine.

One Week Carb-Free Diet

Although your food groups are limited, eating carb-free for a week still gives you many meal options. To avoid eating the same meals everyday, keep a list of no-carb foods in each category. For example, a list of meat options can include chicken, turkey, pork, veal and beef. Seafood options include tuna, flounder, salmon, herring and halibut. For breakfast, you can have an omelet with cheese one day and one with meat another day.

Warnings

There is debate about the health impact of a no- or low-carb diet, although the concern is over prolonged no-carb dieting. Eliminating carbs for a week shouldn't cause any lasting or serious problems. Many of the approved fats and meats on a no-carb diet are high in saturated fats, which can lead to heart disease. By choosing lean options such as chicken and olive oil, you can avoid the negative health consequences of eating saturated fats. Another issue is that many carbs also contain fiber, which is important to digestive and colon health. Without fiber for a week, you may become constipated. Prolonged no-carb dieting may increase your risk for colon cancer, so limit your no-carb diet to one week.