To reduce your carbohydrate intake, you can choose moderate or extreme dieting options. As the carbohydrate content in your diet decreases, the protein and fat content may increase, forcing you to evaluate beneficial and harmful food options. Consult a doctor or dietician before making major changes to your diet. If you can safely eliminate carbohydrates, consider a simple path -- reducing obvious sources of sugars and starches -- or select a more complex route, analyzing the effects of specific carbohydrates.
Step 1
Estimate the carbohydrate content of your current diet. To calculate the carbohydrate grams of common foods, read labels carefully and use the free USDA National Nutrient Database. Dr. Allen R. Last, et al. report that the typical 2,200-calorie American diet contains 275 g of carbohydrate, representing 50 percent of total caloric intake.
Step 2
Eliminate obvious sources of simple sugars, including table sugar -- sucrose -- and other sugars -- anything ending in "-ose" -- found in sugar-sweetened desserts and drinks. Note that you will find simple sugars in many natural foods. For example, an 8-oz. glass of apple juice can contain 29 g of carbohydrate.
Step 3
Limit your starch intake to foods with a low glycemic load. The glycemic index of a food measures the speed with which certain carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels. After nutritionists compute a food's glycemic index, they multiply it by the amount of carbohydrate to determine the food's glycemic load, with low loads considered essential for good health. An average baked potato has a high glycemic load -- 20 or more -- whereas a serving of most vegetables has a low glycemic load -- 10 and under, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Low-glycemic diets can become low-carbohydrate diets if the dieter excludes significant amounts of carbohydrate.
Step 4
Choose only high-fiber carbohydrates with a low or medium glycemic load. Note that 5-oz. servings of legumes and beans have low glycemic loads, whereas one slice of whole grain bread has a medium load.
Step 5
Consider a strict low-carbohydrate diet if your health permits. One popular diet limits total carbohydrates to 13 g initially, gradually increasing the total to 35 g and finally to 95 g in the maintenance stage. The Harvard School of Public Health encourages a moderate and healthful approach to carbohydrate restriction, noting the lack of information about the effects of extreme low-carb diets. On the other hand, Eric Westman, et al., suggest the benefits of significant carbohydrate reduction, noting positive effects on reducing appetite and weight.
Step 6
Evaluate the fats and protein included in your low-carb diet. Avoid trans fats, instead choosing plant oils and soft margarines. Instead of eating the saturated fat in beef, pork and cheese, substitute fish and poultry as lean protein sources.
Things You'll Need
- USDA National Nutrient Database of carbohydrates
- Glycemic index
- Glycemic load chart
References
- American Family Physician; Low-Carbohydrate Diets; Allen R. Last, et al.; 2006
- Livestrong; Apple Juice; July 19, 2009
- Harvard School of Public Health; Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way; 2011
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Low-Carbohydrate Nutrition and Metabolism; Eric Westman, et al.; August 2007
Member Comments