Low carb diet: what it is, the pros and cons

sugar content in foods for a low carb diet

For whom is the amount of protein, fat and carbohydrate in the products indicated? Of course, for those who follow any kind of diet. So people who follow the low carb option, first of all, pay attention to the fact that the carbohydrate content in the product does not exceed a certain amount.

Who needs a low carb diet and why?

Such a diet is a reduction or complete rejection of foods high in carbohydrates. Initially, the diet was developed for athletes. Now such food is most often used by 3 categories of people:

  1. Those who want to lose weight.
  2. Diabetics.
  3. The athletes themselves.

Carbohydrates in foods are sugar. It does not matter that some foods high in carbohydrates are not sweet at all. When processed in the body, any carbohydrate becomes sugar. This is why diabetics, people with high blood sugar, adhere to a carbohydrate-free diet.

Scientists have also proven that it is the excess sugar in food that is deposited in the human body in the form of fat. Therefore, those who want to lose weight also use a low carb diet. Athletes just need to keep themselves in good shape. Other names for low carbohydrates are ketone or protein diets.

foods for a low carb diet

When eating a low carb diet, people reduce their intake or eliminate it from their diet:

  1. Bakery products.
  2. Sugar and any dessert.
  3. Some vegetables: potatoes, pumpkin.
  4. Sweet fruits: bananas, apricots and berries: cherries, grapes.
  5. Save fluids.
  6. Some cereals: rice.
  7. Pasta.

And this is not a complete list. But does everyone need a similar diet? After all, each of them has its pros and cons.

Diet Pro

Nutritionists and general therapists advise a low carb diet not only for people who are losing weight and who are sick. You can also limit your intake of carbohydrates for normal discharge. But in general, such a diet has many advantages:

  • Body support. Everyone, not just a sick person, should maintain health because an excess of carbohydrates acts like a slow bomb. Constant overeating of foods high in carbohydrates gradually destroys the body.
  • With a low carb diet, the body's sensitivity to insulin increases, therefore, the pancreas produces less insulin. This allows you to protect yourself from an incurable disease - diabetes. Therefore, a big plus of the diet is the prevention of a serious illness.
  • For those who are losing weight, the plus is that you can eat lots of carbohydrate-free foods and still lose weight. Some people find it difficult to limit their intake of food, so eating without carbohydrates is a great option. Meat, for example, contains no carbohydrates at all.
  • You can lose weight in a short time.
  • Low carb foods should not go to a specialty store or buy anything special. All the food is sold in the usual supermarkets near the house in every town or village: I took it and bought it.
  • Emission price. It does not take much money to maintain a diet. You buy common healthy products that you are already used to: meat, fish, vegetables, dairy foods. Conversely, if you give up some cakes, there will also be savings.
  • Even low carb menus are easy to find online. There is lots of information with tables, recipes and other helpful tips. You do not need to think for yourself what and how it is. And even more so to visit nutritionists to design a diet. Simply download and print your daily ration.
  • You can stick to such a diet for a very long time. Over time, cravings for sweets will disappear, and after a few years, the usual doses of sugar will look sugary.
  • Such a diet is considered easier and "softer", unlike some others. If everything is done correctly, then there will be no stress on the body and disadvantages will be avoided.
weight loss on a low carb diet

minuses

It is for nothing that students are advised to eat a chocolate before the exam. Sugar is energy and sweets are a quick way to get it. Therefore, a low carb diet is not good for everyone. Some people should consider the disadvantages of their diet and avoid low carb diets.

  • Mental or physical labor workers should not be withdrawn from such a diet. And one, and the second need the same energy that a person does not get without carbohydrates.
  • Diabetics, although they should limit their carbohydrate intake, should be aware that their complete absence can lead to low blood sugar levels - hypoglycemia, which is very dangerous.
  • It is worth avoiding such a diet and those who suffer from frequent edema. It is recommended to drink plenty of water on a low carb diet, and this will lead to even more swelling.
  • You can not adhere to such a diet for children and adolescents (except those who are obese). The body during the growth period needs a normal, not low, amount of carbohydrates for development.
  • Pregnant women, as well as nursing mothers, do not follow a diet. Maybe you want to lose weight after birth, but the health and development of the baby is more important.
  • On a low carb diet, a person eats more protein and fats. It is harmful to patients with heart and kidney problems. In the diet, kidney stones have been reported.
  • Sometimes the regimen is accompanied by headache and constipation. If these side effects occur, you should stop eating carbohydrate-free foods.
  • With a low carb diet, when there is a restriction of sugary foods, the cravings for them become very strong. Not everyone is able to cope with this desire, as a result, they fail, and all the benefits of the diet go down.
  • Due to drowsiness during the start of the diet, it should be used with caution by managers and persons responsible for important items.

result

Any diet, including a low-carb diet, is stressful for the body, so you should not suddenly give up sugary foods. Switching to a carb-free diet should be done smoothly, respecting your reaction. Only in this case there will be some advantages from the diet and it will be possible to avoid all the disadvantages listed. It is worth trying to see if a low carb diet is right for you.