Good Carb, Bad Carb.
By Edna Grace
In a world where some of the most popular diets out there prescribe to a low-carbohydrate or no-carbohydrate regimen, it can be hard to sort out the facts from the sales pitch. Here we will try to sift through some of the basic pros and cons of a low- or no- carb diet.
There are many different low- or no-carb diets out there, including The Atkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Zone Diet, Carbohydrate Addict Diet, Neanderthin, Protein Power, The Schwarzbein principle, Sugar Busters and countless more. Each diet has its own take on the theory and practices behind how to make healthy, satisfying choices while limiting carbohydrate intake.
Why not eat carbs?
The basic premise of virtually every version of a low-or no-carb is that the body will always choose carbohydrates to burn as fuel before it will choose fat. So if the body has too many carbs to burn, it limits the body's ability burn fat. There is also the argument that grains such as rice and wheat are a relatively new addition to the human diet (as of the past 10,000 years, or so) and our bodies have not had the appropriate evolutionary time to cope with them becoming a staple in our diets. Therefore, the theory is that humans will be much healthier by eating little or no carbs.
While specifics vary from diet to diet, many low- or no-carb diets also recommend high fat, high protein intake along with the decreased intake of carbohydrates. This makes the diet that much more appealing to many people who don't want to be deprived of their cream, meat, cheese and other high fat foods.
Health Benefits:
Many health benefits have been noted in connection with a low- or no-carb diet. Some of the most spoken about benefits include weight loss, decreased hunger and cravings, mood improvement, increased energy and improvement of diabetes symptoms. Many people have reported experiencing these benefits within just a couple days of starting a low- or no-carb diet.
However, some people warn about choosing a low- or no-carb diet because some negative effects have been found. Some studies have shown that when the body primarily burns fat as a fuel for energy, the metabolic process can potentially lead to increased uric acid and ketones. Increased levels of these things can lead to certain health issues such as headaches, gout and some kidney problems.
Other negative effects, like constipation and colon and bowel issues can be linked to a lower intake of fiber in a low- or no-carb diet.
Health Concerns and Low-Carb Diets:
There is also some concern that people eating a low carbohydrate, high fat diet may run the risk of over-eating fats and thereby increasing the chance of cardiac issues. Many health care professionals warn that if a person is not willing to take all of the prescribed steps in a low- or no-carb diet, they may be better off not trying it at all. There is a right and a wrong way to do things on a diet like this and some of the wrong choices can be hazardous to your health!
The bottom line is that to determine whether one of these diets is right for you, it is important to do your research and listen to your body. One of the things that many low- and no-carb diets stress is that choosing to eat this way is not just something to do to shed a couple of pounds and then be able to return to your old eating habits. It is really about making a life-changing and overall diet-changing choice to improve your way of life. No matter what kind of diet you choose, the most important thing is to commit to it and make smart, healthy choices each and every day.