Don't Be Confused About Low Carb Diets - 7 Key Points Explained
by:
Emily Clark
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of
information, it's no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes
to the value and safety of low-carb diets. It seems like heated
debates are raging everywhere!
Whether it's Atkins, the South Beach or some other low-carb plan,
as many as 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.
Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our
diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and
other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute
obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of
calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics
also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and
vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of
some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and
several minerals.
Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce
significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet.
But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to
lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale
show a year after going off the diet?
Let's see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb
diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from
recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may
be insufficient information available to answer all questions.
- Differences Between Low-Carb Diets
There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate
consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that
protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount
of the total caloric intake.
Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate to a point
where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the
Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like
Sugar Busters claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that
elevate blood sugar levels excessively.
- What We Know about Low-Carb Diets
Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide
variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake,
diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly.
Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of
the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of
the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.
Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce.
Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and
therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting.
This helps to explain discrepancies between studies.
The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of caloric
restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate
intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight,
you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.
Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb
diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term
adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin
and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. But,
adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of
the studies. Researchers note that losing weight typically leads
to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an
increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range weight change
for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.
Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential
consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion.
During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and
constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms
dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity
odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).
Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories
than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie
is a calorie and it doesn't matter weather they come from
carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result
of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat
on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any
number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less
than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.
What Should You Do? - There are 3 important points I would like
to re-emphasize:
- The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of
diets is similar.
- Despite their popularity, little information exists on the
long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.
- Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal
way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes willpower.
It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed
and controlled studies are needed. There just isn't a lot of good
information available, especially concerning long-range effects.
Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and
potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances
this might cause health related complications.
The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of
better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your
weight goal. If you can't see yourself eating the prescribed
foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it's not
the right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet
with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other
nutrients is beneficial.
If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember that certain
dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high
in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as
olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from
animal origins.
Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people on their plan
should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat.
Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only
20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat
(i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces
competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less
saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb
dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red
meat!
Another alternative to "strict" low-carb dieting would be to give
up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not "throw out the baby
with the bath water". In other words, foods high in processed
sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high
in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and whole
grains, retained.
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.
About the author:
Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
Why
Your Diet May Not Be Working!
by: Nishanth Reddy
Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one
six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s
also become a stickler for portion control. She feels as if she’s eating
less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time
at least four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound. The
question is, “Why?”
This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over.
They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing
seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and
they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become
frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.
One of the problems with diets is that they are often
standardized. As a result, they don’t take into consideration your
individual physiology and metabolism. They provide a cookie-cutter
approach to weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual
case. As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to
dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them. This
process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can
correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail. The
dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you through your
dieting dilemmas.
Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is
because of a lack of support. You may have family members who can eat
whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound. As a result, they may
fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation. Also,
you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your
weight problems. In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to
psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues. This can be
particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort
to combat their weight problems. Bulimia is a serious disease which must
be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient. Thankfully,
there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.S. specifically
focusing on bulimia.
Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories.
You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it. For
instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with
calories—as many as 600 in a single serving! You may also be indulging in
sugary sodas—another source of extra calories. By taking a few simple
steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and
substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the
hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.
Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer. You might
go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable
progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick results. The problem is
that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week.
That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see
appreciable weight loss. Discouraging? It can be, but if you keep a
positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.
You may also be more successful in your dieting if you
consider it to be a lifestyle change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal
plan for life. This means that you must change the way you look at food.
It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more. As a result,
you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with
a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that
you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul. If you feel as if
you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps
it’s time to consider a different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not
simply to lose weight, but to become healthier. A fad diet will not allow
you to reach that milestone. Therefore, you must choose your diet
carefully.
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