When More is Better! The Low Carb Diet Way
In our age of constantly increasing consumption of foods and drinks, it is hardly a wonder that almost one-fifth of humanity is tormented by obesity and overweight. This article sheds light on the low carbohydrate diet as an effective and rather effortless way to control your eight.
Basically, when you lower the daily intake of carbohydrates (which is also known as low-carbing), your body begins to produce less insulin and uses fat and protein as its main source of energy. When you start low-carbing, you basically cut out all foods that are rich in carbohydrates - pasta, potatoes, rice, alcohol, all kinds of sweets and chocolates, bread, cereals etc, whereas you can eat a lot of foods and drinks with high protein content such as meat, milk and dairy products, fish, soy beans, beans, fish, eggs, protein shakes, asparagus and some low-carb fruit like berries and melon. Included in the diet are also green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, celery, aubergin, zucchini, green beans, etc, and foods rich in fats such as butter, pure lard and vegetable oils.
Although a low-carb diet will allow you to lose weight fast, and many film stars use it when they need to lose a couple of pounds for their new movie, many dietitians consider low-carb diets rather unhealthy in the long run. The majority of weight loss comes from the loss of precious muscle tissue, but not fat. Muscle tissue is especially precious for its metabolic function - it is burning calories even when you are not moving. So, chances are that you will regain the lost weight soon after you stop low-carbing. Also, the quantity of fruit and vegetables allowed in most low-carb diet is below the recommended daily allowance, while the high intake of fats, especially saturated fat, may cause serious heart problems in the long run. In addition, eating foods rich in protein for a long time may put a lot of strain on your kidneys. The Atkins diet may be a good method in the short run. Repeated and long-term low-carbing may lead to muscle breakdown, irritability, light-headedness, headaches, nausea, bad breath, dehydration, constipation, and other gastrointestinal problems. The higher amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet increase the risk of developing heart diseases and possibly, some types of cancer.
Even Dr. Atkins, one of the founding fathers of the low-carbing method, writes in his book that low-carb diets are lacking in nutrients essential for good health. They may also lead to kidney and liver problems in the long run. Moreover, Atkins points out that dieters should not limit the intake of fat to foods that contain saturated fat. They have to consume a variety of products, including olive oil and foods rich in Omega-3s.
Dieters are also likely to have less energy when the body is deprived of carbohydrates. Another side effect of the diet is the likelihood to develop osteoporosis. If you have decided on starting a low carb diet, it is a good idea to consult your with personal doctor. To avoid problems associated with the Atkins diet, the American Dietetic Association recommends limiting weight loss to one or two pounds per week. The association also reminds that the recommended daily limit of calories that come from fats is at 30 percent.
To sum up, we may assume that while Dr. Atkins' diet and the other low carb diets are good for losing weight fast and getting visible results over a short time period, a healthy diet, combined with regular exercise, still remains the best way to control your weight in the long run, although it may require persistence and perseverance.