Low carb diet: what is it, pros and cons

the sugar content of foods for a low-carbohydrate diet

For whom is the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates indicated in the products? Of course, for those who follow any type 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 a total rejection of foods high in carbohydrates. Initially, the diet was developed for athletes. Now, these foods are used more frequently by 3 categories of people:

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

Carbohydrates in food are sugar. It doesn't matter that some carbohydrate-rich foods aren't sweet at all. When processed in the body, carbohydrates turn into sugar. That is why diabetics, people with high blood sugar levels, adhere to a carbohydrate-free diet.

In addition, scientists have shown that it is the excess sugar from food that is deposited in the human body in the form of fat. Therefore, those who want to lose weight also use a low carbohydrate diet. Athletes just need to stay in good shape. Other names for the low carb diet are ketone or protein regimens.

foods for a low carbohydrate diet

By consuming a low-carbohydrate diet, people reduce their intake or eliminate from their diet:

  1. Bakery products.
  2. Sugar and sweets.
  3. Some vegetables: potatoes, pumpkin.
  4. Sweet fruits: bananas, apricots and berries: cherries, grapes.
  5. Save the juices.
  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 own pros and cons.

Diet Pros

Nutritionists and general therapists recommend a low-carbohydrate diet not only for people who are losing weight and who are ill. You can also limit your carbohydrate intake for a normal shock. But, in general, this diet has many advantages:

  • Support for the body. Anyone, not just a sick person, needs to stay healthy, because too much carbohydrate acts like a slow pump. The constant intake of carbohydrate-rich foods gradually destroys the body.
  • With a low-carbohydrate 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 great advantage of the diet is the prevention of a serious disease.
  • For those who are losing weight, the advantage is that they can eat a lot of carbohydrate-free foods and still lose weight. Some people find it difficult to limit their food intake, so eating without carbohydrates is a great option. Meat, for example, does not contain carbohydrates at all.
  • You can lose weight in no time.
  • Low carb foods do not have to go to a specialty store or buy something special. All food is sold in ordinary supermarkets near the house in any city or town - I got it and bought it.
  • The price of the issue. It doesn't take a lot of money to diet. Buy normal and healthy products that you are already used to: meat, fish, vegetables, dairy products. On the contrary, if you give up some sweets, there will even be savings.
  • Even low-carb menus are easy to find on the Internet. There is a lot of information with tables, recipes and other useful tips. You do not need to think for yourself what it is and how it is. And even more so visiting nutritionists to develop a diet. Just download and print your daily ration.
  • You can follow such a diet for a long time. Over time, the cravings for sweets will disappear, and after a few years, the usual doses of sugar will seem sugary.
  • This diet is considered the lightest and "softest", unlike others. If everything is done correctly, there will be no stress on the body and disadvantages will be avoided.
lose weight on a low-carb diet

Disadvantages

Not in vain are students advised to eat a chocolate bar before the exam. Sugar is energy and sweets are a quick way to get it. Therefore, a low carbohydrate diet is not good for everyone. Some people need to be aware of the downsides of their diet and avoid low-carb diets.

  • Workers doing intense physical or mental work should not indulge in 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 intake of carbohydrates, should be aware that their total absence can cause low blood sugar levels, hypoglycemia, which is very dangerous.
  • It is worth avoiding such a diet and those who suffer from frequent edema. Drinking plenty of water on a low-carb diet is recommended, and this will lead to even more bloating.
  • You cannot adhere to such a diet for children and adolescents (except for those who are obese). The body during the growth period needs a normal, rather than low, amount of carbohydrates for its development.
  • Pregnant women, as well as nursing mothers, do not go on diets. You may want to lose weight after giving birth, but your child's health and development are more important.
  • With a low-carbohydrate diet, a person eats more protein and fat. It is harmful to heart patients and those with kidney problems. In the diet, kidney stones have been reported.
  • Sometimes the regimen is accompanied by a 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 bear this desire, as a result, they fail and all the benefits of the diet go down the drain.
  • Due to drowsiness during the start of the diet, it should be used with caution by drivers and those responsible for important objects.

Get out

Any diet, including a low-carbohydrate diet, is stressful on the body, so you should not abruptly give up sugar-containing foods. The transition to a carbohydrate-free diet should go smoothly, observing your reaction. Only in this case there will be some advantages of the diet and it will be possible to avoid all the listed disadvantages. It is worth trying to see if a low carb regimen is right for you.