Low Carbohydrate Diet

Low carbohydrate diets are very popular and they have been advertised for quite a long time now. The problem is that there are only few people that really know how they work and whether or not they are safe for us. Although the opinions are mixed among nutritionists, here is what you should always take into account when thinking about a low carbohydrate diet.

Contrary to what you might believe, there are many low carbohydrate diets available. You might not be aware of this because they are labeled differently. The most known diets that are based on low carb intakes are: Zone diet, Atkin’s diet, Stillman diet, Hollywood diet, Scarsdal diet, Ketogenic diet and High Protein diet. Let us know think about what these low carb diets really are.

A low carbohydrate diet is based on the thought that a low carbohydrate intake will lead towards an insulin production that is lower than normal. This has an effect on protein and fat being used as the most important energy source we have. A low carbohydrate diet basically tries to force our body to burn fat instead of carbs. Whenever our body starts burning mostly fat for energy we end up in a state that is known as Ketosis. That is when our body parts that are not able to utilize fat as energy are fueled by ketone bodies. Unfortunately ketosis also leads to a smelly breath and different side effects like fatigue and nausea.

Any low carbohydrate diet will make you lose weight very rapidly. This is exactly what is advertised but few people look at the long term effects. Unfortunately the weight that you lose comes mostly from water loss and muscle tissue loss. Fat is not really lost and we are sure that this is what you really want to lose. You should also think about the fact that losing muscle tissue is not really recommended as this is something that you should not really lose. Our muscle tissue aids in burning calories even when we rest. If we lose muscle tissue you will end up with less calories being burned as the day passes. Such a fact will make it difficult for most people to manage weight properly after the low carbohydrate diet is over.

Unfortunately a lot of people do not properly understand weight loss. They are basically thinking only about weight and this is not at all intelligent. It can be proven that you can stay at the same weight while burning fat and looking a lot better. The problem is that this type of diet was really made popular by Hollywood stars. They would use one type of low carbohydrate diet in order to fit inside a dress or look better for a short period of time. The goal is not permanent weight loss. The lost weight will surely come back and due to muscle tissue lost you might be faced with being even heavier then when you started.

You need to understand that any low carbohydrate diet out there is not healthy. You will only be able to get all the nutrients required if your diet is well balanced. It is needless to say that all low carbohydrate diets are not balanced. Just think about the fact that such a nutrition plan will allow you to only eat small quantities of vegetables and fruits, which are crucial to the well functioning of the human body. We recommend that you never consider a low carbohydrate diet and opt for a well balanced diet combined with a good exercise plan. This is the best way to lose weight.