Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A Little Less Carbs Goes A Long Way

By Michael

Everybody is talking about low carb diet because losing weight, remaining fit and have a healthy lifestyle is just about everyones wish. When we talk about low carb diet, we should remember that it has its pros and cons and it is very important to have the proper information and knowledge to follow a successful and healthy low carb diet.

Millions of people spend large amounts of money on various diet plans/supplements, but with few real results. The trick is to gain knowledge, be informed and above all understand that low carb diet is not actually a diet in the literal sense, but a lifestyle that one should learn and adopt.

The Low Carbohydrate Diet is generally associated with the Atkins Diet, Zone Diet, Go Lower Diet, South Beach Diet, etc. However, we will have to go through these diets in detail to understand them. Hence, we will take a look at the generic overview.

A study published in the International Journal of Cardiology by the Duke University indicated that low carb diets can reduce the risk of high cholesterol. This diet is said to help one maintain optimal sugar levels. What is Low Carbohydrate Diet? It is a diet form that limits the intake of carbohydrate intake by including food which is low in carbohydrate content.

The American Academy of Family Physicians have define Low Carbohydrate Diet as follows: Low-carbohydrate diets restrict caloric intake by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 20 to 60 g per day (typically less than 20% of the daily caloric intake). The consumption of protein and fat is increased to compensate for part of the calories that formerly came from carbohydrates.

Who can follow a low carb diet? There are no restrictions on following a low carb diet, but let us find out who will be benefited the most: a) People who are looking for long-term results in terms of weight loss. b) People who are tired of dieting and not seeing results. c) Someone looking for overall improvement in fitness and lifestyle.

According to experts there is no one form of Low Carb diet. They claim that a Low Carb Diet need not be boring as other diets are presumed in general. The idea is to cut down the unhealthy carbs from your diet. What you may eat and may not? The general idea is to cut down on carbohydrates. This consists of White foods that are high in digestible carbohydrates including white rice, potatoes, food with white flour such as bread, pasta, donuts, etc. However, there are white foods that are low in carbohydrate content such as onions, cauliflowers and tofu which can be consumed.

Dieters are prescribed food high in proteins and fats such as meats and soy products as well as food such as green leafy vegetables that are low in carbohydrates. To conclude, keeping in mind the lack of a definite routine structure for a Low Carbohydrate Diet, it is important to be well-informed and consult a dietician before beginning this diet. - 16004

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