Low-carbohydrate diet: A Beginner’s Guide to Weight Loss & Better Health

The world today is flooded with umpteen numbers of diets that help reduce weight and keep healthy. A low-carb diet happens to top this list as one of the most effective and popular diets.

The diet not only aids weight loss, but it also helps in bringing down type 2 diabetes, heart ailments, and other health problems.

What a low-carbohydrate diet?

As its name suggests, a low-carb diet involves losing carbohydrates and an increased intake of protein and healthy fats. Since a standard diet features 45-65% of energy coming from carbohydrates, in a carb-restricted diet this proportion is trimmed to 10-30%.

The diet also cuts down on the intake of grains, sugar, starchy vegetables, and processed foods, with an increase of meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats.

Types of carbohydrate-restricted diets

1. Ketogenic Diet

This diet limits carbohydrate intake to about 5-10%, while 70-75% of intake is fat and 20-25% of calories from protein. This causes the body to attain a fat-burning state called ketosis.

2. Atkins Diet

Further, a four-phase program in this diet drastically cuts carbohydrate intake at the outset before slowly increasing it.

3. Low Carb and High Fat

In this diet, healthy fats are eaten in much larger amounts, with a much lower intake of carbohydrates.

4. The Paleolithic Diet

A single paleolithic diet looks toward food sources available in ancient times such as meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, and nuts. It avoids processed foodstuffs, grains, and dairy.

Benefits from low-/no-carbohydrate diets include:

Lose weight.

Low-carbohydrate diets decrease the insulin levels in the body, thereby speeding up fat-burning processes resulting in weight loss.

Improve type 2 diabetes.

This diet controls both blood sugar and insulin levels, resulting in an overall improvement of symptoms of diabetes.

Benefit heart health.

Low-carbohydrate diets lower triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. All of these features decrease the risk factor for heart diseases.

Improve mental clarity and energy.

When the body’s in a state of ketosis, the brain uses ketones for energy, which further increases mental clarity and energy.

Also, this diet fills you up with low-carb food, with high protein and healthy fats that will naturally reduce cravings.

Foods to avoid

Sugar and sweet foods (cakes, pastries, candy, soda)

Grains and starchy foods (rice, wheat, corn, potatoes)

Processed foods (fast foods, packaged snacks, processed meats)

High-carb fruits (bananas, grapes, mangoes)

Foods to eat

Meat and fish (chicken, beef, salmon, eggs)

Healthy fats (coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, nuts)

Low-carb vegetables (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, bell peppers)

Dairy products (cheese, Greek yogurt, butter)

Potential risks and precautions

Keto flu: You may feel tired, have a headache, and feel nauseous in the first few days.

Digestive issues: Lack of fiber content in the diet can cause constipation.

Nutrition deficiencies: Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can result if not chosen correctly.

Caution in other diseases: Consult a doctor before following this diet in service of kidney or liver diseases.

Some practical tips for making lifestyle changes to go on a low-carb diet.

Take it easy – Instead of abruptly cutting your carbs down, you should taper.

Plan your meals – Give thought to the shopping list early in the week, so you can eat well.

Stay hydrated – Drink enough water and be aware of electrolyte balance.

Be active – Physical activity should become a part of your daily habits.

Listen to your body – Everyone’s body has its unique way of responding; adjust the diet according to what your body wants for itself.

Final Thoughts

Low Carb diets are a great way to lose weight and become healthier. However, instead of jumping into a huge life-altering decision, take good time to plan it out with your health in mind. A well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet will do wonders for your life.

If you are planning to try this diet, take small steps at first and observe how your body is responding. This diet can be very beneficial for your health if guidance is organized and strictiveness maintained.