Low Carb Tips

Copyright 2006 Kristy Haugen

Low carb diets restrict the consumption of carbohydrates. The difference between the Atkins and the South Beach diet is within the amount of restriction. The induction phase of the Atkins diet restricts most carbohydrates while the South Beach diet allows ‘good’ carbohydrate consumption. These diets can really put one’s will power to the test. Why?

The human body’s primary source of energy is glucose. Glucose is derived from the breakdown or hydrolysis of carbohydrates that are consumed. Limiting carbohydrate consumption forces the body to use fat or protein as an energy source. Decreased carbohydrate consumption may leave you feeling tired and easily fatigued until the body adjusts to the change.

The word carbohydrate arose because molecular formulas of these compounds can be expressed as hydrates of carbons which yield a basic carbohydrate empiric formula of (CH2O)n. Carbohydrates consist mainly of the combination of two chemistry functional groups: the carbonyl and the hydroxyl group. Carbohydrates exist in different forms such as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides are usually called simple sugars. These simple sugars cannot be broken down or hydrolyzed into a simpler form (glucose). A complex carbohydrate refers to one or more linked simple sugars that require digestion for absorption.

Oligosaccharides contain at least two monosaccharide units. Oligosaccharides may be referred to as disaccharides or trisaccharides depending on how many units of monosaccharides the compound contains. Maltose and sucrose (table sugar) are considered disaccharides.

Polysaccharides contain many monosaccharide units. In order for the body to use polysaccharides, these compounds must be broken down into a simpler monosaccharide form. Examples of polysaccharides are starch and cellulose (fiber).

Dietary carbohydrate digestion occurs mainly in the mouth and small intestine. During mastication (chewing) the salivary glands secrete the enzyme alpha-amylase which is referred to as ptyalin. Alpha-amylase briefly acts on dietary carbohydrates in the mouth to hydrolyze starch into simple sugars such as glucose. In fact, if you chew on a carbohydrate long enough you may taste sugar. This is a result of salivary amylase hydrolyzing the carbohydrate into a simpler sugar.

Mastication increases the surface area of the food for alpha-amylase to act upon. This allows the enzyme alpha-amylase to work more efficiently in carbohydrate digestion. However, the food does not remain in the mouth for a long time so only a small portion of starch is hydrolyzed there.

Once the chewed food has been swallowed into the stomach, carbohydrate digestion halts temporarily. This occurs because alpha-amylase is inactivated by the high acidic environment of the stomach. However, carbohydrate digestion will resume once the chyme (food mass and gastric juices of the stomach) enters the small intestine.

The acidic contents emptied into the small intestine are neutralized by bicarbonate secreted by the pancreas. The pancreas will then secrete alpha-amylase to continue carbohydrate digestion. Carbohydrate digestion is finished when the mucosal lining of the upper jejunum and duodenum absorb the bulk of the dietary sugars in the form of monosaccharides.

Now that we have a good understanding of what a carbohydrate is and the importance of the carbohydrate in the body, maybe an extreme low carb diet isn’t the answer for weight loss. Extreme diets whether they are low carb or high protein can put the body to the test. Carbohydrates may be a necessary evil, but the body relies heavily on carbohydrates for energy. Instead of testing one’s will power, using a weight loss supplement called a carb blocker may be a better option.

Carb blockers are a weight loss supplement recently introduced into the weight loss world. Carb blockers claim to block the enzyme alpha-amylase. If the enzyme alpha-amylase is blocked, then carbohydrate hydrolysis is affected. By blocking the enzyme, you block the breakdown of the carbohydrate which affects absorption of the monosaccharide. How so? If the carbohydrate is of complex origin, the enzyme must be secreted to break down the carbohydrate into a simpler form for absorption. In theory, the carb blocker should indeed help to block carbohydrates from being absorbed.

Phaseolus vulgaris is the active ingredient in carb blockers that comes from the white kidney bean. Phaseolus vulgaris interferes with the pancreas’ ability to secrete the enzyme alpha-amylase. Subsequent studies do prove that Phaseolus vulgaris does in fact inhibit the enzyme alpha-amylase.

Carb blockers are another option for weight loss. However, permanent weight loss requires you to make changes to your lifestyle. If you do not change your lifestyle then no matter what diet or supplement you choose, weight loss is temporary and short lived. This also means that if you choose a low carb diet, make sure that this diet can be done. Many people fail the low carb diets because of extreme commitments.

About the author:

Kristy Haugen is a mother and an experienced nurse. She also has a bachelor degree in Biology and Chemistry. She writes to inform consumers about nutrition and health topics. Learn more about weight loss at http://weightlossarticles.vitaminmaniac.com . Learn more about vitamins and your health at http://blog.vitaminmaniac.com .

Written By: Kristy Haugen

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Some paediatricians have been prescribing a low-carb diet for a select group of children for decades, and what they have seen is very unsettling. The ketogenic diet was developed more than 80 years ago in order to control seizures that did not respond to the anticonvulsant medications that were available then. There are now dozens of medications that help to control seizures but the ketogenic diet is still used. The good news is that it does stop or slow down the frequency of seizures. The bad news is that it has some unhealthy effects on the heart.

The ketogenic diet is not identical to the Atkins diet. Although it contains very little carbohydrate it also has little protein, and 90 percent of calories come from fat. As you might imagine, keeping a child on this very unpalatable diet is every difficult, and many parents simply give up when faced with tantrums and food-stealing.

In a study done at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, children on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet developed marked increases of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, all of which are risk factors for coronary artery disease. These effects persisted for at least 24 months. Children on a ketogenic diet are also at risk of kidney stones, which are usually rare during childhood.

There’s plenty of evidence that low blood sugar levels, an inevitable consequence of a low-carbohydrate diet, produce memory and mood problems, irritability and aggressive behavior. Those who live with diabetic patients are aware that an overdose of insulin causes a severe drop in blood sugar that can lead to seizures or death. It doesn’t take any great leap of logic to conclude that a diet that results in frequent low blood sugar levels isnt good for the brain. For the developing brain of a child, even an adolescent, it could lead to individual tragedy and social disaster.

Theres no single solution to childhood obesity

What a child eats is only one factor in what is clearly an epidemic of childhood obesity. At any age, weight gain comes from using too few calories as well as eating too many. Computer games, television viewing, lack of physical education classes, reliance on Mom for transportation, disrupted family conditions and fear of crime in urban neighborhoods are just a few of the reasons why physical activity has taken a nosedive among children in the past generation, a period during which type 2 diabetes in children has risen tenfold. Careful analysis shows that almost all the fat gain of modern children is due to their sedentary habits, not to their eating habits.

Diabetes will soon be an intolerable burden

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report that should have stunned the actuaries of health insurance companies. Of children born in the year 2000, one-third will develop type 2 diabetes as adults. For African-American and Hispanic females that number will be approximately 50 percent.

Who will pay for the health care costs of one-third of our population, a group that will be unable to support themselves because of heart disease, kidney failure, amputation of limbs and blindness? The very fact that modern medicine is able to prolong the lives of these sufferers only adds to the enormous cost of extra decades of survival. Directors of kidney dialysis centers already agree that they are behind in the capacity to treat the present population of diabetics whose kidneys have been destroyed. Yet, this is where our children are headed, as even 6-year-olds are now being diagnosed with the disease.

Healthy nutrition in a free fall

French fries are vegetables in only the loosest possible use of the word, but they comprise 25 percent of the average childs vegetable intake. The value of a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables cannot be overestimated. Heart disease and cancer are much less common in persons with a high intake of these foods, but on any given day in the United States, 40 percent of children have not eaten a single vegetable. In actual surveys of childrens eating habits, no fruit or vegetable even French fries makes it to the top ten.

High-fructose corn syrup is the only sweetener of soft drinks in the United States. It comprises more than 15 percent of the calorie intake of the average child; it is more than double that among many adolescents. More than simply adding to an already excessive calorie intake, fructose bypasses the usual digestive processes and leads to formation of heart-damaging chemicals and adds to the complications of diabetes.

This is only a sample of the issues that I have discussed in my book Health Secrets of the Stone Age, the second edition of which will be released in January 2005 by Better Life Publishers, Oceanside CA.

About The Author

Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. is a pediatric infectious diseases specialist with a 45-year career in clinical and academic medicine. Dr. Goscienski has written for the Saturday Evening Post and Currents, the national newsletter of the American Heart Association and is a featured writer for North San Diego County Magazine. He has drawn on his interests in biology, anthropology, paleopathology and physical fitness to develop Better Life Seminars, a series of presentations in which he explains how our most distant ancestors lived, and how we can apply this knowledge to extend our healthspan and avoid the major chronic diseases of our age. His book, Health Secrets of the Stone Age is based on his seminars, and on the most recent findings in medical and anthropological research. It is scheduled for a January 2005 release date. You can visit his web site at www.stoneagedoc.com.

Written By: Philip J. Goscienski, M.D.

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This scares me to death, every day you walk down the street it is becoming more and more apparent that the average person is becoming larger and this trend has escalated over recent years. Why are they getting fatter? Here are some reasons… Less incidental activity Automated and computerized lifestyle Longer working hours and less leisure Increased consumption of processed foods Our food servings are larger than ever

Being overweight, or obese, has now moved from a social nuisance and domestic embarrassment to an official disease. The American Heart Association has announced obesity is a major risk for heart disease.

Obesity itself has become a major and dangerous epidemic. More than 70% of US adults are overweight and that figure is rapidly increasing.

What do most people do to rid their body of unwanted fat? They diet! Dieting is now a trillion dollar industry and just about every month a new diet is announced. If you do have weight problems how do you find a diet that is safe, effective and sustainable?

What you do is try to find a diet that includes a variety of foods that you can live with comfortably. You have to take a long-term view and include plenty of exercise. A good diet is one that supplies all of the essential vitamins and minerals, and is not high in fat or protein.

Research on people, who have successfully lost a lot of weight and kept it off long term, shows that the vast majority succeeded by consuming a low fat diet high in fibre coupled with strength training and cardiovascular activity.

Be wary of diets that

Ban a specific food group Promise a quick fix Replace a balanced meal with a drink or a snack bar Make recommendations based on single studies Make recommendations to help sell a single product

Excess weight does not appear overnight and nor will it disappear overnight! In fact the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to pile the pounds back on. Seek out a program that will help you maintain long-term body fat losses by providing attainable solutions such as a program that promotes lifestyle changes, healthy eating and regular exercise.

Regular exercise is important (i.e. strength training) as it burns fat, boosts your

metabolism and also increases your energy levels. Dietary changes can lead to initial weight loss, but this is only for the short term. Exercise is essential for maintaining weight loss for the long term.

Now let’s take a closer look at what food is made up of and then you will have a good idea of what to look for in your daily eating plan. Firstly we need a wide range of nutrients to perform various functions for a healthy life.

These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fat and are all present in the food we eat on a daily basis.

The foods containing these nutrients are cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, milk products and flesh foods (fish, meat and poultry).

We need all these nutrients to live and thrive and since we receive them through the food we eat, our food must be well balanced and in the proper proportions. Food is a fuel; the body requires this fuel for energy, which is measured in fats, carbohydrate and protein.

Each of these nutrients provides different amounts of energy and these are measured in calories.

Nutrient Calories per Gram

Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4 Fat 9

Let’s look at carbohydrates first, carbohydrates supply energy for our body, they provide fibre for the prevention of disease and taste and texture to food. They are found in cereals, potatoes, fruits and vegetables.

They come in two basic forms, simple and complex. Simple carbs are easily identified by their taste and are sweet. Complex carbs, such as potatoes are pleasant to the taste buds, but are not sweet.

They are then divided into two groups, high fibre and low fibre.

High-fibre foods are the healthiest choices for nutrition and the intake of these foods is associated with a lower incidence of cancer and diabetes. Carbohydrates supply the sort of calories easily burned during cardiovascular exercise.

They are often wrongly feared and considered fattening, but the most important factor in weight control is balancing the energy (calories) consumed. Please remember:

Energy In is more than Energy Out = Weight gain Energy In is equal to Energy Out = Weight maintenance Energy In is less than Energy Out = Weight loss

Different foods affect the ability to exercise at different levels. High levels of exercise (cardio and strength training) require carbohydrate as a fuel source; at lower levels it is fat.

A lack of carbohydrate in the diet will lead to fatigue, the inability to exercise effectively, and excess fat consumption. When our food is digested, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars.

These sugars are absorbed by the body and used by the muscles or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. As our glycogen storage capacity is limited, carbohydrate needs to be continually topped up by the foods we eat.

But the body has an unlimited storage capacity for fat!

The average person is extremely vulnerable to fad diets and extreme dieting behaviours. The low carbohydrate diet is one of the latest eating plans to hit the streets. This current diet craze is very popular but there are safer and more effective methods based on scientific research, to reduce body fat levels.

Low carbohydrate dieting is simply wrong.

Why is this? Just as a car runs better on a certain fuel, so does the human body. Unfortunately the latest low-carbohydrate fad diets are not the fuel mix the human body was designed to run on.

Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, whereas fats contain 9 calories per gram. For weight loss, the priority is to decrease total calorie intake. Reducing the amount of fat in the diet will make the biggest difference in reducing total daily calorie intake and hence weight loss.

Carbohydrate intake is not fattening, excess calorie intake is fattening.

If you aren’t having enough carbohydrates in your diet you will experience:

Fatigue due to low blood sugar levels inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals Low fibre intake, which may affect bowel movements ‘Bad’ breath due to the breakdown products of fats (called ketones)

The bottom line for carbohydrates and weight loss is to:

Try to balance carbohydrate intake with activity levels Maintain energy levels by eating carbohydrate rich foods on a regular basis Carbohydrate rich foods are normally low in fat and nutrient-rich

A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, and low-level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels and a program that can be followed for life.

In conclusion try to achieve a balanced diet, eating a balanced variety of foods will help you to feel great every day, ensure better long-term health and improve weight control.

About the Author

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

Written By: Gary Matthews

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As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze me how people inadvertently set themselves up for a huge snack attack mid afternoon. For many, the set up is so complete that it is almost impossible to control! The result is that people think they are weak-willed and lacking in discipline. Often the answer has little to do with character or determination. More often the reason for the mid afternoon carbohydrate cravings is due to gaps in understanding how our body works and responds to diferent types of food. Read on to see what you can do to control those mid afternoon cravings.

Trigger foods

If you want to control those cravings there are a few principles you must be aware of. The first is concerning trigger foods. Nutritional research has documented, carbohydrates trigger the brain to crave more carbohydrates, leading to a cycle of carbohydrate eating that becomes hard to control. Trigger foods keep you fat. The goal is to have control over these foods rather than allowing them to have control over you.

What do trigger foods look like? Well, they vary from person to person, but typically look like soft drinks, potato chips, corn chips, peanuts, french fries, cheese, pizza, chocolate chip cookies, pretzel, apple pie, candy bar and so on. These are the foods that for many, “once we pop, we can’t stop!”.

Isn’t it amazing that all these types of foods are available from take-away places? They are so readily available and have crept into our daily routine without us even planning it to happen. We get hungry, we are busy, we are distracted, and one serve leads to another; and we don’t realise just how much we are eating as the triggering effect takes place in our brains. By eating a small portion of any of the above you can easily consume anywhere from 350 to 1000 calories. Two serves could be 700 to 2000 calories! Most women on a weight loss program are aiming for between 1200-1400 calories a day, so you can see that one snack can seriously sabotage your plans. Does this sound like you? I can hear the deep sighs of regret and frustration! Don’t worry, there are answers for you.

You can be empowered to take control when you know how to avoid the nutritional set up that will drive you towards trigger foods.

Here are a few simple principles that will deal a wounding blow to the late afternoon “snack monster”.

Five steps to avoid carbohydrate cravings:

1. Incorporate protein in to your breakfast AND lunch. Protein is key to controlling carbohydrate cravings. The RDA of protein for women is 60 grams a day. For women wanting to lose weight, health professionals recommend approximately 100 grams of protein daily. Why? One of the principle advantages of protein is that it creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the body that makes overeating much less likely. Source your protein from ultra lean sources so you don’t pick up unwanted calories and saturated fats.

Even better, than providing a sense of sustained fullness, protein can block the triggering effect that carbohydrates can have on the brain. If you eat protein with a carbohydrate it will reduce the cravings caused by eating the carbohydrate.

2. Never skip meals. Research has shown that people who skip meals are more prone to obesity than those who regularly eat 3 meals a day. In fact, people who space their daily food requirements by making appropriate use of healthy snacks do even better. Why is this? When you skip meals you are more likely to get hungry and fill up on easily obtained fast foods which are often trigger foods.

3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day. For some people sugar laden soft drinks are a trigger food. Make sure you don’t get thirsty in the first place. Water creates a sense of fullness and has a host of other health benefits.

4. Plan the timing of your meals so that you don’t get hungry. Despite having three healthy meals a day, sometimes your work schedule can mean the spacing of those meals still does not guard against the carbohydrate cravings. If you have a long gap between meals, make sure you carry healthy snacks to cover the distance, otherwise hunger will set in

5. Plan your snacks. Plan out your weekly snack schedule with some delicious, healthy snacks. Purchase these with your weekly shopping so that you are fully prepared. If you need to, get up a few minutes earlier in the morning so you have time to prepare and take your snacks to work. Remember, healthy snacks don’t live in a vending machine! You are less likely to get hungry when you have a ready supply of healthy snacks.

6. Carry emergency supplies of nutritional protein bars in your handbag or brief case. When you feel a carbohydrate craving, eat the protein bar instead and wait 30 minutes before acting on the craving. More often than not the craving will pass and you will be in control again. This truly works!

Incorporate these principles into your daily routine and you could be well underway to change your life and be able to take control over the mid afternoon ’snack attacks’.

Kim Beardsmore, B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is a wellness consultant. To see what you can do to take control of your weight or to maximize your best personal shape, visit her website at: http://leanmachine.org/?refid=140604-23516

kim@kigamarketing.com

Written By: Kim Beardsmore

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As the urge to overindulge is replaced by the need to shed winter weight gain, more and more dieters are turning to a low-carbohydrate eating regimen. The increasingly popular low carbohydrate plans such as Atkins and South Beach diets are based on the premise that carbohydrates cause weight gain and focus food intake on protein.

As attractive as it may sound to eat steak, cheese, eggs and other calorie-rich proteins, many dieters find it challenging to bring tasty variety to their low carbohydrate menus and still stick to the guidelines for these diets.

Trying new foods and different food combinations are a good way to keep your taste buds satisfied, says Chef Patrick Finney, national culinary director of American Culinary Institute (ACI). He also notes that since dieters are limited in what they can eat, its important to focus on the taste and flavor of foods, instead of quantity.

The chefs from American Culinary Institute makes it easy to identify the best tasting choice in just about every food category, from everyday favorites, to gourmet and organic products. For over 15 years, the San Francisco-based organization of independent, professional chefs has provided shoppers with a fast, effective way to select the best tasting foods and culinary products by awarding its Best Taste Award medallion to the overall winner in each product category based on taste.

A recent study done by PARADE magazine confirms that flavor is still the number one criterion for Americans food choices. In addition, across the board in their own restaurants, the independent judging chefs of ACI see their customers modifying their eating habits to include low-carb plans, but note people will not sacrifice on taste with their new menu choices. Chef Finneys advice is to purchase the best tasting products you can buy.

Products bearing the prestigious ACI Best Taste Award have been judged superior in taste in the Institutes rigorous, unbiased five-step judging process. Look for the ACI Best Taste Award on food products at your local supermarket. Its the fast and reliable way to buy the best tasting food and culinary products for your family and friends.

Here are some menu suggestions from Chef Finney for those eating a low-carb diet, and a list of some of the best tasting low-carbohydrate food brands that earned ACIs Best Taste Awards in their respective categories.

Breakfast:

* Eggs are a good start to a low-carb day. Egglands Best took ACIs top spot for the fresh eggs category. Prepare them scrambled, fried, poached, hard-boiled or as an omelet. But dont stop with breakfast. Make egg salad for lunch, or whip up Asian egg drop soup for dinner.

* Bacon, which is banned on low-fat diets, is a nice treat for those following the Atkins plan. If youre in a hurry, Jimmy Dean gets the best taste rating for fully cooked, heat and serve bacon, while Maple Leaf bacon is the best tasting in its category for conventional bacon strips.

Lunch and dinner:

* For a quick, easy protein boost, add the best tasting canned/pouch tuna or salmon to your leafy green salads from Chicken of the Sea.

* Sprinkling a few nuts and seeds on your salad is another quick way to jazz them up. Using delicious Fisher Nuts finely chopped also add crunch, texture and protein to soups, and a surprising crunchy topping for steaks. A small handful of nuts make a great, quick snack.

* Fish and seafood are great lean protein sources. Fishery Products Internationals frozen shrimp under the Mirabel label make a great quick and tasty meal, or add them to stir fry, green salads and more.

* Cheese gives a flavor boost to any dish. Sprinkle hard cheeses like Romano cheese from Stella USA on salads, soups and side dishes for added flavor and texture.

* Cold cuts such as best taste winner William Fischer premium deli ham make a quick snack or lunch, and are a great addition to a green salad.

* Have convenient pre-packaged leafy green salads on hand at all times in your refrigerator for a handy meal or side dish from Ready-Pac. Top off salads with award winning dressings from Briannas salad dressings, such as their real French vinaigrette or zesty French dressing, both low in carbohydrates.

Sauces/Seasonings:

* When sticking to any meal plan, variety is the spice of life. Add a small spoonful of Crystal steak sauce to enhance the flavor of your steak or other meats. In addition, add a small splash to zip up sauces and dressings as well. Mrs. Dash grilling blends are a great way to boost the flavor of meat and chicken; try using it as a seasoning in place of salt.

Snack/Dessert:

* A little snack or a light dessert of fresh or frozen berries (of course with no sugar added), with a dollop of ACIs award winning Daisy Brand sour cream makes a delicious and satisfying treat.

For a complete list of the American Culinary Institutes Best Taste Award winners, visit www.chefsbest.org.

About the author:

Courtesy of ARA Content

Written By: ARA

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It’s no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the worth and reliability of low-carb diets after all the conflicting studies and confusing interpretation of the information. It seems like debates are popping up everywhere! No matter if it’s Atkins, South Beach or some other low-carb plan, there are approximately 30 million Americans are on a low-carb diet.

Supporters contend that the large amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increased problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health situations. On the other hand, some attribute obesity and related health problems to over eating of calories and lack of physical activity. They also express concern that without grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and many minerals.

It is already known that any diet, whether high or low in carbohydrates, can produce meaningful weight loss during the early stages of the diet. Keep in mind, the key to a diet being successful is in being able to lose the weight on a permanent basis.

Let’s see if we can expose some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Following, is a listing of some related points taken from recent studies and scientific literature.

Point 1 – Some Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

There are many famous diets created to lower carbohydrate consumption. Lowering total carbohydrates in the diet means that protein and fat will take up a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake.

Low carbohydrate diet like the Atkins Diet restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic (a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that includes normal amounts of protein). Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less confined. Some, like Sugar Busters announce only to eliminate sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.

Point 2 – What We Know about Low-Carb Diets

+Close to all of the studies to date have been small with a diversity of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics are wide-ranged greatly. Most of the studies to date have two things in common, none of the research studies had people in the study with a average age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted more than 90 days.

+The results on older adults and long-term results are scarce. Many diet studies fail to keep track of the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric use, while people in the study are dieting. This helps to explain the variances between studies.

+If you lose weight on a low-carb diet it is a function of the calorie intake and length of the diet, and not with reduced amount of carbohydrates.

+There is very little evidence on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Even though the medical community has concerns, no short-term bad effects have been found with cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among the people in the study on the diets. Because of the short period of the studies the adverse effects may not show up. Losing weight typically leads to improvement in these levels, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The over-all weight changes for low-carb and other types of diets are similar.

+Most low-carb diets can cause ketosis. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion are some of the potential consequences. When first starting a low-carb diet some fatigue and constipation may be met and these symptoms usually disappear quickly.

+Some report that you can have more calories when on a low-carb diet. Remember a calorie is a calorie no matter what you intake. When the study is not closely supervised variations will result by people cheating in the study on many factors of the study.

There are three important factors I would like to re-emphasize:

1.- The over-all success rate for low-carb and other types of diets are similar.

2.- Small amount of information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carb diets despite their huge popularity,

3.- Dieters usually experience boredom with a strict version of the low-carb diet and are not able to stay on diets of low carb food.

After observing the subject, a more severe and controlled study are needed on a long-range basis. The ketosis produced is abnormal and stressful metabolic state. The results may cause more problems than it solved.

By picking a reliable diet you will benefit over a lifetime of proper eating and not a weight loss quickie. An excellent rule of thumb is look at the diet long-range and see if you can see yourself still on that diet after a couple of weeks. However, by following a diet with fat, carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients in moderation may be the best way to go and a little more exercise won’t hurt either.

About the Author

Jim has been interested in health factors for most of his life. Most of his knowledge is from investigating the many faucets for a healthy being. You can learn more of low carb dieting by visiting: http://www.low-carb-dieting-secrets.com

Written By: james ellison

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Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just want to eat healthier, you may be confused by the news you’re hearing about carbohydrates. With so much attention focused on protein diets, there’s been a consumer backlash against carbohydrates. As a result, many people misunderstand the role that carbohydrates play in a healthy diet.

Carbohydrates aren’t all good or all bad. Some kinds promote health while others, when eaten often and in large quantities, may increase the risk for diabetes and coronary heart disease.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates come from a wide array of foods – bread, fruit, vegetables, rice, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, corn, and cherry pie. They also come in a variety of forms. The most common and abundant ones are sugars, fibers, and starches. The basic building blocks of all carbohydrates are sugar molecules.

The digestive system handles all carbohydrates in much the same way – it breaks them down (or tries to break them down) into single sugar molecules, since only these are small enough to absorb into the bloodstream. It also converts most digestible carbohydrates into glucose (also known as blood sugar), because cells are designed to use this as a universal energy source. This is why carbohydrates can make us feel energetic. Carbohydrates fuel our body. Your body stores glucose reserves in the muscles in the form of glycogen ready to be used when we exert ourselves.

Carbohydrates are the highest octane – the most desirable fuel source for your body’s energy requirements. If you don’t have an adequate source of carbohydrate your body may scavenge from dietary protein and fat to supply glucose. The problem is when you’ve depleted your stores of glycogen (stored glucose in muscle and lean tissue) your body turns to burning muscles or organs (lean muscle tissue) and dietary protein or fat to provide blood glucose to supply energy needs. When this happens, your basal metabolic rate drops because you have less lean muscle tissue burning calories and your body thinks its starving and cuts back on energy requirements.

So you should continue to eat carbohydrates discriminately selecting those which have the greatest health benefits.

The carbohydrates you consume should come from carbohydrate-rich foods that are close to the form that occurs in nature. The closer the carbohydrate food is as Mother Nature intended, the greater the density of other vital nutrients. If you are looking for health-enhancing sources of carbohydrates you should choose from:

Fruit: rich in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium and often vitamin E.

Vegetables: fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, often vitamin E, potassium and a wider variety of minerals than fruit.

Whole grains and grain foods: rich in fiber, protein, and some B vitamins and are very rich in minerals.

Legumes: an excellent source of protein, fiber folate, potassium, iron and several minerals.
Dairy foods: protein, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.

You can also source carbohydrates from processed foods such as soda pop or soft drinks, snacks such as cookies and chips, and alcohol. These generally are considered to be a poor food choice and should be consumed rarely. The carbohydrate source (sugar and flour) in these food choices has been highly refined processed. A diet rich in refined carbohydrates and processed foods has been associated with heart disease and onset of type 2 diabetes.

Why are these sources of carbohydrates to be avoided?

1.They are calorie dense and contribute a large number of calories in a small amount of food. For example a 7oz bag of potato chips or corn chips have approximately 1000 calories. Most women on a weight management program will be aiming for 1200 daily calorific intake. So, this is what we mean by calorie dense and nutritionally scarce.

2.They offer little appetite-holding power because they have no fiber or protein. As a result you end up searching for food again soon after your first serve.

3. They contribute nothing to your nutritional profile except calories. This means you have fewer calories left for foods that your body requires for good health.

Whenever possible, replace highly processed grains, cereals, and sugars with minimally processed whole-grain products and ensure you have at least five serves of fruit and vegetables daily.

Rather than cut out carbs completely for a very short-term gain (usually weight loss), there are greater long-term health benefits in learning how to distinguish good carbs over bad carbs and incorporating healthy carbohydrates into your weight loss program.

About the Author

(c) Kim Beardsmore

Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries. This world renowned, medically approved program will give you results you’ll love and all the support you need! Estimate your body fat percentage and register for our weight loss ezine at http://leanmachine.org/?refid=170604-23625

Written By: Kim Beardsmore

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