Low-carbohydrate diets or low carb diets, are food diet programs for dietary health as well as weight loss that advocate restricted carbohydrate consumption, based on research that ties carbohydrate consumption with increased blood insulin levels, and increased insulin with obesity.

Under these various dietary programs, foods containing carbohydrates (like sugar, grains, and starches) are limited or replaced in favor of foods containing more protein and fat. Vegetables, though classified as carbohydrates, are thought to be far healthier than grain-based carbohydrates.

Weight loss
Programs such as the South Beach, Atkins and Zone diets, are claimed to work because they reduce insulin levels, which in turn causes the body to burn its fat for energy.

As a process, these kinds of diets have been in and out of fashion since the Banting diet appeared in the 19th century. But long before modern scientific invention, anecdotal and holistic prescriptions, containing passages about limiting certain foods, including foods of mostly carbohydrates, have appeared throughout history. Although strong evidence suggests, and general agreement claims, that low carb diets can help achieve weight loss, some have been controversial among nutritionists, and their relative safety has been challenged.

Differences between low-carbohydrate diets
Low-carb diets are largely distinguished by the proportions of carb intake they recommend, and the method or methods used to determinine which source or sources of carbohydrates should be consumed and which should be avoided. While all agree that processed sugar should be eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced, they often differ on the recommended levels of grains, fruits and vegetables, though there is broad agreement that, in general, vegetables are better than fruits, and fruits are better than grains.

Food producers have ascribed a commercial impact to the growing popularity of low-carbohydrate diets in recent years. For example, in May 2004, New World Pasta filed for bankruptcy protection, claiming that low-carbohydrate diets were reducing demand for pasta. In the same month, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts warned investors that its earnings would be below projections, and blamed low-carbohydrate diets on reduced demand for its products.

Other producers have taken advantage of the trend. In response to consumer demand for low-carb foods, the food industry has been marketing low-carb products in recent years and restaurants are increasingly offering low carb menus. These items typically replace carbohydrate-laden wheat flour with high-protein soy flour and replace sugar with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and sugar alcohols.

Conversely, the body increases blood glucose levels by secreting another hormone called glucagon.
If blood glucose levels remain high, and that energy source is not burned shortly after it is consumed, the excess glucose is shuttled off to the muscles for storage. If the muscles have reached their limit in storage capacity, and the body does not require extra glucose to sustain body activities, the excess converts to fat.

Also, as insulin efficiently clears the blood of excess sugar, blood sugar levels oftentimes dip below normal and will produce the infamous sugar blues or a ‘downer’, followed by a possible craving for more sugar consumption. Lastly, while insulin levels are high or active, the body will not burn fat as energy since the body is attempting to utilize as much blood sugar as possible. (Note that fat is not used as a primary energy source while eating an energy-sufficient, healthy diet and fat is used more heavily only during periods of fasting and extensive aerobic-type exercise.) Hence, high-fat-low-carb advocates claim that we should not want:

1) Excess carbs to turn into fat (what do they think happens to excess fat and protein kcal?);

2) To feel groggy with low energy from the insulin ups and downs associated with high carbohydrate (sugar) consumption; and

3) High carbs in the diet since they prevent us from burning body fat.
Although these factors are true, the extent or magnitude of their validity varies in accordance to a number of conditions, such as:

i) How active is the individual?

ii) How many kcal is the individual ingesting (including carbs) per meal?

iii) What comprises an individual’s food and carbohydrate intake?

HOW ACTIVE ARE YOU?

The more active a person, the more carbohydrate he or she should consume. Also, the greater the physical activity, the less insulin the body produces since muscles become insulin sensitive after exercise and glucose tolerance improves as a result. The Food Guide/Pyramid recommends about 50% of kcal in the average individuals diet to be in the form of carbohydrate. Therefore, if a person is very active, the amount should be increased to about 60% since nearly every activity uses a great deal of blood glucose and muscle glycogen for energy, but only a smaller percentage of fat. In fact, athletes who consume a high-carb diet (60%) can maintain higher-intensity exercise longer than those following a low-carb diet (<40%). If a person is relatively sedentary, then much less energy is required, and 30-40% will suffice.

The bloodstream holds about only a one-hour supply of glucose and muscles store about only a half-days energy needs. The sugar requirements of the nervous system (including the brain, an organ that survives on nothing but sugar) for the average adult is approximately 100-150 g per day (and 100 g minimum to prevent ketosis, or 600 kcal). If a 90 kg/200 pound, moderately active man consumes 3,500 kcalories per day, this is equal to 17% of his total caloric intake... just for his nervous system. This does not take into account the remainder of his requirements, the energy required for metabolism of food, or his general activity levels such as work, sports, weight training, reading, housework, walking, etc.

Since this man is moderately active, about 55% of his kcal should be in the form of carbohydrate, or 1,925 kcal, or 481 grams. If he were very active, the percent should probably be closer to 60%. That leaves 20% for fat intake, and 25% for protein intake.

HOW MANY KCAL ARE YOU CONSUMING?

Although national surveys indicate that we are eating less fat now than 20 years ago, we are also eating more kcal. Consequently, a reduction in fat and an increase in carbohydrates are hardly the problem. Rather, it is the total number of kcal consumed that is of vital importance in fat gain. If total caloric intake is below maintenance levels, a person will reduce fat, even if 80% are in the form of carbohydrates. (In fact, Southeast Asian diets are 80-90% carbohydrate, yet these individuals, on average, are not considered overweight but underweight. Conversely, an Inuit [Eskimo] diet is only about 15% carbohydrate intake and most are overweight because of the high fat/calorie intake.)

In regard to energy levels, one pro-fat advocate recollected the days when he trained for 2+ hours per day, while he consumed about 6000 kcal per day, and yet felt tired all the time. At under 200 lbs bodyweight, this person never considered in general how such a large quantity of food caused his insulin levels to go awry. He further attributed his depression and chronic fatigue to his state of hypoglycemia, but the American Diabetic Association has repeatedly stated that there is no evidence in connection to these symptoms, including nervous breakdowns, juvenile delinquency, and childhood behavior problems. Moreover, what most people experience after a meal is a change in blood plasma glucose concentrations and not actual hypoglycemia, which is a serious medical condition that requires medical treatment.

WHAT TYPES OF CARBS DO YOU CONSUME?
The next factor to consider is the composition of meals and dietary carbohydrate consumption. Obviously simple sugars/empty kcal that consist of concentrated sweets and that come from low nutrient (junk) foods should be limited or eaten infrequently. By reducing the concentrated and simple sugars in the diet, this change could contribute to a reduction in the risk of obesity, Type II diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and tooth decay. But it is not so simple as to suggest that simple sugars create the greatest insulin spike since the effect of food on blood glucose depends on several factors that constitute a meals total glycemic index.

First, the ratio and types of foods must be considered. Fat helps to slow digestion and absorption processes, thereby resulting in a lower and a less steep insulin spike. Hence, a food with a high glycemic index (e.g., potato) can have little effect on rising blood sugar levels if it is eaten with a high fat food (e.g., steak). Fiber tends to have an effect in keeping blood glucose levels down, and eating sucrose with whole wheat bread will not cause problems even for a diabetic. In fact, diabetics can consume up to 50% carb intake, so long as most are low on the glycemic index to keep blood glucose response to a minimum.

Refined starches (white flour and rice, cornstarch, pasta, enriched breads, and breakfast cereals) digest and absorb a little slower than simple sugars, but these foods still should be limited within the diet. Complex starchy carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, winter squash, yams, unrefined grains and grain products (e.g., barley, brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, and whole wheat products) are the preferred source of energy since they are high in fiber and digest the slowest. Slow digestion means slow glucose conversion, energy which burns/oxidizes during body functions at about the same rate at which it is produced.

Further, the process of digesting carbohydrates as a whole burns more kcal than the digestion of an equivalent amount of fat. However, even refined and whole grain starches break down to produce glucose, with the excess storing as fat tissue. Nonetheless, it is over-consumption of whole grains that results in added fat, a situation which is no different than over-consumption of healthy essential fatty acids or proteins. Hence, it is not carbohydrates that cause problems of excess fat gain, but the choice and amount of carbohydrate.

The form of the food also alters the glycemic response because of the time it takes for the food to be digested and absorbed:

Liquid quickly digested and absorbed.

Dry opposite to the liquid state, resulting in a slower rate of digestion and absorption.

Finely Ground digests and absorbs better than dry because of a larger surface area, and this causes food to break down better and faster.

Raw more difficult to digest than cooked foods; usually harder and tougher and requires more time to be broken down, digested, and absorbed.

Cooked breaks down, digests, and absorbs faster than its raw counterpart.

OTHER REASONS FOR HIGH (SUFFICIENT) CARB INTAKE

A most important complimentary aspect of carbohydrate is its protein-sparing effect. When the body is low in energy or when it is deprived of sufficient kcal, it will use its glucose stores. Once depleted, the body uses protein to manufacture glucose. Consuming sufficient carbohydrates guarantees that minimal protein in the muscles will be catabolized for energy requirements. Conversely, low carb diets accelerate protein catabolism to produce energy by more than 100% than with a moderate to high carbohydrate diet (50-60%).

High-fat advocates further suggest that if carbohydrates in the diet are limited, the body will use fat for energy. Although fat can supply most of the bodys tissues with energy, if need be, it cannot supply energy for the brain, which requires glucose. Even during fasting, fat is used last as an energy source. Neither can fat optimally supply the body with energy required for intense weight training, the main fuel source required from carbohydrates. Even with aerobic exercise, muscles cannot function effectively on fat alone, but will utilize glucose simultaneously. Moreover, as the body hurriedly breaks down fat for energy on a low carb diet, the process is often incomplete and produces by-products that the body must eliminate.

About the Author

(May be reprinted freely if linked to www.ExerciseCertification.com)

Brian D. Johnston is the Director of Education and President of the I.A.R.T. fitness certification and education institute. He has written over 12 books and is a contributor author to the Merck Medical Manual. An international lecturer, Mr. Johnston wears many hats in the fitness and health industries, and can be reached at info@ExerciseCertification.com. Visit his site at www.ExerciseCertification.com for more free articles and offers.

Written By: Brian D. Johnston

Over the last three decades I have seen extreme changes in the macro nutrients ( proteins, carbohydrates and fats ) combinations in our quests for the ideal body. Everything from high carbohydrate, low fat, high protein, to the current low carbohydrate craze has bombarded us, though the failure rates in managing our weight continue to rise. The problem lies in our bodies ability to adapt to change, especially extreme change. If your goal is to lose fat you must provide your muscle enough quality fuel without being over fueled. This is especially true if your goal to lose fat includes exercise. The secret is not found in elimination of macro nutrients, but in management of them. Understanding how to fuel your muscles prior to exercise sessions and replacing fuel after workouts is critical or your body will break down muscle for fuel.

Understanding how our muscles use the calories we eat as fuel for muscle contraction is the first step in knowing what to do and not to do. A basic nutritional knowledge tells us that proteins repair and rebuild cells, carbohydrates energize cells and fats provide hormonal foundation for cells. When we lack balance in protein, carbohydrates and fats are bodies adjust and can use all three as a source of fuel for muscle contraction and cellular energy. Though energy is needed for all cellular function, the focus of this article is muscle contraction and body composition. All muscle contraction derives energy from adenosine triphosphate or ATP. The primary source of ATP comes from glucose, which is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen ( glucose and water ). Muscle contraction during anaerobic activity ( resistance training ) can use glycogen directly to form ATP. The process is anaerobic glycolysis, meaning it can use the glucose as energy with very little oxygen ( 90% glucose, 5% oxygen and 5% fatty acid ). Our muscles only store enough ATP for short periods of muscle contraction, when depleted leads to muscle failure. The rest period between weight training sets allows additional ATP to be produced. During early stages of aerobic exercise, ATP is again created primarily from glucose until the heart and lungs provide enough oxygen to the muscles to allow fatty acids to be used to create ATP. So there you have it during resistance training and the beginning stages aerobic training the primary source of fuel is glucose.

This supports my claim that low carb diets and exercise make poor partners. To uncover why, we need to quickly look at the concept behind low carb diets and how they work. Any diet that provides 100 grams or less of carbohydrate daily. This article classifies as low carb diets. This will quickly deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle and liver. This by itself is testimony that our muscles primary source of fuel is glucose. Fatty acids stored in the adipose tissue ( fat cells ) are now released into the blood and processed by the liver and some are turned into glucose ( gluconegenesis ) and some remain fatty acids and both provide ATP for muscle contraction. One of the by products of this process is ketone bodies which can provide energy to brain and nervous system. The problem gluconegenesis ( non glucose turned into glucose ) provides fuel to the muscle less efficiently than glycogenesis ( glucose ). The end result is increased muscle fatigue, decreased muscle power, which leads to poor athletic performance.

A recent study performed at the University of Connecticut showed that exercisers who switched from a balanced diet ( proteins, carbohydrates and fats ) to a low carb diet experience the following drops in athletic performance. There was a 7 – 9 percent drop in muscle power and 6 percent drop in VO2 max of cardiovascular performance. Another factor to consider is the recuperation of muscle between workouts is decreased on low carb diets. So why would someone go on a low carb diet, especially when exercising? Because the initial weight loss that comes from the glycogen depletion is believed to be fat loss. We have become so focused on weight loss, that any weight loss is seen as good. As identified earlier in this article glycogen is a mixture of glucose and water and the majority are stored where? You guessed it, the muscle. A large percentage of the initial weight loss is coming from muscle loss. I dont think any exercisers desire is to have smaller muscles as a result of their exercising. The goal of exercise should be to improve body composition, the percentage or ratio of muscle to body fat. This can only be accomplished by losing fat without the loss of muscle tissue. Maintaining muscle mass is vital to sustainable weight control. The following steps will protect your muscles as your losing fat, while reaching your ideal weight and ideal body composition.

FAT LOSS COACH Keys to losing FAT without losing MUSCLE

1. Cycle fat burning days with recovery days.

The secret to losing fat without losing muscle starts with not being too aggressive or extreme with your reduction of carbohydrates. You need carbohydrate management, not carbohydrate elimination. Over the last 12 years, with more than 10,000 clients Ive found by reducing carbohydrates by 20% of daily needs and within 48 hours replenishing the glycogen in the muscle by eating 100% of daily carbohydrate requirements, allows for fat loss, without muscle loss. In essence you have two fat burning days, then a recovery day. By doing this youll have the best of both worlds. You will experience fat loss that averages between 1-2 pounds weekly, while muscles are being well fed. You never drastically deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle so athletic performance is not affected like on a low carb diet.

2. Exercise on days where you are receiving more carbohydrates.

Exercising on days where muscle are getting more carbohydrates for fuel and taking days off from exercise when you are being aggressive about fat loss. One of the most difficult thoughts for exercisers to accept is that most of the results from exercise come when we are not exercising. They come after we exercise and in direct response to how the muscles receive nutrition after exercise.

3. Exercise 1.5 – 2 hours after eating when blood sugar levels and insulin levels are slowly declining.

As insulin levels increase in response to a rise in blood sugar after a meal, the cells are in an anabolic state ( receiving nutrients ). Insulin is the hormone that feeds are cells. As blood sugar levels drop, insulin levels drop and the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon and nutrients stored in the fat cells are released to the blood and used for energy. The management of this blood sugar rise and drop is important. If blood sugar levels go to high insulin feeds the muscle cells and deposits excess into fat cells. If insulin levels go too low, the muscle cells are being under fed. A slow rise in blood sugar provides good nutrition to the muscles and a slow drop allows glucagon to take from the fat cells. Timing your exercise to this blood sugar decline allows the muscles to receive from the fat cells more effectively. It is important to never exercise without having at least one meal left in your day so that muscles can recuperate from exercise.

Final Thoughts

Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process. To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losingmuscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term makes low carbohydrate diet’s poor solutions for life long weight management.

By Charles Remington

Nutritionist – Founder of THE FAT LOSS COACH – Customized Fat Loss System – 1303 Highland Ave Cheshire, Ct. 06410 – 203-272-0014 – charlie@thefatlosscoach.com

www.thefatlosscoach

Written By: Charles Remington

Source: atkins.com

You might be doubtful and chances are that mainstream diets are the reason. Of course you couldn’t avoid opinions like the below Q&A posted by Health Care Reality Check:

Q: Can a person eat unlimited calories, and still lose weight, as long as they severely restrict carbohydrates?

A: No, she can not. The basis of ketogenic diets, such as the Atkins Diet, is a severe restriction of carbohydrate calories, which simply causes a net reduction in total calories. Since carbohydrate calories are limited, intake of fat usually increases. This high fat diet causes ketosis (increased blood ketones from fat breakdown), which suppresses hunger, and thus contributes to caloric restriction. — Ellen Coleman, RD, MA, MPH

Is this a correct answer?

Let’s first discuss whether it’s a correct question. Or, rather, is this the real question so frequently asked by dieters. In my experience, this in fact sounds a little bit different but this makes ALL the difference.

This is what real dieters ask:

Q: Can low carb dieters eat all they want, and still lose weight as long as they only eat allowed foods?

A: Yes, they can. The basis of ketogenic diets, such as the Atkins Diet, is a restriction of carbohydrate-containing foods in favor of fat and protein containing foods, which causes the state of ketosis resulting in significant decrease in appetite. Since appetite decreases, most of low carb dieters consume significantly less calories WITHOUT INTENTIONAL CALORIE RESTRICTION.

Is there scientific evidence?

There is.

Study #1 by: Bassett Research Institute in Cooperstown, NY and Durham (N.C.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Reported: Proceedings of North American Association for the Study of Obesity, Oct. 29, 2000, Long Beach, Calif.

Who participated:

18 obese men and women with 30 or more pounds to lose.

Average calorie intake before the study: 2,481 calories a day

Method:

Dr. Atkins’ Book, the “New Diet Revolution” used as instruction for the dieters.

Results:

1. Calorie intake during the most restrictive induction phase (when only 20 g of carbohydrates were allowed) was 1,419 calories a day on average and weight loss was more than 8 pounds on average.

2. Calorie intake during the ongoing weight-loss phase (when carbohydrate intake is being increased gradually, by 5 g a day) dieters ate an average of 1,500 calories a day and lost an additional 3 pounds in two weeks.

3. The calorie reduction was attributed almost completely to carbohydrate abstaining. Intake of fat and protein remained practically the same as before the diet.

4. After 6 months on Atkins diet, 41 overweight people lost an average of 10% of their weight. Most dieters lowered their cholesterol by 5%, but there were a few whose cholesterol increased.

5. 20 out of 41 dieters continued the program, and kept the lost weight off for more than a year.

Study #2 by: Harvard School of Public Health.

Reported: American Association for the Study of Obesity, October 16, 2003

Who participated: 21 overweight volunteers.

Two groups were randomly assigned to either lowfat or low-carb diets with 1,500 calories for women and 1,800 for men; a third group was also low-carb but got an extra 300 calories a day.

Method: All the food was prepared at a restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Note that most earlier studies including the above Study #1 simply gave out diet plans.

So in this study, dieters were given dinner and a bedtime snack as well as breakfast and lunch for the next day, which made the setting a carefully controlled one. Foods were mostly fish, chicken, salads, vegetables and unsaturated oils. Red meats and saturated fats were limited (as opposed to traditional Atkins menus.)

All meals looked similar but were cooked to different recipes. The low-carb meals were 5% carbs, 15% protein, 65% fat. The low fat group got 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, 30% fat.

Results:

1. All dieters lost weight, but those on low carb diet lost more than the low fat group — even while consuming MORE calories:

- Group on lower-cal, low-carb diet lost an average of 23 lbs.
- Group on same-calories low-fat diet lost an average of 17 lbs.
- Group on extra 300 calories, low-carb diet lost an average of 20 lbs.

2. Over the course of the study, the group of low carb dieters who got an extra 300 calories a day consumed extra 25,000 calories. That should have added up to about seven pounds. But for some reason, it did not.

Discussion:

“It doesn’t make sense, does it?” said Barbara Rolls of Pennsylvania State University. “It violates the laws of thermodynamics. No one has ever found any miraculous metabolic effects.”

So it violates the laws of thermodynamics, huh? Not so fast! When it comes to calorie counting, the “calorie is a calorie” concept is very deceiving.

Let’s see what we count when we think we count calories. When you burn a piece of wood in a stove, you can directly measure how much heat energy it produces. Then you can claim that you know how many calories a piece of wood contains, right? Not exactly. You should specify what kind of wood it was, dry or wet, how you burned it, etc. Because if you spent another material to start the burning, you should subtract these calories from the total; if the wood was wet you should take into account the calories that the water evaporation took. So even with a piece of wood, it’s not that simple.

Now look at a piece of food. You know how they tell how many calories it contains? Same way they talk about a piece of wood in a stove. It’s the calorie number that the food would produce by being burnt in a stove.

Then in addition to the wood’s calorie estimation (that takes into account the dryness, etc.), you should add many more circumstances: how hard should one chew it before being able to swallow, how hard one’s enzyme system will have work to digest it, will it influence the hormones in charge of fat storing? What about its effect on the hormones in charge of fat burning?

Which chain of reactions will it trigger, activity-wise or metabolism-wise? Will it make one sleepy, thus conserving the energy? Ot will it make one jumpy, thus wasting the energy?

Study #3 by: Laboratory of Applied Physiology, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan

Reported: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Dec;88(12):5661-7

Method:

Healthy boys, aged 8-11 yr, were examined for resting energy expenditure and the thermic effect of a meal, which were measured for three hours after a same-calorie but high-fat or a high-carb meals.

Results:

There was no changes after high carbohydrate meals but there was an increase in resting energy expenditure after a high-fat meal.

If the researchers in the Study #2 would have measured resting energy expenditure and the thermic effects of the meals, they would probably have registered the same changes. Then everybody would make a sigh of relief: none of the laws of thermodynamics have been violated: yes, the low-carb dieters COULD INDEED eat more calories and lose more weight than the low-fat group while violating no physical laws because — they just burnt more, all the time, even at rest. It’s that simple.

About the Author

Tanya Zilberter, PhD, is a researcher, health educator, exercise physiologist, and scientific journalist.

In health sciences since 1972, Dr. Zilberter authored several hundred scientific and popular publications, including four print books and more than a dozen of eBooks.

Written By: Tanya Zilberter, PhD

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 lets 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

Lets 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.

Above all 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 is the author of several ebooks, including “Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks” – the complete ebook and time-saving solution for burning away unwanted fat, and “Maximum Weight Gain in Ten Weeks” – easy-to-use and follow techniques that serve as a guide to muscle growth without having to “live in the gym”.

Visit Garys website at http://www.maximumfitness.com/

Written By: Gary Matthews

1. Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when excessive uric acid levels, start to crystalize in joints, leading to pain and inflamation. Uric acid is a waste product in the liver’s metabolism of protein. Excessive amounts of protein may lead to an inability of elimination of uric acid. The FAT LOSS COACH recommends you should not to exceed 1-1.25 grams of protein per lean pound of body weight.

2. Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard masses that form in the kidneys when uric acid or calcium oxalate crystalizes and over time form stones. Insoluble fiber found only in carbohydrates reduces the absorption of calcium, which cause urinary calcium levels to drop resulting in prevention of kidney stone’s formation. The FAT LOSS COACH program recommends the consumption of 30 or more grams of fiber daily. This is not attainable on low – carbohydrate diets.

3. Constipation and Poor Intestinal Health

To maintain good intestinal health our bodies require thirty or more grams of fiber daily. Fiber is divided into two types soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber is vital in formation of stools and decreases the time process of waste elimination. Low carbohydrate diets are too low in insoluble fiber and increase risk of constipation. Poor transit time of waste material increases risk of certain colon cancers. Insoluble fibers prevent the buildup of mucus on intestinal walls which lead to poor absorption of nutrients into the body. Low carbohydrate diets are inadequate to maintain good intestinal wall health. The FAT LOSS COACH program uses whole grains, oats, beans, fruits and vegetable which are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber. This lowers the risk for constipation, irritable bowel, diverticulitis, crohn’s disease, hemorrhoids and colon cancers.

4. Rise in Cholesterol Levels increase Risk Heart Disease

Risk of heart disease increases on a low carbohydrate, low fiber diets. These diets promote excessive amounts of animal protein, cholesterol and saturated fat. Exuberant amounts of protein increase homocysteine, which is a bi product of the amino acid methionine. Many experts believe that high homocysteine levels have many toxic effects which lead to increase risk of heart disease and hardening of arteries. Low carbohydrate, low fiber diets reduce the absorption and elimination of digestive bile in the intestines. Digestive bile is produced in the liver from cholesterol. A decrease in digestive bile production raises blood serum cholesterol levels which increases risk of heart disease. Unlike low carbohydrate diets the FAT LOSS COACH promotes nutritional balance providing 30% protein, 50% high fiber carbohydrates, 20% fat.

5. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the reduction of bone density, due to the loss of calcium over long periods of time. Several dietary factors increase the risk of osteoporosis. When dietary protein reaches excessive levels, so does the loss of calcium in the urine. Most studies show that a life – long high protein diet results in an increase of osteoporosis. Poor intestinal health due to low fiber diets cause inadequate absorption of calcium in intestines contributing to poor bone formation. This would suggest that all low carbohydrate diets cannot become a life long lifestyle of eating. This is only one of many reasons why low carbohydrate diets provide poor Long Term Weight Control. Interestingly, a diet too low in protein can also increase risk of osteoporosis. There is no one size fits all when managing our weight. All FAT LOSS COACH programs are customized to the individual providing the right balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat.

6. Loss of Muscle and Reduction of Metabolism

Any diet that applies the restriction of calories less than the body’s daily requirements over long periods of time will result in the loss of lean muscle tissue and a decrease in the metabolism. All low carbohydrate diets are focused solely on weight loss. The loss of fat comes at a high cost, which is the loss of lean muscle. The loss of muscle reduces the resting metabolic rate, which is the major cause for rebound weight gain. Research shows 95% of all dieters’ will regain that weight back. WE DON’T FAIL AT DIET’S – DIET’S FAIL US! The FAT LOSS COACH is a nutritional breakthrough because of it’s three day eating cycle, called the GLYCO – CYCLE. The secret is we don’t try to lose fat every day. That would result in losing muscle and reducing metabolism. ( Go to FAT LOSS COACH story to learn how the Glyco – Cycle was discovered ).

7. Poor Exercise Performance and Recovery

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for your muscles and brain. Eating a low carbohydrate diet prevent proper maintenance of muscle and liver glycogen ( storage form of carbohydrate and water ), decreasing muscle performance and increasing muscle fatigue. ATP is the main source of energy for all muscle contraction. When a muscle is used, a chemical reaction breaks down ATP to produce energy. There is only enough ATP stored in the muscle for a few contractions. More ATP is needed. There are three enzyme systems that can create more ATP. The three sources of ATP for muscle contraction are carbohydrates, fatty acids and amino acid proteins. Carbohydrates metabolize efficiently and are therefore used first. If carbohydrates are not available, your muscles metabolize fatty acids and amino acids as secondary sources of ATP. These secondary sources are not efficient, which consequently cause your strength and endurance to drop drastically. The FAT LOSS COACH is customized to your amount of muscle and exercise schedule. It provides 50% of your calories from high fiber, low glycemic ( turn into blood sugar slowly ) carbohydrates which are metabolized into muscle energy best. This will lead to increases in strength and muscle endurance.

Final Thoughts

Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process. To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losing muscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term makes low carbohydrate diet’s poor solutions for life long weight management.

Charles Remington – Nutritionist – Founder of THE FAT LOSS COACH – Customized Fat Loss System – www.thefatlosscoach.com

charlie@thefatlosscoach.com

Written By: Charles Remington

So why all the hype about low carb diets? Mainly it has to do with the quick fix trend. Everyone wants instant gratification without having to pay the price of dedication and hard work. In general we as a society are lazy and we spend most of our waking hours being sedentary. Who has time to be concerned about exercise and watching what we eat, we have long work days, and have families to care for. This is why low carb diets are so appealing. They are easy to follow and work relatively fast. There is no denying you can lose a large amount of weight quickly on a low carb diet. However, what many people may not know is that water constitutes the majority, roughly 75%, of the weight, leaving only 25% of the weight loss resulting in actual fat reduction.

Besides the illusion that you’re losing fat, there are also many undesirable side effects that these “low carb professionals” fail to mention when suggesting that we eat like carnivores. First, as I mentioned above, most of the weight loss is not fat loss, it’s actually mostly water weight. Second, it is very possible that you can slow down your resting metabolism. Third, when neglecting important foods such as fruits and grains you are putting yourself at risk for becoming deficient in many important vitamins and minerals. Lastly, if you are an athlete you will greatly reduce your ability to perform at your highest potential.

When you take into consideration that our bodies are capable of storing 300 – 600 grams of carbohydrates or even as much as 1000 grams in individuals who are either extremely muscular or obese. Our bodies need three grams of water for every gram of carbohydrates stored. That adds up to anywhere from 900 – 3000 grams (2 – 6.6 pounds) of water weight alone. When you lose 5 – 7 pounds of body weight the first week on a low carb diet, you can expect that only two pounds of that is fat. So when we start a low carb diet and exhaust our carbohydrate stores we also lose water because the water is no longer necessary for storage. It is practically impossible to lose more than three pounds of fat in one week unless you are morbidly obese. There are approximately 3500 calories in one pound of fat. So to lose three pounds of fat in one week you would have to find some way to eliminate 10,500 calories (3500 calories 3 lbs of fat = 10,500 cal). So in order to lose 3 lbs of fat per week we would have to eliminate 1,500 calories from our diet per day (10,500 7days = 1500 cal/day)! See how it is not possible. What happens when we start eating carbs again? Simple, we gain all that water weight back. Our weight fluctuates up and down.

Carbohydrates are very important substrates for many physiologic mechanisms throughout the body. Most importantly, carbohydrates are an energy source for the central nervous system including our brain. When carbohydrates are no longer available our body needs a back up generator. That back-up generator is a process called gluconeogenesis which means the body begins to manufacture carbohydrates from other materials in the body such as muscle proteins, or breaking down lean tissue in order to supply other tissues with energy. Thus we turn our bodies into catabolic factories. Our metabolism may even begin to slow since you are destroying muscle, one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body. This makes us especially vulnerable to future weight gains. In times of carbohydrate deprivation the body will also resort to producing ketone bodies from fatty acids. This is great for losing fat weight, however, this can lead to a dangerous condition known as ketosis which causes disturbances in the body’s normal acid-base balance. There is even research that suggests that ketosis and low carb diets may even lead to osteoporosis, kidney problems, and don’t forget bad breath.

Additionally, Foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates are important sources of vitamins and minerals essential to your well being which you deny your body while on low carb diets. Fruits and grains contain important anti-oxidants which are necessary for disease prevention. There have also been numerous studies that suggest high intakes of fruits and vegetables are associated with decreased risks of some forms cancer and heart disease. There are also high levels of vitamin B found in many grain foods such as bread. B vitamins are important in many metabolic and neurological processes. These are just to a small handful of reasons not to deprive your body of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and the list goes on and on.

Low carb diets can lead to decreased athletic performance. In any athletic event, the majority of energy expended comes from carbohydrates. An athlete is unable to perform at full potential without the immediate availability of carbohydrates. Without adequate carbs the body has to rely on creating the carbs before they can be used for energy. In turn the body has to work at a lower rate as to not exceed the rate of carb manufacturing.

Are there good and bad carbohydrates? The answer to that question is undeniably, yes. Fortunately, you can look forward to my next article which will discuss how to differentiate between “good” and “bad” carbs and when it is ok to have “bad” carbs.

In the mean time, practice keeping your diet well balanced, and eat in moderation. The Food Guide Pyramid is a good source for creating a meal plan. The purpose of the Food Guide Pyramid is to make sure that we are getting all our recommended daily allowances of essential nutrients. Good luck!

About the author:

If you have any questions regarding this article just send me an email. darren@fitnessrxs.com. www.fitnessrxs.com

I have been working in the fitness industry for well over 12 years. I know that this is something that I will continue to pursue for the rest of my life. I believe that fitness and health should be a major component in everyone’s lifestyle and should be a life priority. Good health affects every aspect of our lives including relationships, jobs, and functional capacity. The path of life is a much easier tread with a healthy body.

Written By: Darren Anderson

In this article, Ill make my best attempt to unveil the mystery of the carbohydrate – and why its gotten such a bad rap. After all, its the molecule both scientists and nutritionists know is the main source of the bodys energy.

BASIC CHEMISTRY:

First the boring stuff. The basic chemistry of a carbohydrate. Ill keep it brief: Carbohydrates contain a carbon atom attached to water molecules. This is important because its the structure and size of a carbohydrate which influences the speed by which its converted into glucose (sugar) and then into energy.

WHY ARE CARBS USEFUL?

Before we take a look at the different sizes of carbohydrates, lets look at why they are useful to us. Aside from supplying the bodys energy, carbs are also useful for the proper functioning of internal organs, as well as proper function of the muscles and nervous system.

The most exciting feature of a carbohydrate, in this writers opinion, however, is its ability to aid in protein and fat metabolism.So as it turns out, when used wisely, carbohydrates are actually useful in burning fat. THE THREE PRINCIPAL CARBS FOUND IN FOODS:

Next lets take a look at the three basic carbohydrates found in foods (Still boring but stay with me). They are: simple sugars, starches and fiber.

Simple Sugars come in two varieties. The monosaccharide (meaning one sugar) are quickly digested and almost immediately utilized by the body due to their simple structure (think fruits, fruit juices and honey). The second, disaccharides, act in almost the same way and are one molecule larger. The disaccharides, however, tend to be more of the refined sugars are very sweet to taste (think white sugar, candy etc.)

The second basic type of carb is the starches or what we would consider complex carbs (the polysaccharides): foods such as potatoes, wheat, rice, corn. These carbs are slow to break down and take some time to be converted into energy. Finally, theres the fibers (think bran). Fibers dont have a lot of energetic value, however, they do lend some support to the body. Because they dont add much sugar to the system, they make it further through the pipeline to help with intestinal function and elimination. Moreover, they reduce cholesterol and slow fat absorption. WHY SIZE MATTERS

The theory behind low carbohydrate diets is, when the body consumes too many carbohydrates the excess will become stored by the body as fat. This is true.

When the body ingests a carbohydrate, it aims to convert it to glucose as soon as it can, so that it can be utilized by the body. If there is some excess, no problem, it will get stored as glycogen in the limited space of the muscles. The trouble arises, when the stores exceeded capacity: the remaining molecules are stored as fat in fat cells that can infinitely expand (horrors!).

Yet, what if there was a way to outsmart this system by using the different sizes of carbohydrate molecules to your advantage? What if you could keep the body burning carbs at a steady rate according to the speed of your metabolism and your activity level?

Enter the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale which tells you (on a food-by-food basis) the rate at which a carbohydrate is converted into glucose. The scale is calibrated by glucose itself (which is rated at 100). The higher the number the faster the conversion.

First used by diabetics to prevent flux in blood sugar, the glycemic index (GI) has become a popular way to get all the benefits of carbohydrates without the threat of fat storage.

Heres what the scale looks like:

Low GI = 55 or less

Medium GI = 56 – 69

High GI = 70 or more

To see a chart with samples of some favorite foods visit: http://thecompounder.com/GlycemicIndex.html

HOW IS THE GI HELPFUL?

If weight loss or weight maintenance is your goal (isnt it everyones?), creating a diet around lower GI foods will decrease peaks in glucose levels. Its as simple as that.

You can implement this eating pattern by scanning the low glycemic foods and aiming to consume a serving at each meal (Be sure to see the article on food combining in this issue). This will also help you avoid both the highs and lows of the refined sugar rush.

Higher glycemic foods can be useful, too, and are considered the recovery foods. Medium and high GI foods should be consumed for up to two hours after exercise to recover lost carbohydrates and maintain steady blood-sugar levels.

Because metabolism varies from person to person, it would be well worth your time and effort to continue a personal study of the glycemic index. Enjoy your carbs by checking in on your favorite foods and decide when its best to consume them.

Where to get this information: You can get the skinny on the glycemic indexes of all your favorite carbohydrate foods. Check out the searchable data base at: www.glycemicindex.com

In closing, heres a few guidelines to help you put your carbs to good use:

Aim to eat several small meals during the day. Choose one serving of carbs for each, preferably low GI.

When in doubt choose carbohydrates that are naturally occurring such as vegetables and fruits.

Minimize refined sugars whenever possible.

When consuming breads aim for wheat instead of white.

Try to substitute white potatoes with sweet and substitute brown rice for white.

Laura Turner is the Sr. Editor of The New Body News and Wellness Letter: The premier online eZine dedicated to giving you the ‘Insight and Inspiration to Build a Better You.’ Raise your healthy I.Q. Subscribe today for F.r.e.e. visit: http://www.new-body-news.com or send any email to: mailto:newbodynews@getresponse.com.

Written By: Laura Turner

Carbs occur in two types: simple and complex. They are broken down into glucose, or blood sugar, which is metabolized by your body for energy. Glucose not immediately used by you is stored in your muscles as glycogen, but if your body has an excess of glycogen, it is converted into fat. However, because carbs prime your metabolism, you need them in order to burn fat. This is one of the major reasons you must not starve yourself and eat too few carbs. You must eat a good intake of complex carbs, such as those found in fruits and veggies.

Simple carbs, such as those found in candies and sweets, and also fruit, are turned into glucose quickly. These are the kind which can add to your weight problem. Complex carbs, such as those found in brown rice, veggies, legumes (peas, beans and lentils), and whole grains breads and cereals are digested and thus used at a much slower rate, giving your body time to prime its metabolism.

There are four calories in each and every gram of carbohydrate. Nutritionists say that 50% of your diet should consist of complex carbs. Simple carbs are high in calories but low in vitamins and minerals. These are the so-called “empty calories” that you find in sodas, deserts and other such sweets, and to some extent in fruits — especially fruit juices and fruit juice drinks. You should be getting your major carb intake from whole fruits, whole grains and vegetables.

Good high carb veggies are peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, spinach, squash, succotash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and turnips. Succotash, sweet potatoes and green cooked peas are the highest in carbs. You need several servings per day of complex carb foods such as these to maintain your energy levels and keep you from getting those “sluggish” feelings that make you feel sick and tired.

By eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day, you will be boosting your health through better carb consumption. The National Cancer Institute recommends that you have fruit juice — or better yet fresh fruit – every day for breakfast. You should have a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every day. You need to stock up on dried, frozen and canned fruits and veggies. You must make these foods visible and easy to access throughout your daily routine. And you have to “sample the delicious spectrum” when it comes to the many different colors and varieties of fruits and vegetables.

You will get your “five a day” if you eat one cup of dark, leafy greens, one half cup of red tomatoes, one half cup of yellow peppers, six ounces of orange juice and one half cup of blueberries. This is only one example of how you can consume “five a day” of fruits and vegetables to keep your complex carb ratio up. Please notice this includes only one serving of fruit juice. Various nutrition experts state that you should eat whole, fresh fruits more often than drinking fruit juice, which keeps those simple sugars from adding to your weight problem.

This is because simple sugars are more concentrated in fruit juices than in whole fruits. You should eat at least two cups of fruit a day, in a variety of fresh choices, such as one small banana, one large orange and one quarter cup of fresh or canned apricots or peaches. Also, eating fresh fruit adds more fiber to your diet and helps flush toxins from your system better than only drinking fruit juice does.

You should also eat plenty of dark, leafy green veggies, which are among the best foods for you. Eat broccoli and kale, as well as mustard greens and spinach. Also, you should eat “orange” veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash. For peas and beans, among the best are pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils. Foods such as these are extremely healthy, low in fat, and terrific for raising your energy levels.

Eating fruits and veggies will also greater lower your risk for cancer. Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have made “top ten” lists of the best antioxidant (anti-cancer) fruits and vegetables. Here are some of the most antioxidant members of the fruit and vegetable families of foods:

1) Fruits: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, red grapes and cherries 2) Veggies: kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, beets, red bell peppers, onions, corn and eggplant

While the average American seldom gets as much as two servings of these good foods per day, nutrition experts say that five to seven servings a day need to become a staple of the ordinary American diet. You can easily sneak these into your family’s eating patterns. Try serving raw veggies at every meal, and take advantage of packaged, prepared veggies. Put veggies into your breakfast and lunch, and start each family dinner with a mixed green salad. Serve a salad entre dish once per week, fill your spaghetti sauce with vegetables, and begin ordering a weekly pizza – with an extra serving of healthy vegetables.

If we were to eat more veggies and fewer processed foods, we as a country would lose weight, clean out our clogged arteries, balance our blood sugar and shut down a large number of hospitals in the process. This would roughly solve America’s growing health and obesity problems – in a nutshell.

About the author:

RAINBOW WRITING, INC. — Karen Peralta, copy editor, ghost writer and book author. We offer inexpensive professional freelance and contracted writing, editing, copy editing and writing, rewriting, ghost writing, graphics design, Internet marketing, publishing assistance, search engine optimization, and supercheap dedicated hosting and site development. Rainbow Writing, Inc.

Written By: Karen Cole-Peralta

We are all individuals and as such we need to feed ourselves as individuals, having said this some diet plans will be more beneficial for the general population that others.
To assess which particular diet plan will be beneficial, you can follow these guidelines. They are very much common sense points, and provide a good framework which many nutrition professionals would broadly follow, and within which you can divide the scammy diet plans from those that can offer you safe and healthy diet ideas.

Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.

Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.

Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.

Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.

Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.

Diet is backed up with medical research data.

In addition to these points, I’ve broadly outlined the low carb diet plans, which seem to be occupying the minds of dieters and researchers alike, as well as the research for and against pertinent to the low carb diet plans.

Low Carb Diets

A lot of the diet plans these days center around the low carb diet plans. These low carb diet plans are considered by some diet fads, others consider it the new wave in healthy eating. Diets such as The New Atkins Diet Revolution maintain that obese people are insulin sensitive and carbohydrates make them gain weight. Low carb diet plans such as The Zone lay down specific proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fats that should be consumed in order to lose weight and while fats are reduced, the main source of energy comes from the consumption of protein.

Low carb diet plans such as Sugar Busters, believe that sugar is your bodys most heinous weight loss enemy and since carbohydrates are the foods that are processed into sugars carbohydrates should be limited. The Scarsdale Diet also is a low carb, high protein diet and offers a 2 week crash dieting plan.

Popular diets such as the South Beach Diet and the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet are also low carb diet plans that have become popular with dieters who have tried and failed at the Atkins diet. All these diets see themselves as the worlds answer to the obesity problem.

To be fair, there are significant and many research papers that support and argue against the low carb revolution, as yet the wider medical community has not fully made its mind up as to whether the diets are something that is favourable in the long term.

Recent research by Layman et. al., and Saris have found that the low carb and high protein diets provide little benefit to dieters. Researchers found that when protein was moderately increased and carbohydrates proportionately decreased, insulin levels stabilised but no significant weight was lost. Saris in his review concluded that it is probable that a low carb, high fat diet will increase the likelihood of weight gain.

While there is a lot of evidence against the low carb philosophy, there is also a lot of evidence to support it. Research published in May, 2004, found that when patients on a low carb diet were compared with patients on a low fat diet, those patients who had consumed a low carb diet had a greater weight loss, decreased triglyceride levels and increased levels of HDL’s – in other words their cholesterol levels had improved. To put the icing on the cake research has just been published to support the long term efficacy of eating a low carb diet.

Despite the evidence to support low carb diet plans, mainstream medicine still does not recommend them. The main points of contention with the low carb, high protein diets is that they dont offer balance and variety and could prove dangerous for people at risk of heart disease. Particularly with low carb diet plans such as the scarsdale diet, they are not realistic and cannot be maintained in the long term causing yo-yo dieting and no one wants that !

References:

Wim HM Saris Sugars, energy metabolism, and body weight control Am J Clin Nutr 78: 850S-857S

Donald K. Layman, Harn Shiue, Carl Sather, Donna J. Erickson and Jamie Baum Increased Dietary Protein Modifies Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Adult Women during Weight Loss Nutrition.org

Yamashita T, Sasahara T, Pomeroy SE, Collier G, Nestel PJ. Arterial compliance, blood pressure, plasma leptin, and plasma lipids in women are improved with weight reduction equally with a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet. Metabolism. 1998 Nov;47(11):1308-14.

Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77.

Copyright 2004 Jenny Mathers. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Want more great ideas about which foods to eat and which to avoid ? Research fat burning foods at Savvy Fat Burning Foods

Written By: Jenny Mathers