No Carb Diet
Low or no carb diet is popular among people who want to lose weight fast and bodybuilders. It limits all foods that have carbs in them, it is ketogenic- uses fat(95%) as the main source of energy as well as protein(5%).
Carbohydrates are a form of complex type of sugar- as they are made up of glucose molecules joined together. They are found in all sorts of foods including fruits, vegetables, bread and pasta.
There is a common misbelief that carbohydrates make you fat. Do they? Yes, but so do proteins if eaten in excess. If you keep your carb intake in moderation, you won’t have any problems with your weight and you will supply your body and your brain with the energy that they need.
Most of the energy you use to move around and live is from carbohydrates. The brain relies on carbohydrates for its amazing power.
Benefits of No Carb Diet:
• You can eat as much as you want without worrying too much about calorie intake as the body will burn fat as a source of energy.
• It gained some credibility as many epilepsy sufferers have successfully been using ketosis for years.
• In lab tests on mice, prostate tumors grow slower with a no carb diet.
• A high fat, high protein and no carbohydrate diet decreased myocardial uptake in oncology studies, when compared to fasting.
• No or low carb diet results in quicker weight loss than fasting, maintaining a normal metabolic rate while burning fat. Fasting slows down the weight loss as the body stores more of everything expecting future periods of starvation and it deprives the body of nutrients.
• Many bodybuilders claim that such diets provide great results because they leave plenty of room for protein intake.
• Low carb diets stabilize blood sugar levels, which may be useful for hypo glycemic condition sufferers and diabetics.
Drawbacks of No Carb Diet:
• A low or no carbohydrate diet can make workouts seem much harderthan they normally are as they deplete the glycogen stores. Without carbohydrates in the diet, the body breaks down its own muscle.
• It can cause fatigue.
• Nausea and diarrhea, constipation or headache can arise.
• Essential minerals can be lost from excessive urination from too much water- weight loss.
• Blood pressure may be increased as you will not be having any whole grains- high fibre foods that are shown to lower blood pressure.
• Diets high in saturated fats can lead to heart disease.
• The kidneys have to work harder when the diet is too high in protein. The body cannot store excess protein, but converts it to fat.
• They may promote osteoporosis since excess protein in a diet causes the body to eliminate calcium during urination, and can overload the kidneys.
• The brain will be deprived of glucose that it needs to function properly, in a no carb diet.
Does the Low or No Carb Diet Work for Weight Loss?
Possibly! Within the first few days you will lose a lot of water– hence the weight loss. This is regained when you go back to eating carbohydrates. If you stay on the diet for a longer time, muscle and fat weight will be lost.
This diet is rather boring as it limits the food choices– remember most foods contain certain amount of carbs! So followers eat fewer calories than are needed to maintain their weight. Sooner or later, they go off the diet, regain body weight and feel guilty.
Restricting carbohydrates in your diet will also lead to binge eating. Many people will end up craving for very sweet and unhealthy carbohydrates (please also watch out for unhealthy sugar substitutes like aspartame while avoiding sugar), rather than loading up on whole grains, fruits, vegetables and milk. It would better serve the body to eat nourishing carbohydrates throughout the day.
Are Carbohydrates Bad For You?
Mayo Clinic Grapefruit Diet
Fit for Life Diet
Return from No Carb Diet to Glycemic Index home page
