Dramatic increase of obesity in Africa, America and the Eastern Mediterranean regions has become a great concern, especially, for the new generation. They do not only face genetic but also lifestyle obesity. Physicians are finding solution to this scenario by recommending low-carbohydrate diets that help control weight, prevent obesity and increase longevity.
As per the American Academy of Family Physicians, a low-carbohydrate diet is one that “restricts caloric intake by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 20 to 60 g per day (typically less than 20 percent of the daily caloric intake). The consumption of protein and fat is increased to compensate for part of the calories that formerly came from carbohydrates”. This theory is based on the long standing Atkins and the Mediterranean diets that are fast gaining popularity in western countries to control weight in a healthy manner and increase prolonged existence. These low- carbohydrate diets propose followers to include lean meat, fish (e.g. salmon, tuna and sardines), fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, dried fruits and flaxseeds along with Omega-3 and Omega-6 rich fatty acids in their daily diet. People adopting this low-carbohydrate diet are restricted from consuming grains, pasta, oats, barley, cereals, dairy products and starchy vegetables (e.g. potatoes). Low-carbohydrate diets require to be broken down into small meals to curb the urge of eating in-between meals or indulge in emotional eating. If sweet fruits are included in low-carbohydrate diets they are also known to make enthusiasts refrain from eating sweet sins like ice-cream, chocolates and pastries that add several kilocalories to the body.
Dr Mary Vernon, who co-authored ‘Atkins Diabetes Revolution’ says, “Even if a person ate no carbohydrate at all, the body would make what little it really needs from protein.” Experts have unanimously come to the conclusion that a high protein and high fat diet should only be consumed in conjunction with a low-carbohydrate diet. It is then, that a part of the protein intake does the work of carbohydrates and fats plus oils consumed get transformed to energy and do not get stored as glut in the body.
As per a research conducted by the Department of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario in London, “replacing dietary carbohydrates with high-protein, low fat foods in a diet containing conventional level of fats helps to improve the plasma lipoprotein cardiovascular risk profiles in healthy normolipidemic people.” Therefore even while losing weight a person still stays healthy! The body is not starving of essential nutrients and simultaneously protected from being affected by several diseases. A low-carbohydrate diet has become a quick solution to prevent obesity and help obese people lose weight, as it increases metabolism. The diet is also known to treat the chronic fatigue syndrome, intractable epilepsy in children, diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome. A low-carbohydrate also helps to preserve beauty, as it delays cellular aging by reducing stress on the body and controls insulin levels too. Thus adopting a low-carbohydrate diet is a package plan that preserves beauty along with slimming down the body.
Several low-carbohydrate diet enthusiasts state that a fat intake supports the production of high testosterone levels, essential for muscle gain and fat loss. But researchers say that weight training while on a low-carbohydrate diet can be tremendously devastating to hormone levels. Although fat intake helps to produce high testosterone levels, low-carbohydrate diets and heavy exercising schedules don’t go hand in hand. Researchers specifically do not suggest a low-carbohydrate diet for players and athletes, but for ordinary people this diet option has proved to be simply great to reduce some pounds.
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