| With so many conflicting studies and vague | | | | weight change for low-carb and other types of diets |
| interpretation of information, it's not surprising that | | | | is similar. |
| there is a lot of confusion when it comes to the | | | | Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the |
| value, safety and efficacy of low-carb diets. It seems | | | | potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, |
| like heated debates are everywhere! | | | | abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase |
| Whether it's the South Beach or Atkins, or some | | | | of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation |
| other low-carb plan, as many as 30 million Americans | | | | may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms |
| are following a low-carb diet. | | | | dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a |
| Advocates contend that the high amount of | | | | fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover |
| carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing | | | | (acetone). |
| problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health | | | | Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of |
| problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity | | | | more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been |
| and related health problems to over-consumption of | | | | often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn't |
| calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. | | | | matter weather they come from carbohydrates or |
| Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, | | | | fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of |
| fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may | | | | uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that |
| lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including | | | | cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during |
| fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals. | | | | exercise, or any number of other factors. The |
| Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can | | | | drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of |
| produce significant weight loss during the initial stages | | | | CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high. |
| of the diet. But remember, the key to successful | | | | What Should You Do? |
| dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. | | | | There are 3 important points I would like to |
| Put another way, what does the scale show a year | | | | re-emphasize: |
| after going off the diet? | | | | 1)The long-range success rate for low-carb and other |
| Let's see if we can debunk some of the mystery | | | | types of diets is similar. |
| about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some | | | | 2) Despite their popularity, little information exists on |
| relevant points taken from recent studies and | | | | the long-term efficacy and safety of |
| scientific literature. Please note there may be | | | | low-carbohydrate diets. |
| insufficient information available to answer all | | | | 3) Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as |
| questions. | | | | a normal way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes |
| Differences Between Low-Carb Diets | | | | willpower. |
| There are many popular diets designed to lower | | | | It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, |
| carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total | | | | well-designed and controlled studies are needed. |
| carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat | | | | There just isn't a lot of good information available, |
| will represent a proportionately greater amount of | | | | especially concerning long-range effects. Strict |
| the total caloric intake. | | | | low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal |
| Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate | | | | and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some |
| to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. | | | | circumstances this might cause health related |
| Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without | | | | complications. |
| Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters | | | | The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a |
| claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate | | | | lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss |
| blood sugar levels excessively. | | | | plan to reach your weight goal. If you can't see |
| What We Know about Low-Carb Diets | | | | yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a |
| Almost all of the studies to date have been small | | | | few days or a week, then chances are it's not the |
| with a wide variety of research objectives. | | | | right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat |
| Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and | | | | diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, |
| participant characteristics varied greatly. | | | | carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial. |
| Most of the studies to date have two things in | | | | If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember |
| common: None of the studies had participants with a | | | | that certain dietary fats are associated with |
| mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies | | | | reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats |
| lasted longer than 90 days. | | | | that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, |
| Information on older adults and long-term results are | | | | fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from |
| scarce. Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount | | | | animal origins. |
| of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while | | | | Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people |
| participants are dieting. This helps to explain | | | | on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and |
| discrepancies between studies. | | | | saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are |
| The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of | | | | telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a |
| caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with | | | | dieter's calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. |
| reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests | | | | meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins |
| that if you want to lose weight, you should eat | | | | faces competition from other popular low-carb diets |
| fewer calories and do so over a long time period. | | | | that call for less saturated fat, such as the South |
| Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of | | | | Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be |
| low-carb diets. Despite the medical community | | | | considered as a license to gorge on red meat! |
| concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been | | | | Another alternative to "strict" low-carb dieting would |
| found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and | | | | be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods |
| blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. | | | | but not "throw out the baby with the bath water". In |
| But, adverse effects may not show up because of | | | | other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, |
| the short period of the studies. Researchers note | | | | and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in |
| that losing weight typically leads to an improvement | | | | complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and |
| in these levels anyway, and this may offset an | | | | whole grains, retained. |
| increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range | | | | |