What Is a Low-Carb Diet?

Introduction

We’ve been told for years that fat is bad for our health. Meanwhile, they filled store shelves with low-fat, so-called diet products that were often high in sugar.

This was the same time that the obesity pandemic started.

While the presence of low-fat products does lead to obesity in itself, it’s evident that the low-fat message didn’t prevent the rise in obesity and may have contributed to it.

According to research by the Annals of Internal Medicine 2016, there’s no need to be afraid of natural fats. So, you don’t have to be scared of fat on a low-carb diet.

If you cut back on sugar and carbs and make sure you’re getting enough protein, then you’ll be able to consume enough natural fat to enjoy your meals.

Low-carb eating has a lot of lasting power in the diet world. If you’re wondering how this diet plan can help with diabetes control, weight loss and other alleged health benefits, check out this guide.

What is a low-carb diet?

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates such as those found in sweet foods, pasta and bread. It’s rich in protein, fat and fibre-rich vegetables.

Low-carb diets come in various cuisines, and studies suggest that they can help you lose weight and improve your health.

This is a comprehensive guide to a low-carb diet.  

Low-carb eating — the basics

Your dietary choices are influenced by several factors, including how healthy you are, how often you exercise and how much weight you need to lose.

To eat: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, low calorie fruits, nuts, seeds, high-fat dairy, healthy fats, healthy oils and gluten-free grains.

To avoid: Sugar, wheat, seed oils, trans fats and low-fat foods and highly processed meals.

 Potential benefits of a low-carb diet

There have been no studies on diets that eliminate carbohydrates, but research on very low-carb and ketogenic diets suggests that they may have several benefits.

1. Enhanced heart health 

Reducing your carbohydrate intake may enhance your heart health.

According to PubMed Central, very low-carb diets have been demonstrated to lower blood triglyceride levels. Triglyceride levels that are too high might raise your risk of heart disease.

In one research conducted by PubMed Central, 29 overweight individuals, cutting carbohydrate consumption to 10% of their daily calories for 12 weeks reduced triglyceride levels by 39% compared to baseline values.

Other research suggests that very low-carb diets may boost HDL (good) cholesterol levels, which may help protect against heart disease.

2. Improved blood sugar management

Cutting carbohydrates, mainly processed carbs and sugar, can help control blood sugar, which may be especially beneficial for people with diabetes.

According to research by PubMed Central, low-carb and keto diets are beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels.

A 6-month study that included 49 obese people with Type 2 diabetes revealed that those who followed a keto diet had considerably lower hemoglobin A1c (i.e., a measure of average blood sugar) than those who didn’t.

Reducing carbohydrate intake can help lower blood sugar increases and prevent diabetic complications. However, it’s not essential to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. Diabetes can be treated with high-carb diets as well.

Other benefits

Other potential benefits of a low-carb diet include:

1. Reduce your blood pressure

According to research by PubMed Central, lowering your carbohydrate consumption can help reduce your blood pressure.

2. Belly fat reduction

Very-low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets for reducing belly fat and treating inflammation and specific disorders.

3. Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome

Reduced carbohydrate consumption may prevent some of the risks associated with metabolic syndromes, such as high blood pressure, increased blood sugar and belly fat.

Limitations of low-carb dieting

A low-carb diet may have several limitations.

1. Constipation and fatigue

Because a low-carb diet excludes most fruits, some vegetables, beans, and whole grains, it might be deficient in fibre.

Fibre is good for digestion because it keeps the intestines healthy. As a result, a low-carb diet may cause constipation and stomach pain.

Furthermore, carbohydrates are your body’s principal source of energy. As a result, a low-carb diet may cause weariness and poor stamina, especially at first.

In the short term, the metabolic changes in your body when you reduce carbs may result in reduced mental function, nausea and sleep disruption.

2. May be nutritionally deficient

According to PubMed Central, a low-carb diet may lack vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin B and vitamin C, which are plentiful in fruits, vegetables and other plant foods.

Furthermore, the increased urine caused by carbohydrate restriction may result in salt and potassium deficits over time.

Eating a varied and balanced diet will ensure that you receive adequate nutrients. Also, it’s more sustainable in the long term.

3. Weight loss overtime

Low-carb diets may not offer a significant advantage over other nutritionally balanced diets in terms of long-term weight loss.

Although low-carb diets may result in more weight loss in the first three to six months, the amount lost after one or two years is comparable to low-fat and other types of diets.

A study conducted by academics at Deakin University in Australia showed that low-carb diets had no benefit in long-term weight loss and that much of the short-term weight reduction was in the form of glycogen and water storage instead of fat accumulation.

4. Excessive fat consumption

Low-carb diets allow high-fat foods, such as full-fat dairy products and non-lean red meat. Though they are allowed in moderation, this may encourage people to consume more saturated fats than needed.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a high-fat diet may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and increase your cholesterol levels.

Low-carb food list

1. Foods to eat

These natural, unprocessed, low-carb foods should be the foundation of your diet.

• Meat: Grass-fed beef, lamb, poultry and other meats
• Fish and shell fish: Salmon, basa, other species. Shrimp, squid and other shell fish,
• Eggs: Choose omega-3-enriched or pastured eggs
• Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, etc
• Some fruits: Apples, oranges, pears, blueberries and strawberries
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and other nuts and seeds
• High-fat dairy products: Cheese, butter, paneer, curd and yoghurt are examples of high-fat dairy products
• Healthy fats and oils: Coconut oil, butter, olive oil and fish oil are examples of healthy fats and oils

Avoid cheese and nuts if you’re attempting to lose weight because they’re high in calories. Also try to limit yourself to one piece of fruit a day.

2. Foods to avoid 

Certain items high in carbohydrates and sugar, such as sweetened beverages, cakes, sweets and snacks  must be avoided on a low-carb diet.

However, determining which staple foods to eliminate is not always easy. While certain high-carb food items are incredibly healthy, they aren’t suitable for a low-carb diet.

Your total daily carbohydrate goal dictates whether you need to restrict or avoid some of these items entirely.

Low-carb diets often comprise 20–130 grams of carbohydrates per day, depending on your objectives, circumstances and tastes.

Here are the top foods to avoid on a low-carb diet

Grains and bread

Bread is an everyday staple in many countries. It comes in various shapes and sizes, including loaves, rolls, bagels and flatbreads like roti or chappati.

However, whether prepared from refined flour or whole grains, all these are heavy in carbohydrates. Grain meals, such as rice, wheat and oats, are likewise rich in carbohydrates and should be limited or avoided on a low-carb diet.

Some fruits

Consuming various fruits and vegetables has been linked to a decreased risk of cancer and heart disease.

Many fruits, however, are heavy in carbohydrates and so unsuitable for a low-carb diet. As a result, it’s advised to restrict fruits, particularly sweet or dried ones.

When it comes to fruit, try to limit yourself to one serving a day.

Berries have less sugar and more fibre than other fruits. Berries are therefore suitable for low-carb diets, while people on very low-carb diets may wish to limit themselves to 1/2 cup (50 grams) daily.

Starchy vegetables

Vegetables are allowed in most diets in limitless quantities.

Furthermore, many vegetables are high in fibre, which may assist with weight loss and blood sugar regulation.

On the other hand, some starchy vegetables have more digestible carbohydrates than fibre and should be limited or avoided on a low-carb diet. These are some examples:

• Corn
• Beetroot
• Sweet potato

Notably, many low-carb veggies, such as bell peppers, asparagus and mushrooms, may be consumed on a low-carb diet.

Cereal

Sugary morning cereals are well known to be high in carbohydrates. However, even nutritious cereals can be heavy in carbohydrates.

According to FoodData Central,

S. No	Food item	Weight (grams)	Amount of carbs (grams)
	Regular oats	234	27
	Steel cut oats	40	28
	Granola	111	82

Even without milk, a bowl of cereal may quickly push you over your overall carb allowance.

Pasta

Although pasta is versatile and affordable, it’s heavy in carbohydrates.

S. No	Food item	Weight (grams)	Amount of carbs (grams)
	Refined wheat pasta	151	46
	Whole wheat pasta	151	45

Pasta isn’t a smart choice on a low-carb diet unless you eat a tiny portion that may not be feasible for most people. If you want to avoid exceeding your carb limit, consider spiralised veggies or shirataki noodles instead.

Juice

Although it includes specific essential vitamins and minerals, the juice is heavy in carbohydrates and poor in fibre, making it challenging to incorporate into a low-carb diet.

For example, according to FoodData Central,

S. No	Food item	Amount (ml)	Amount of carbs (grams)
	Apple juice	355	42
	Soda	355	39
	Vegetable juice	355	23

As a result, on a low-carb diet, you may wish to limit your juice consumption.

Salad dressings

On a low-carb diet, you may eat a wide variety of salads.

Commercial dressings, especially low-fat and fat-free variants, have more carbohydrates than you may anticipate.

According to FoodData Central,

S. No	Food item	Amount (ml)	Amount of carbs (grams)
	Fat-free French dressing	30	10
	Fat-free ranch dressing	30	7

Many individuals use more than two teaspoons (30 ml), especially when making a large entrée salad. So, you can dress your salad with a creamy, full-fat dressing to cut carbohydrates.

Better still, prepare your vinaigrette using a dab of vinegar and olive oil, which has been linked to enhanced heart health and may help you maintain a healthy weight.

Honey or sugar

High-sugar items, such as cookies, candy and cake, should be avoided if you’re following a low-carb diet.

However, you may be surprised to learn that natural sugars have the same amount of carbohydrates as white sugar. Several of them have a greater carbohydrate content when measured in tablespoons.

Furthermore, these sugar substitutes have little to no nutritional benefit. It’s especially crucial to pick healthful, high fibre carb sources when reducing your carb consumption.

Choose a low-carb sweetener, such as stevia or monk fruit, to sweeten foods or beverages without adding carbohydrates.

Milk

Milk contains various nutrients, including calcium, potassium, and numerous B vitamins.

It’s, nevertheless, high in carbohydrates.

Whole milk, in fact, has the same 12–13 grams of carbohydrates per 8 ounces (240 ml) as low fat and skim variants.

If you use 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of milk in your coffee daily, you may be able to incorporate moderate amounts of milk into your low-carb diet.

However, cream or half-and-half may be better alternatives if you drink coffee regularly because they contain fewer carbohydrates.

Consider unsweetened almond or coconut milk instead of regular milk if you drink it by the glass or use it to create lattes or smoothies.

Although a low-carb diet is not for everyone, people may lower their carb intake for various reasons.

Foods you can include in small amounts

You can consume a few extra carbohydrates if you’re healthy, active and don’t need to lose weight. You can include food like

• Potatoes, sweet potatoes and other tubers
• Unrefined grains such as brown rice, oats and quinoa
• Legumes such as lentils, black beans, kidney beans, etc.

In addition, you can consume the following in moderation:

• Dark chocolate: Look for organic chocolates with at least 70% cacao.
• Wine: Choose dry wines that have no added sugar or carbs.

Dark chocolate is high in antioxidants and, when taken in moderation, may be helpful to your health. However, consuming too much dark chocolate or alcohol can stifle your development.

Beverages

Coffee, tea, water and sugar-free carbonated beverages, such as sparkling water

Healthy, low-carb snacks

There’s no reason to consume more than three meals a day, but if you become hungry between meals, here are some nutritious, easy-to-prepare, low-carb snacks to keep you satisfied:

• A piece of fruit
• Yoghurt with full fat
• 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs
• Carrots,
• Leftovers from the night before
• A handful of nuts
• Some meat and cheese

Five most popular ways to do a low-carb diet

1. The Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet.

The objective of a keto diet is to keep carbohydrates low enough that your body enters a metabolic condition known as ketosis.

In this situation, your insulin levels drop dramatically, and your body releases many fatty acids from its fat reserves.

Many of these fatty acids are transported to your liver and converted into ketones. Ketones are water-soluble chemicals that can pass through the blood-brain barrier to provide energy to the brain.

 Then, instead of relying on carbohydrates, your brain begins to rely heavily on ketones. Your body can produce the minimal quantity of glucose still required by your brain through a process known as gluconeogenesis.

 The regular ketogenic diet is the name given to a standard keto eating pattern (SKD).

 Other forms, however, entail intentionally adding carbs:

• A Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD). In this form, carbohydrates are added in modest amounts around workouts.

• A Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD). This requires you to consume a ketogenic diet on most days and a high-carb diet 1–2 days each week.

2. A standard low-carb diet

The standard low-carb diet has no set definition.

This eating pattern is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than the typical Western diet. Meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats are commonly included.

You should limit your consumption of high-carb foods such as grains, potatoes, sugary beverages and high-sugar junk foods.

 Your goals and preferences typically determine the daily carbohydrate allowance.

 A typical rubric would look like this:

• 100–150 grams– This range is intended for weight maintenance or regular high-intensity activity, allowing for plenty of fruit and certain starchy foods like potatoes.
• 50–100 grams – This range is designed for gradual and consistent weight loss or weight maintenance. There’s plenty of area for veggies and fruit.
• Less than 50 grams – This is intended to assist you in losing weight quickly. Consume plenty of veggies but restrict your fruit intake to berries with a low glycemic index (GI).

3. The Atkins diet

The most well-known low-carb eating regimen is the Atkins diet. Here you can consume as much protein and fat as desired while limiting all high-carb items.

The diet is divided into four phases:

Induction – For two weeks, limit your carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grammes each day.

Balancing – Increase the number of nuts, low-carb veggies, and fruit gradually.

Fine-tuning – When you’re getting near your ideal weight, increase your carbohydrate intake until your weight loss slows.

Maintenance – Consume as many nutritious carbohydrates as your body allows without regaining your lost weight.

The Atkins diet was formerly criticised, but a new study shows that it’s both safe and beneficial as long as fibre consumption is enough. This diet is still popular today.

4. Low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF)

The acronym LCHF stands for “low-carb, high-fat.” It’s a very typical very-low-carb diet, but with an emphasis on complete, unprocessed foods.

It primarily emphasises meats, fish and shellfish, eggs, healthy fats, vegetables, dairy products, nuts and berries.

The carbohydrate consumption in this diet should be between 20 and 100 grams per day.

5. Mediterranean diet (low-carb)

The Mediterranean diet is quite popular, particularly among medical professionals.

Early twentieth-century Mediterranean meals inspire it.

Studies conducted by PubMed Central have shown that the Mediterranean diet helps reduce heart disease, breast cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.

A low-carb Mediterranean diet is similar to its namesake diet but restricts higher-carb items such as whole grains.

Unlike a traditional low-carb diet, it favours fatty fish over red meat and extra virgin olive oil over fats like butter.

A low-carb Mediterranean diet may be superior to other low-carb diets for heart disease prevention. However, this has to be verified in research.

Conclusion

Low carb diets may be a good option for those suffering from obesity and type 2 Diabetes.

However, reducing carbohydrates alone will not help you lose weight or improve your health.

Small healthy lifestyle changes made gradually are the most successful technique for achieving long-term, sustainable weight loss.

Ketogenic diets are generally unsustainable in the long run, and dieters frequently regain weight once they resume carbohydrate consumption.

Eat a well-balanced diet and get enough exercise for overall well-being.

FAQs