Low-carbohydrate diets are a popular way to lose weight and feel healthier. While some carbohydrates can cause ill effects on our health, it is important to understand that some carbohydrates are needed for our bodies to function correctly.
No Carb vs. Low Carb
Many diets focus on the reduction of carbohydrates. By reducing the amount of carbs that one consumes, weight loss can be achieved in many cases. However, maintaining a no-carb diet--one that completely prohibits the consumption of all carbohydrates in general--is not healthy. While it is true that some forms of carbs can be detrimental to our health, there are others that provide essential nutrients and energy that cannot be found in no-carb foods.
Some carbohydrates are necessary for our bodies to achieve optimal function and output. Staving off all carbs can lead you to feel run down, tired and ill overall.
What are the Benefits of Monitoring Carbs?
Monitoring and reducing the amount of some carbohydrates has proven health and weight loss benefits. By cutting out many junk foods, which are often nutritionally defunct and full of refined sugars and stripped grains, trans and saturated fats, one can successfully lose weight while remaining satisfied, giving weight loss a fighting chance. Reducing some forms of carbs in your diet can also stave off certain diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
Good Carb vs. Bad Carb
The carbs that need to be limited are "bad" carbs, not "good" carbs. Bad carbs consist of things like white flour, white rice, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and white potatoes.
These foods are often stripped of their nutrients before being baked into cookies and cakes, breads, pastas and mixed into soft drinks. Removing the nutritional portion of the grain leaves nothing but junk for our bodies to digest.
Imagine a healthy salad, filled with colorful veggies, and healthy low-fat cheese and lean protein like chicken breast. Now imagine that the healthy salad, which was full of essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins and fiber, is emptied from the bowl. All that is left is a serving of fatty ranch dressing.
When we remove the hulls and fiber from grains, we are essentially doing this. We remove all of the important good-for-you stuff and leave the only thing behind that wasn't that great for us in the first place--the starchy carbs.
"Good" carbs are things like whole-grain wheat flour and the products made from it (like breads and pastas) and whole-grain brown rice. These foods contain carbs, but they also contain fiber and other nutrients that were stripped out of their "white" counterparts.
A diet rich in lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and "good" carbs is both healthy and accommodating of weight loss.
Foods to Avoid
On a low-carb diet, foods like cookies, pies, cakes, pastries, white pasta, potatoes, white breads and rice, soda pop, fruit juice and candy must be avoided. These foods are high in refined grains and sugars, which are high in carbohydrates, and provide little nutritional benefit.
Foods to Enjoy in Moderation
Moderation is key to keeping weight off in the future. While a diet that is extremely low in carbs might work for initial weight loss, many people have a hard time sticking to the harsh dietetic requirements that come along with it.
Enjoying foods like whole fruits, sweet potatoes, grains like quinoa and barley, whole-grain cereals, and even nuts and seeds can be enjoyed on a daily basis in moderation.
On special occasions such as a wedding or birthday, a small slice of cake can be enjoyed, as long as it isn't a habit that is perpetuated on a daily, or even a weekly, basis.
Foods to Eat in Abundance
Lean proteins like salmon, shrimp, chicken breast, turkey, and lean beef and pork cuts, alongside deep-colored veggies like romaine lettuce and kale, carrots, beets, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash and zucchini should be enjoyed in abundance. These foods are all low in overall carbs and provide a good nutritional punch. Saute them in olive oil and garlic for a flavorful treat. Low-fat dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese should also be enjoyed.
Considerations
If you are beginning a low-carb diet to lose weight, see your doctor first. Losing weight under a doctor's supervision is always recommended. Be sure to include daily exercise into your routine for maximum results and health benefits.
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