by Pam Brink

Created on: October 15, 2009   Last Updated: October 15, 2010

A low-carb diet restricts daily carbohydrate intake to under seventy-five carbohydrate grams per day regardless of the number of calories consumed. For weight loss, the recommended carbohydrates are between 20 and 50 grams. A diet that recommends 40-60% carbohydrate calories is not a low-carb diet.

There are a number of low-carb diet plans on the market today, each of which has a particular approach to low-carb eating. Some of the books and their plans are silly; others present a combination of scientific and pseudo-scientific explanations for their program, while still others make their recommendations based upon valid research findings. Not all of the published diet plans that call themselves “low-carb” fit the basic requirements of a low-carb diet.

Types of restricted carbohydrates

High on the restricted list of carbohydrates are the simple sugars (glucose, sucrose, lactose, and dextrose) and anything made with them such as ice cream, cake, cookies and pie. This list includes fruit juices.

Second on the restricted list are the grains – wheat, corn, rice – and all foods made with them such as corn chips, breakfast cereals, breads, pastas, and crackers.

Third are the “complex carbohydrates” such as potatoes, corn, and beans (except green beans).

The reason for restricting carbohydrates

The underlying principle upon which low-carb diet plans were developed is that the hormone insulin is a fat storage hormone. Our bodies always have some insulin floating around to keep our blood glucose/blood sugar within a very narrow range. The usual estimate is about one teaspoon. When we eat anything that raises our blood sugar/glucose, insulin is secreted to control that influx of sugar. Depending upon how much sugar we take in at a time (how many grams of carbohydrate) and how often in a day we eat or drink carbohydrates, our pancreas has to work constantly to keep our blood stream clear of excess glucose.

Simple sugars (candies, cookies, cakes, muffins, ice cream, fruit juices) are released quickly into the blood stream creating a surge of insulin to control it. The more simple sugar ingested, the more insulin is needed to control the upsurge of blood sugar. The combination of a simple sugar eaten in a large amount at any one time creates a massive surge of insulin to control in influx of blood sugar.

The complex carbohydrates (grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables like potatoes) are not immediately converted into blood sugar in the

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