by Shane M

Created on: August 30, 2010

Are low carb diets healthy? It is a question pondered by many dieters struggling to lose those elusive last few pounds. With all the fads, the extreme crash diets and conflicting information out there, who are we to believe?

The truth is that this question is not one which can be answered by a simple yes or no answer. Low carb diets can indeed be very healthy, but at the same time they can also be detrimental to ones health. It all boils down to how you go about it.

For example,  a low carb diet full of processed meats, unhealthy fats, and lacking in essential nutrients is clearly not a healthy diet. A healthy low carb diet should consist of lean meats, animal fats (from grass fed animals due to the superior fatty acid profile) and plenty of vegetables.

In addition to ensuring we are low carb there are certian things to avoid:

Grains - How often are we told to eat our whole grains? We are constantly told that we need their fibre and their vitamins. Of course we now know better. Research is beginning to show that grains are in fact, not a wise food choice. Loaded with anti-nutrients, grains just do not have a place in a low carb dieters food choices. They contain lectins, which bind to insulin receptors and the intestinal lining, and can possibly lead to leptin resistance. Gluten, which a large percentage of the worlds population have an intolerance for. Phylates which make minerals biologically unavailable, there are alot of wiser food choices available.

Not eating enough - Many people who take on the low carb lifestyle fall into the trap of not eating enough food. Remember, in reducing the amount of carbs you eat you must replace those calories with protein and fat.

Lacking persistance - In going low carb your body will take a week or two to adapt (depending on the individual). This period is known as the low carb flu and many feel tired, groggy and lack energy during this period. Once they adapt they find they actually have more energy than before.

Stressing out - Remember, no matter how good your lifestyle stress also plays a factor in health. Don't stress about your diet. Have a simple, easy to follow, and (most importantly) maintainable plan. Stress also releases cortisol, a monster of a hormone, which is bad for almost all processes in the body.

Packaged foods - Generally loaded with man made trans fats (the bad fats), highly imbalanced omega ratios and sodium. Obviously not good for the body.

Remember, low carb is not a new concept by any means. One could say that it's the way we have evolved to eat. Before the invention of agricultural farming we surivived on meat and vegetables, with fuit when it was in season and the odd tuber we found on the ground. Why can't we do the same today? Low carb diets, when performed correctly, are undoubtably simple, effective and indeed, healthy.

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