Low-carbohydrate diets, in which the intake of carbohydrates is strictly restricted and the intake of protein or fat are increased in the diet, are a mode of dietary intervention for the treatment of overweight or obesity.
When I hear people talking about losing weight, the first thing they say is “I can’t eat bread” or “Don’t let me eat pasta again!” Low-carb diets seem to be the new trend for weight loss, but low-carb diets Is it a panacea that works for everyone? Does skipping carbs really cause weight loss?
A low-carb diet has been promoted for some time as a way to lose weight.
When consuming the same amount of protein and total energy, a low-carb diet does work. A meta-analysis (a review of a large number of studies on a single topic) found that low-carb diets were more effective than other diets when participants were not asked to maintain a specific calorie range or increase their physical activity. But a 2015 study in a metabolic ward showed that a low-fat diet resulted in better fat loss than a low-carb diet, even though both did.
The main reason why a low-carb diet works for fat loss is that the meal plan is high in protein, which is more likely to produce satiety than carbohydrates or fat. It doesn’t matter whether the protein is plant-based or animal-based, both can produce satiety and aid in fat loss. When you’re not feeling hungry, you tend to eat less, which means you’re consuming fewer calories. Of course, if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.
Another reason why a low-carb, high-protein diet can reduce fat is the thermic effect of protein, which means that protein burns more calories than carbohydrates or fat. Not only that, but a high-protein diet also burns more calories at rest than a low-protein diet, meaning you can burn more calories over a longer period of time, including at rest. This may be due to the fact that a high-protein diet is better at maintaining muscle mass. Additionally, a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet can also suppress appetite, which can lead to less eating and, in turn, weight loss.
Disadvantages of low-carb diets
I know what you’re thinking: “Sounds great! I’m going on a low-carb, high-protein diet right away!” Don’t worry, it has some downsides. Evidence suggests that once the body adapts to a high-protein diet, the satiety (i.e. hunger satisfaction) and thermic effects of protein may not persist. While more research is needed on this, it means that other strategies should be employed to ensure continued weight loss in the long run.
Meanwhile, low-carb, high-fat diets, such as the Atkins and ketogenic diets, can lead to elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad cholesterol.” If left unchecked, it can lead to hardening of the arteries. Although a low-carb, high-fat diet has some short-term cardiovascular benefits, such as reducing obesity in general, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, and increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good cholesterol,” studies have shown that , these benefits may not last long. More research is needed on the long-term health effects of these types of diets.
Another downside of low-carb diets is that they often omit healthy foods such as whole grains, beans, fruits, and some high-carb vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots, and yams, etc.) Different nutrients beneficial for health. In addition to this, eating foods rich in whole grains is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, lower body mass index (BMI), better digestion, and slower weight gain. Abstaining from these foods can be harmful to the body.
A very low-carb diet, such as a ketogenic diet, may affect athletic performance. When on a ketogenic diet, a person’s performance in endurance and strength is comparable to or slightly lower than that of a high-carbohydrate diet, which may affect gains in muscle mass and strength. None of the current studies have found any advantage of a ketogenic diet in promoting exercise capacity.
The biggest difficulty with a low-carb, high-protein diet is sticking to it. Sticking to such a strict diet is not easy, and many people give up halfway through. But if you stick with it and make some smart choices, a low-carb, high-protein diet can be a very effective way to lose weight.
Debunking the myth of low-carb diets
I have seen a lot of negative comments about various low carb diets. Let’s continue to debunk these lies.
Bacon Processed, red, and cured meats
like bacon have been linked to cancer, heart disease, and nearly every cause of death. But we can’t say for sure that they are the root cause rather than some other life factor (or a combination of these foods and specific life factors). The problem may also be related to the way the meats are prepared; different results will occur if they are prepared differently. How much meat can cause these problems? If you eat less than this amount of meat, you won’t have these problems? Despite these gaps in existing research, the findings can demonstrate a strong link, especially with the consumption of processed and cured meats, and are therefore best avoided when practicing a low-carb diet. Eat too much.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is not a magic health food. Such studies typically analyze people who eat a lot of coconut and have lower heart disease and overall mortality rates. However, the study population lived in the South Pacific region and typically ate traditional whole-fish foods and no processed foods. Coconut oil does not appear to be more beneficial than other saturated fats in people whose diets are high in processed foods and low in fruits, vegetables, and fish, and high consumption of coconut oil may increase the risk of heart disease risk.
Also, whether coconut oil helps with weight loss has not been proven. Coconut oil contains about 60% medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). While some studies have provided evidence on the benefits of MCTs, this is definitely a grey area and much research is needed.
The Inside Story About Saturated Fats
Many low-carb experts extol the benefits of saturated fats, explaining that they are not harmful to health. When the sources of saturated fat and other lifestyle and dietary effects are not considered, the findings do suggest that they are very benign.
But the question becomes tricky when we consider what ingredients to replace saturated fat with. For example, when diets are high in refined carbohydrates, trans fats, and sugar, replacing them with saturated fats that don’t contain junk food can reduce the risk of heart disease and other diseases. However, when a diet high in saturated fat is compared to a diet high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, the risk associated with saturated fat is much higher. Replacing saturated fats with unprocessed complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, also reduces your risk. Saturated fats from milk and cheese were more likely to reduce the risk of heart disease than saturated fats from meat, but unsaturated fats still outperformed both types of saturated fats. Replacing animal-based saturated fats with protein, especially plant-based protein, may also reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition, the human body produces saturated fats on its own, and there is no need to ingest them. Most importantly, eating saturated fat is not a biological requirement. To consume them, not only reduce saturated fats, but also replace them with healthier fats.
Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss One problem with
many studies is that they focus on weight loss, not fat loss. These two things are not exactly the same. Body weight does not reflect body composition. Weight loss through a low-carb diet can be explained by water loss—carbs are converted into glycogen in the body, which stores several grams of water at the same time. When carbohydrate intake is low, the body starts to use stored glycogen for fuel, which means that glycogen disappears along with stored water. In weightlifting, if you need to lose weight for the competition, the week before the competition, you can reduce your carbohydrate intake, which is a great trick I have used. I’d be grumpy and unhappy, but when I weighed before a race, I’d be a few pounds lighter, then I’d eat a sandwich and it’d be fine. That’s not to say that low-carb diets don’t lead to body fat loss, current information suggests that they do, and on par with other popular weight loss diets. But any weight loss can be explained by water loss, which doesn’t last long.
