Low Carbohydrate Diet
A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates (can also be referred to as starch) and emphasizes foods high in protein and fat. While there is no consensus on the exact daily carbohydrate content that qualifies as “low carbohydrate diet”, a general rule that the diet is considered low carbohydrate if carbohydrates make 20% or less of daily caloric intake.
Many detailed subtypes of this diet exist with multiple names and different types of restriction which we will not mention specifically in this summary.
What Should I Avoid?
In one word: carbohydrates, including sugar and starch.
Common sources of carbohydrates include
- Grains
- Rice
- Seeds
- Fruits
- Milk
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
- Breads
Always keep in mind that added sugar or breading increases carbohydrate content significantly.
What Can I Eat?
In general, a low-carb diet focuses on proteins as high fat content is considered to be not healthy. Examples include:
- Meats
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Some vegetables that do not contain significant amount of starch
- Cheese and some dairy products including yoghurt, check carbohydrate content.
As mentioned, this diet restricts multiple common foods including potatoes, rices, cereal and breads.
Benefits:
The big thing is weight loss, and that might be the only proven benefit from this diet. Significant carbohydrate restriction is one of the most effective methods of short term weight loss. It also may help prevent or improve metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, however, there is no strong evidence of that.