What does Low carb Diet mean? Low carb diet or meals mean, you have to limit the intake of carbohydrate (carbs) in your daily food consumption. According to research, a low carb diet is linked with many health benefits, such as weight loss and blood sugar management. Is it worth it for everyone to limit their favourite high carb foods, like pasta and sourdough?
WHAT IS A LOW CARB DIET?
It is important to know what to eat, what to skip, and whether a low carb diet is right for you. A low carb meal means you will restrict the proportion of carbs to other calories you eat every day. Taking low carbohydrates diet means getting less than 130 grams of carbs per day or in other means less than 26% of your total calories from carbs. Taking 20 to 60 grams of carbs means it’s very low and it’s less than 10% of the total calories of carbs.
It seems like a simple rule yeah, but for some people, this is a big change in their normal diet. So have you ever wondered why such a major change? It’s because a low carb diet could help you avoid health issues, it might help you, lose weight.
TYPES OF LOW CARB DIET
What works best for you, individuals can figure out, but there are some best and popular diets you can take and follow in routine. You might have heard about Keto Diet, which also comes in my types, but the standard Ketogenic diet means, taking 70% of your calories from fat, 20% from protein and 10% from carbs.
Atkins diet is another low carb diet, which requires eating 20 grams of carbs each day for the first two weeks and then slowly increasing until you reach 50 grams of carbs per day.
The above diets, Atkins and Keto are the most recognizable low card diets.
EAT THESE FOODS ON A LOW CARB DIET
If you are about to start Low carb diet or already following a Low Card diet, you will get most of your daily calories from whole, nutritious foods like these, and you have to eat this food strictly follow the diet plan.
- Protein sources: eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, red meat, low carb protein powders
- High-fat dairy: full-fat cheese, yoghurt, cottage cheese, kefir
- Fats: olive oil, avocados, unsweetened coconut, coconut oil, ghee
- Low carb fruits: blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, lemons
- Nuts and seeds: macadamia nuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, peanut butter, walnuts, pumpkin seeds
- Zero carb drinks: coffee, herbal tea, water, sparkling water
- Nonstarchy veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, greens, onions, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, artichokes, asparagus
FOODS TO EAT IN MODERATION
If you have restrictions and the level of carb restrictions, you need to avoid certain foods and which are as below.
- Starchy veggies: potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, plantains
- Higher carb fresh and dried fruits: apples, raisins, mangos, grapes, pears, bananas, kiwi
- Legumes: black beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans
Foods like grains and if you are a wine drinker, then these can be included in very moderate low carb diets because these are high carb diets.
When planning a low carb diet, you must remember one important thing and that is, you must take the recommended carb for your specific diet. Do not completely ignore carb intake.
SKIP THESE FOODS ON A LOW CARB DIET
- Grains and pasta: wheat, rice, quinoa, spaghetti, and other noodles
- Bread and bread products: rolls, pita bread, pizza, wraps, bagels
- High carb sweets: cakes, cookies, sugary cereals, doughnuts
- Starchy veggies and legumes: potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, plantains, black beans, chickpeas
- Fruits, dried fruit, and fruit juice: pineapple, apples, dried mango, bananas, orange juice
- Added sugar and sugary foods: table sugar, honey, agave, ice cream, candy, sweetened yoghurt
- Sweet beverages: soda, fruit punch, flavoured milk, energy drinks
- Certain alcoholic beverages: beer and sugary mixed drinks
- Other high carb foods: chips, crackers, sugary sauces
1-WEEK MEAL PLAN (SAMPLE)
You can find a lot of different low carb diets, each with its own recommended daily carb intake. We are sharing a 1-week menu for your Low carb Ketogenic diet. You may follow your own or consult any nutritionist as well. This plan contains less than 50 grams of carbs each day.
MONDAY
- Breakfast: 2 eggs fried in coconut oil, served with sautéed peppers and spinach
- Lunch: bunless cheeseburger and a green salad topped with sliced avocado and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice
- Dinner: salmon with broccoli sautéed in butter
TUESDAY
- Breakfast: omelette made with feta, tomatoes, and arugula
- Lunch: chicken salad made with mayo and celery atop a bed of greens with homemade cream of tomato soup
- Dinner: chicken, broccoli, and cheese casserole
WEDNESDAY
- Breakfast: keto oatmeal
- Lunch: arugula salad with hard-boiled eggs, turkey, avocado, and blue cheese
- Dinner: meatballs and spaghetti squash “noodles”
THURSDAY
- Breakfast: full-fat yoghurt parfait with walnuts, unsweetened coconut, and raspberries
- Lunch: taco bowl with ground beef, veggies, guacamole, and sour cream
- Dinner: stuffed peppers
FRIDAY
- Breakfast: low carb granola over coconut yoghurt
- Lunch: low carb chilli
- Dinner: keto Parmesan chicken and broccoli
SATURDAY
- Breakfast: keto veggie frittata
- Lunch: salmon salad and a keto-friendly green smoothie
- Dinner: low carb turkey and peppers
SUNDAY
- Breakfast: keto pancakes with whipped cream
- Lunch: Chicken Caesar salad with avocado
- Dinner: coconut milk chicken curry over cauliflower rice
Note: If you are on moderate low carb diets, then this is not appropriate for you, because this is a very low carb plan.
WHY FOLLOW A LOW CARB DIET?
Low-carbohydrate diets have been related to a number of health advantages. In a clinical context, doctors frequently prescribe them to treat various medical disorders.
MIGHT HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR
Low-carb diets may help people with prediabetes and diabetes control their blood sugar levels.
Low carb diets were observed to result in greater weight loss and a small drop in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) than diets with normal or high carb content in several trials.
Low-carb diets also resulted in a significant reduction in triglyceride levels. (High triglyceride levels are prevalent in patients with diabetes, and they can raise the risk of heart disease.)
According to research, patients with type 2 diabetes may be able to reduce or eliminate their blood sugar medication by following an extremely low carb ketogenic diet.
COULD HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
Low-carb diets are all the rage within the weight-loss world, and there’s scientific data to back them up. Low-carb diets are at least as successful as low-fat diets, if not more so, according to research.
Obese older adults who followed a very low carb diet shed more body fat in 8 weeks than those who followed a low-fat diet, according to a small 2020 study.
The persons who followed a very low carb diet shed three times as much visceral fat as those who followed a low-fat diet. Visceral fat surrounds your organs and has been related to an elevated risk of a variety of chronic diseases.
Moderate low carb diets, on the other hand, have been shown to be helpful in boosting fat reduction and are often simpler to stick to. So, if you’re searching for a more moderate approach to long-term weight loss, you may probably forego the extremely low carb solutions.
Low-fat diets have also been proven to be equally as successful as low-carb diets in some trials, as long as the calorie level remains the same.
OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS
For a long time, keto diets have been utilized to treat drug-resistant seizures. They’ve also shown promise in the treatment of other neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.
Low-carb eating may also help some people sleep better and lessen their anxiety risk, according to research.
Low-carbohydrate diets may aid in the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome and fatty liver disease. More study is needed, however, some studies indicate that they could be a useful addition to cancer therapy.
Remember that research in these areas is still ongoing, so there’s still a lot to learn about low carb diets and their effects on health.
SAFETY TIPS
Low carb diets come in a broad variety of flavours, and some diets may be extremely beneficial to one population while being extremely hazardous to another.
WHO SHOULDN’T FOLLOW A LOW CARB DIET?
Before beginning a low-carb diet, it’s a good idea to consult with a knowledgeable healthcare expert.
People with specific medical disorders, such as pancreatitis and liver failure, should avoid very low carb diets. If you don’t pay attention to the nutrients you’re getting, these diets can lead to nutrition shortages.
A moderately low-carb diet may be OK if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. However, unless you’re under medical care for a health issue like drug-resistant epilepsy, a keto diet isn’t usually recommended.
SIDE EFFECTS OF LOW CARB DIETS
Very low carb diets can have variable effects on metrics like insulin resistance and blood lipid levels, depending on genetic variables and each person’s overall health. This is why, if you’re on a very low carb diet, you should be checked by a healthcare specialist.
Switching to an extremely low carb diet might induce headaches, constipation, and lethargy, among other things. You’ve probably heard of the term “keto flu.”
THE BOTTOM LINE
Low carb diets have a lot to learn about them, including how to do them correctly and whether they’re healthful and safe to follow.
Even though this page has some useful information, if you’re interested in adopting a low carb diet, you should consult a qualified dietician or another healthcare expert.
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