Low Carb Diet Plans Vary

There is considerable variation in the level of carbs permitted by popular low-carb diet plans. Some, like Atkins Diet, are deliberately ketogenic – they starve the body of carbohydrate in order to force it to burn fat for fuel. For severely overweight or obese patients who prefer high protein eating, this approach might be fine. Even for moderately overweight people, the Atkins ketogenic method can be highly effective in reducing weight in the short term and good for motivation. Other low-carb plans, like the Zone Diet or South Beach, are not ketogenic like Atkins. They permit a wider intake of carbs and may be regarded as healthier. See Recommended Low Carb Diet

All Carbs Are Not Bad For Weight Loss Health

The low carb diet craze is fuelled by the idea that “all carbs are bad for weight control”. Therefore the less carbs we eat, the better. But this notion is misleading, even dangerous. The truth is, the leanest and longest living people in the industrialized world are the Japanese whose diet is dominated by carbohydrates and is low in fat. High carb foods like grains, rice, and vegetables are daily staples of the Japanese diet, and intake of high protein, high fat animal products is minimal. Yet Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes in the world. Promoters of the “all carbs are bad for weight loss” viewpoint know this perfectly well – they know the problem lies in high-GI carbohydrates and junk food – but this does not get attention-grabbing headlines.

Low-GI Diet Plans Tackle the Real Issue

A low-GI eating plan does not seek to improve your health and weight by restricting how much carbohydrate you should eat. Instead, it advises what type of carbohydrate to eat. It recommends lower-GI carbs that boost health and therefore weight reduction. Unlike the low-carb method, the low-GI dietary method is backed by a wide range of clinical studies, conducted all over the world, that demonstrate it is good for long term health.

Summary

1. A healthy type of low-carb diet is fine for fast initial weight loss. Rapid weight reduction (even if largely water) can boost motivation and diet compliance. However, significant carb-restriction should be short-term.

2. Most experts consider a low-GI diet to be healthier than regular low-carb diets, as it delivers all the benefits of healthy carbohydrate without the blood-glucose problems and other health risks of high-GI carbs.