Posts Tagged ‘Low Carb Diets’

Low Carb Foods – what fits in your Low Carb Diet?

Friday, August 7th, 2009

A person starting a low carbohydrate diet needs to know which types of food he or she should consume and which ones to shun. Getting a list of low carb foods sometimes fools people into thinking that the diet is a hard thing to do. Instead of thinking “What can’t I eat?” you would be better off with a mindset that asks “What CAN I eat?” You will then discover that natural, low carb foods are in abundance everywhere! And you might just discover that you’re not missing the food that you were regretting giving up a short time ago.

Once you start your low carb diet, you will be pleased to discover the many things that you can keep on (and add to!) your shopping list. As a general rule, most high protein foods are allowable on your diet. So push your grocery cart to the meat section and feel free to plan meals that feature pork, beef, lamb, venison, and veal dishes. But be careful when it comes to processed meat; many of them are cured with chemicals or sugar, which can pack on the carbs.

Mosey along over to the poultry section and think about recipes for chicken, turkey, duck, and pheasant. These are rich in protein and other nutrients (but not carbs) and can be cooked and served in many attractive and great-tasting ways. Want to take advantage of the bounties of the ocean and lakes? Choose from among fish and other seafood, which are also high in protein and fatty acids that are good for your heart.

Feel like serving a salad as a side dish? You’ll be pleased to know that most salad vegetables are allowed on low carb diets. And this is a good thing because you should be getting your carbohydrate quota from vegetables, not from junk food, not from starchy goodies. Although the intake of a number of fruits should be kept to a minimum, fruits like berries can be enjoyed without guilt. What about snack food? Snacks exist in a reduced-carbohydrate diet, too, but not the processed kind. Go au naturel – nuts are perfect for something to munch on in between meals. They’re high in protein and contain the much-praised good oils and fats.

But what if you’re the type of person who’s all thumbs in the kitchen and can’t even scramble some eggs? You’ll be glad to know that there exist a wide variety of low carb convenience foods that will make your dieting life much easier. You can choose from juices, shakes, protein bars, morning cereals, pancakes and pancake syrup, baking mixes, cookie mixes, low carb bread and related products, even low carb chocolate cake and cheesecake!

Dairy products are encouraged in low carb diets. Most cheeses can be enjoyed either by themselves as a snack or as an ingredient in dishes. But keep in mind that cheese contains carbohydrates, so you should limit your portions. Eggs are perhaps one of the main staples of the controlled-carb dieter; they are high in protein, have no carbs, and are very versatile. Plus, they’re inexpensive, too! Drinking milk is also a good idea; it’s a good source of calcium. But if you are lactose-intolerant, it would be a good idea to drink milk in small quantities periodically until you find that you no longer have any adverse reactions to it.

Eating out also used to be a problem for low carb dieters. Restaurant staff didn’t have a clue about the carb content of food. Today however, many dining establishments have taken measures to accommodate carb-counting consumers. A number of them even list what type of low carb foods they offer and the nutritional information of each dish. Do you want a hamburger without the buns? A salad with low carb dressing? All of these and more are possible today.

As you have perhaps realized, finding low carb foods is not at all that hard, especially the natural ones. In fact, it’s entirely likely that you have been consuming these foods all your life without realizing that they are suitable for weight loss or weight maintenance. And if you concentrate on these foods, you’ll probably find that you won’t have time anymore to bemoan and worry about carbohydrate-rich foods that you have had to give up.

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Carb-club.com provides you with information on all kinds of issues like low carb foods and diets like the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, the Zone diet, and more. Come take a look at www.carb-club.com/

The benefits of switching to a low carb diet .

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Obesity is a growing problem all over the world that keeps the medical community on its toes and gives many people sleepless nights. People resort to various measures for shedding off the excess flab and gain a normal well toned figure. But this is a task that is easier said than done. Several methods are there for weight loss but keeping wait gain at bay is not that easy for the majority of the people.

A lot of people think that by incorporating changes in their diet they can become slender. But this needs to be kept in mind that a single type of diet may not work for every person. This is because every person has a different metabolism. There have been instances where people adopted a diet that misses out on some vital nutrients and as a result they became subjected to nutritional deficiency related illnesses.

A latest trend among the obese people is adopting the low carb meal and low carb diets. However before switching to a low carb diet a person needs to get his diet history get examined by a qualified dietician and doctor. It has been observed that the obese people who have excess of fat in their belly region may benefit from adopting a low carb diet. Those who suffer from diabetes can benefit from reduced carb diets.

People with excess abdominal weight are often insulin resistant. In such cases eating low carb foods can prove to be helpful. Some people have diabetes in their lineage and either the relatives in their paternal or maternal side have this disease. Such people need to take steps to keep diabetes in check. A balanced low carb diet may be an ideal way to cope with diabetes.

The eating habits and food preferences of a person needs to be considered before making a change in diet. The people who are glucose intolerant and carb sensitive show some common symptoms. They may feel hungry always and even after eating a meal this hunger pang may remain. Sometimes they may feel like eating all through the day even when they are not really hungry. They may also feel tired and fuzzy-headed if they do not eat a small snack between meals. A feeling of sloth ness may possess them if they eat a meal comprising of sugary and starchy foods. If these feelings are felt by a person he may gain from adopting a low carb diet.

However a person needs to keep in mind that to get the best result from a diet he needs to adhere to it with regularity. He needs to control the urges to binge on the restricted type of foods. After starting the new diet he needs to observe any noticeable weight loss and improvement in his health and report it to the dietician. For more information one can see lowcarbworld.net.

The Food Doctor is author of this article on low carb recipes. Find more information about low carb protein here.

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Which Low-Carb Diets Are Healthy?

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

There are many diets on the market today that call themselves low-carb diets, but which ones are healthy. That is what is important. You may lose weight on all of them, but some of these low-carb diets are also high in fat and that is not necessarily good either. The best kind of low-carb diet is one that is balanced. You are not looking to eliminate all carbs, but you want to stick mostly with the whole and unprocessed carbohydrates.

You should have about 5 servings of carbohydrates per day and if possible, you want get them from foods that are as close to natural as possible. Here are a few suggestions for making healthy choices on a low-carb diet:

1. Legumes-they are a great choice for a carbohydrate serving. Beans, peas and peanuts are all examples of legumes. Legumes are high in protein and fiber. They are also low in fat and very economically priced.
2. Select whole grain foods-this is not always easy, because so many foods today are highly processed. Look for foods that list a whole grain as the first ingredient on the ingredients list. Whole grains are usually high in fiber, low in sugar and they also keep your blood-sugar levels more even.
3. Try to eat more soy products-Unfortunately soy is not known for its taste, but soy products have a lot of nutritional value. Most low-carb diets do not allow soy products, because they do contain carbohydrates. The nutritional value of soy far outweighs any negative impact that its carbs may have. Soy is high in protein and has been known to reduce the risks of cancer and heart disease.

Here are some foods that are normally limited on most low-carb diets, but they are natural and can be eaten within reason:

1. Fruits-they are low in calories and high in vitamins and fiber making them a healthy choice. They have a natural sweetness that can be used to satisfy that craving to eat sugary foods. However, not all fruits are created equal. Some do have more sugar than should be consumed on a low-carb diet.
2. Leafy green and non-starchy vegetables-They are full of vitamins and a healthy choice at any time.

The things that you will want to limit as much as possible are refined sugars and carbohydrates. They add calories to your diet and do not have much nutritional value. These bad carbs come in the form of breads, pastas and starchy vegetables. These food products do not do anything for you nutritionally and they cause your blood sugar levels to be very inconsistent.

Low-carb diets are very healthy as long as you do not load them with high fat protein. Like any other weight loss plan, this one is all about the choices you make and how well you can make it fit into your lifestyle.

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Marjorie Salada is the owner of Weight Loss 3000, a website that contains information on weight loss, exercise, weight loss surgery and living a healthy lifestyle.

Low Carb Diets; Just How Safe Are They?

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Whether you’re in a grocery store, a restaurant or just watching the commercials on TV during your favorite show, you are bombarded with ads and special menu’s singing the praises of the virtues of the low carb diet. This low carb craze has virtually swept the western world and has dieters everywhere seeking out low carb this and low carb that with many reporting weight loss as a result!!!

This is great news right? Finally, an easy diet plan that makes you lose weight and you can eat lots of food as long as they have almost no carbs in them!!! But have we really struck gold, or have we simply struck fools gold? Is the idea of eating a low carb diet for weight loss really a good idea or are there any side affects that may come with these diets that adversely affect our health?

Consider this, many people want something for nothing and this way of thinking also applies to those looking to lose weight but unfortunately there is no miracle substitute to good sound nutritional practices. Our society is one that values “quick fixes” which is why the low carb diet plan is a perfect fit for this society’s way of thinking. This is what makes it so appealing.

It is true that a large amount of weight will be lost as glycogen (stored carbohydrate) depletes in the muscles and liver, but this weight is from water, not fat loss which is not good for body composition or overall health. It is also true that the body will rely on free fatty acids for fuel when muscle glycogen is depleted, but the body will rely much more on amino acids (protein) from the breakdown of lean (muscle) tissue as well so while you may burn fat, you will also burn more muscle as well and remember, your heart is also a muscle! In addition to this, those on a carb-restricted diet have lower energy levels and shorter time to fatigue during physical activity which means any activity will likely be in shorter durations.

The fact is you need carbohydrates for your brain, heart, and muscles as well as other vital organs. The main fuel of the brain and central nervous system is glucose, which is obtained most easily from carbohydrates. If carbohydrates remain unavailable for several days the body tries to conserve protein by producing an alternate fuel source known as ketones from the partial burning of fatty acids. As this breakdown continues, these ketones build in the blood causing a condition known as ketosis. Initial weight loss is not from fat but from water from the kidneys trying to rid the body of excess ketones.

Low carb diets make the blood more acidic, causing potentially serious and unwanted side effects like headaches, bad breath, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. Also when carbohydrate stores are depleted in the body, the rate at which fat is metabolized is reduced meaning that carbohydrates are necessary for the ability to metabolize fat effectively. And keep this in mind, carbohydrates do not make you fat, calories in general make you fat so the most effective weight loss plan is simply to adjust your calorie intake to be in the right range for your own individual needs with the proper balance of nutrients.

The fact is, just because you seem to notice a loss of overall body weight in the initial stages of a low carb diet doesn’t mean it is a good solid safe means of going about embarking on a weight loss venture. There is no substitute and there will never be a good substitute to a good sound nutritional plan coupled with a moderate exercise plan and making that plan a lifetime venture.

Jim O’Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: www.mrgymfitness.com

Article Source: http://www.thecontentcorner.com

Is Low Carbohydrate Diets Safe For Everyone?

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

Unless you are a hermit and living without the news, you must have heard of low carb diets like Atkins diet or South Beach dieting plans. The underlying principle is that it is the excess carbohydrates and not the fats that cause weight gain.

Low carbohydrate diets advocates that we restrict the carbohydrate intake to as little as 20 grams a day or less if better depending on the program. However the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the academies of Science recommended that the daily allowance of carbohydrates for young adults should not fall below the minimum of 100 grams.

As early as 2004, both the Atkins Nutritionals and Dr. Barry Sears, creator of “The Zone”, stated that they do not recommended their products for these people and only market their dieting programs to older adults only. Dr. Arthur Agatston, the author of the South Beach Diet does recommend his plan for young adults, but they have to omit the first phase of his two weeks introductory program.

Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, creator of Protein Power, says that their programs can be used on these young people so long as they start in phase two. SugarBusters, which is less restrictive in terms of carbohydrate allowances, has a separate plan for these young people.

The carbohydrates that you consume in food are the main source for cellular energy and central nervous systems functioning. Carbohydrates convert to glucose and the pranceas pumps out insulin that unlocks cells and allows the glucose energy inside. Low carb advocates says that consuming too much carbohydrate overload this finely balanced system and triggers the release of too much insulin which eventually will be stored as fats. Too much circulating insulin is also associated with insulin resistance and raises heart diseases risk.

Many low carbohydrate diets replace sugar and starches with protein rich food such as red meat and eggs. Critics of carbohydrate reduction say that the high levels of artery clogging fats and cholesterols from such foods are a one way ticket to heart diseases.

However some studies have found that after six to twelve months, many people on a reduced carbohydrate diet have actually improved their blood cholesterol level. But there are no studies longer than a year that measure the impact of these low carbohydrate and high protein diets on the cardiovascular system. Until now, we still do not have enough evidence and the jury is still out.

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