What You Should Know About Popular Diets - Low-Carbohydrate Diets
Low-carbohydrate diets or low-carb diets restrict carbohydrate consumption generally as a method of weight control.
These diets limit consumption of bread, pasta, and other products high in digestible carbohydrates.
These carb-laden foods are replaced by ones that are higher in proteins and fats such as meat and soy products or by low-carb foods such as green leafy vegetables.
These diets first became popular in the United States during the 1960s.
In 1972 Dr.
Robert Atkins published the Dr.
Atkins Diet Revolution popularizing a low-carbohydrate diet that he prescribed to some of his own patients.
At first this diet was widely criticized by the medical profession but it later became quite popular.
In the 1990s Dr.
Atkins published Dr.
Atkins New Diet Revolution and other doctors published competitive books.
It was said that during the late 1990s and early 2000s more than one American out of six followed a low-carbohydrate diet.
Needless to say, some food producers and fast food outlets felt the consequences.
Many doctors did not recommend low-carbohydrate diets but did recommend eating more protein and fiber, and less starch.
How do low-carbohydrate diets work? The key issue is the relationship between eating carbohydrates and their effects on blood sugar and hormones.
Good health requires that the body's blood sugar levels stay within a fairly narrow range.
The pancreas produces two primary hormones that regulate blood sugar levels: insulin lowers blood sugar levels, and glucagons raise it.
Most Western diets have enough carbohydrates to produce insulin at every meal.
This leads the body to store excess energy as fat.
In contrast low-carbohydrate diets discourage insulin production and cause ketosis, which allegedly cause the elimination of body fat.
This statement about low-carbohydrate diets is controversial.
Proponents of low-carbohydrate diets recommend as little as 20-30 grams of nutritive carbohydrates per day, usually less than 20 percent of the daily calories.
In contrast the U.
S.
Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum of 130 grams per day.
To attain the lower value you must severely limit your intake of bread, desserts, breads, pastas, potatoes, rice, and other sweet or starchy foods.
Processed sugar is out and most low-carb diets also reject white bread.
Some claim that these diets treat several medical conditions but except for epilepsy the jury is still out on their medical value.
These diets limit consumption of bread, pasta, and other products high in digestible carbohydrates.
These carb-laden foods are replaced by ones that are higher in proteins and fats such as meat and soy products or by low-carb foods such as green leafy vegetables.
These diets first became popular in the United States during the 1960s.
In 1972 Dr.
Robert Atkins published the Dr.
Atkins Diet Revolution popularizing a low-carbohydrate diet that he prescribed to some of his own patients.
At first this diet was widely criticized by the medical profession but it later became quite popular.
In the 1990s Dr.
Atkins published Dr.
Atkins New Diet Revolution and other doctors published competitive books.
It was said that during the late 1990s and early 2000s more than one American out of six followed a low-carbohydrate diet.
Needless to say, some food producers and fast food outlets felt the consequences.
Many doctors did not recommend low-carbohydrate diets but did recommend eating more protein and fiber, and less starch.
How do low-carbohydrate diets work? The key issue is the relationship between eating carbohydrates and their effects on blood sugar and hormones.
Good health requires that the body's blood sugar levels stay within a fairly narrow range.
The pancreas produces two primary hormones that regulate blood sugar levels: insulin lowers blood sugar levels, and glucagons raise it.
Most Western diets have enough carbohydrates to produce insulin at every meal.
This leads the body to store excess energy as fat.
In contrast low-carbohydrate diets discourage insulin production and cause ketosis, which allegedly cause the elimination of body fat.
This statement about low-carbohydrate diets is controversial.
Proponents of low-carbohydrate diets recommend as little as 20-30 grams of nutritive carbohydrates per day, usually less than 20 percent of the daily calories.
In contrast the U.
S.
Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum of 130 grams per day.
To attain the lower value you must severely limit your intake of bread, desserts, breads, pastas, potatoes, rice, and other sweet or starchy foods.
Processed sugar is out and most low-carb diets also reject white bread.
Some claim that these diets treat several medical conditions but except for epilepsy the jury is still out on their medical value.
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