What is Low Carb Diet.

When fat stores in a body are used as main energy source, Ketones (a by-product) are excreted in the urine. Characterized by nail varnish (acetone), smelling breath and causes side effects such as nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite.

There are many different versions of the low carb diet, such as Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, Protein Power, Neanderthin, The Carbohydrate Addicts Lifestyle Plan, Life Without Bread, and others. All of them, however, have one thing in common - a very strict reduction in the consumption of carbohydrates. Most low carb diets replace carbohydrates with fats and proteins. Although diets vary in their recommendations, as a general rule, a low carb diet is synonymous with a high-fat and moderate protein diet. Those on a low carb diet should get at least 60 to 70 percent of their daily calorie intake from fat. Carbohydrates should make up less than 10 percent, and in some cases, less than 5 percent of daily calorie intake.

Whats Involved in Low Carb Diet

A cut on all carbohydrate from the diet and increased protein and fat intake. Cut on things like pasta, bread, rice and alcohol, yet unlimited amounts of meat, cheese and butter are suggested to eat. Thats why sometimes Low Carb Diets claim to be luxurious diets.

Heart disease risk is determined by measuring how much cholesterol is being transported to body cells for use in cell walls and hormone production, as opposed to how much cholesterol is being removed from body cells for disposal.

In simplified terms, total cholesterol as measured in the laboratory on a blood sample consists of LDL or bad cholesterol plus HDL or good cholesterol. (There are other sub fractions, which enter into the equation, but this is the basic terminology).

Criticisms

Low carb diet cause increased cholesterol If it means total cholesterol, the answer is negative. The reason. there is no way to know the measures of HDL and LDL for fractions of cholesterol.

High fat intakes with low carb diets increases heart disease This is typically based on the studies showing exactly that effect in high carbohydrate diets (50pct. or more of total calories obtained from carbohydrate). It is a scientific error to ignore the difference in carbohydrate content of the diet.

The entire design of the Zone diet lacks in scientific evidence to support it. The concept is correct that providing higher levels of carbohydrates would avoid ketosis, which is a condition that may be hazardous over the long term. However, because of a restriction on the intake of protein, carbohydrate and fat, it is likely that insufficient calories and carbohydrates will be available for most people to avoid ketosis. In other words, the ketosis that results from starvation - getting too few calories to meet basic needs - can easily occur in many persons based on their calculations for daily intakes. There may also not be enough protein in the diet to prevent loss of muscle mass.

Dieticians research on protein requirements didnt indicate valid evidence for using activity level as a basis for protein intake. In the absence of glucose the muscles use fat for energy, and do not need more or less protein for activity. When protein is broken down to provide fuel, the actual molecules are conserved while the bonds between them are broken. To restore the protein molecules only energy is required to reform the chemical bonds.

An additional consideration is that a persons protein requirements depend on what other nutrients are consumed as energy sources. When carbohydrates are restricted in the diet, more protein is needed to be converted to glucose as fuel for the brain. If the protein requirement is increased, and allowed consumption above the minimum level, then the ratio of carbohydrate to protein would be too high for many persons to avoid excess insulin production. Excess protein in any meal can cause excess insulin and cause the protein to be stored as fat is without scientific evidence.

There are scientific errors in the Zone that it is becomes very complicated to describe them all - but then again the Zone formula is extremely complicated.

1) Scientific evidence shows that the total amount of protein should not be restricted, which the Zone does.

2) The Zones calculation of protein intake is based on lean body mass and activity level which is scientifically invalid and will restrict protein intake too much for almost everyone who is limiting carbohydrate in the diet.

3) Carbohydrate intake is tied to protein intake, so it varies for different people in the Zone diet. There is no scientific basis for this, since all persons have the same baseline glucose requirement of approximately 120 grams daily for brain activity. With the Zone calculations, persons who have low protein calculations will likely not get enough carbohydrate to inhibit ketosis, while those with high protein calculations may get more than the ideal amount.

4) Fat intake is based on the protein intake calculation and restricted to that amount. If this calculation is low, it removes the bodys natural appetite control system that is stimulated by fat. According to scientific evidence, fat should not be restricted in the diet.

Here are some examples to illustrate.

A 150-pound woman who is sedentary and overweight calculates her body fat at 33pct.. Her Zone protein requirement comes out to 60 grams. Her Zone carbohydrate portion is 80 grams daily, which may be too low to inhibit ketosis. Her fat portion is 13 grams. Her total daily calorie intake is 677 calories, which is extremely low. If we even consider that her protein foods will include about 1/3 fat and add another 180 calories, she is still getting only 857 calories daily. Not only will she have to be in ketosis to supply her baseline energy needs, she will also lose muscle mass due to low protein intake.

When compared to a 150-pound world-class athlete who has 21pct. body fat and is extremely active. Even though her weight is the same, her body fat and activity level give her a protein portion of 186 grams daily, 3 times that of the sedentary woman. She also will get 153 grams of carbohydrate, which she will probably burn as fuel, and 26 grams of fat. With an additional 1/3 of her protein foods considered as fat, she gets 1682 calories daily. On days she is extremely active, she probably will experience ketosis for many hours of the day despite the high protein intake, because her total calories are restricted. She may even lose muscle mass since her intake of fat for fuel is restricted. On days when she is less active, she will probably have to dispose of a large portion of her protein, and will experience moderate insulin levels due to the high carbohydrate intake.

It is easy to see why the Zone diet has worked in athletes, because they are probably getting close to their protein and energy needs.

One issue not brought up by the Zone diet is that of cholesterol levels. All of the low carb diet plans should improve cholesterol levels, except possibly for this one. Scientific evidence shows us why consuming fewer carbohydrates should cause LDL or bad cholesterol to decrease. In the Zone the level of carbohydrates consumed may not be low enough to achieve this, especially for someone who has a large lean body mass and, therefore, a high calculated carbohydrate intake. Additionally, fat in the diet has been shown to increase HDL or good cholesterol, and saturated fat promotes the greatest increase. The Zone diet not only limits fat intake, but also advises against the use of saturated fat.

As for eicosanoids, whether or not the control of eicosanoid production by specific nutrient intake provides all the effects he claims is not at all scientifically proven. In fact, if the protein intake were unlimited, as it should be, using the Zone ratio of carbohydrate to protein at each meal would probably stimulate insulin and bad eicosanoids in most persons.

Recent scientific studies have shown that a low-carb diet is safe and effective. Therefore, anyone who desires to lose weight or who needs to bring his or her blood chemistry back into line should try a low-carb lifestyle. However, there are those who, cannot stick with the low-carb diet. It is very difficult for vegetarians to follow a low-carb diet. Also, those who just do not like a lot of meat, eggs, and cheese may find this way of eating difficult to stick with for a long time. But for those who love steaks, shrimp, fish, chicken, omelettes, cheese, and pork chops, and who dont mind giving up the bread, potatoes, and desserts, the low-carb alternative can easily become a life-long way of eating - especially since cravings for the high-carbohydrate foods goes away after a couple of weeks of low-carb eating.

After studying in depth the way the human bodys nutritional processes work, and considering the type of diet these processes evolved with, Dieticians conclude that consuming carbohydrates in limited amounts is the most natural and healthy way for us to eat, not just for weight loss but for ongoing weight and health maintenance - even for persons who do not have a weight problem.

The low carb diet has become extremely popular in the United States in the past few years, and continues to have a large following despite the frequent criticisms by various diet experts. Although many of them are without scientific validity, some of them are on target, especially when considering the calorie intakes of some of the formulas presented.

There is a major issue here with all of these plans - that is whether the diet is being used merely for weight loss, or for long-term weight maintenance. As a weight loss diet, any of these plans can work, however, if it is then discarded and previous eating habits are restored it is likely that any weight lost will be regained, as with any short-term diet, however effective. And going off the low carb diet can definitely promote weight gain in excess of that which was lost, due to metabolic changes, which occur.

Lets consider the scientific evaluation of given low carbohydrate diets as ongoing eating plans.

Low carb diet cause increased cholesterol If it means total cholesterol, the answer is negative. The reason. there is no way to know the measures of HDL and LDL for fractions of cholesterol.

High fat intakes with low carb diets increases heart disease This is typically based on the studies showing exactly that effect in high carbohydrate diets (50pct. or more of total calories obtained from carbohydrate). It is a scientific error to ignore the difference in carbohydrate content of the diet.

Scientific Evidences

Dating back as far as 1977, scientific studies considered that. carbohydrate and fat content of the diet causes increased HDL cholesterol. The mechanism for this is the production of a protein called Apo A-I, which is a major component in the cell wall of the HDL molecule. In addition, saturated fat was shown to increase the production of Apo A-I more than polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat.

Adding to this the evidence, the human body uses dietary carbohydrates for energy before using fat. This explains why a diet higher in carbohydrates causes an increase in LDL cholesterol. If adequate calories are present in the carbohydrate content of a meal, then the fat in the same meal is transported for storage. The molecules that ultimately transport the bulk of this fat are the LDL molecules. The fat itself is in the form of triglycerides, but a fairly constant amount of cholesterol is included in each LDL.

It is therefore no surprise that a shift to a low carbohydrate diet that contains more saturated fat than recommended can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol at the same time. Sometimes the increase in HDL is dramatic - in these instances, the total cholesterol may very well increase above normal levels - but it is very desirable high cholesterol to have.

It should be noted that there are persons who have various genetic conditions in which too much LDL cholesterol is manufactured, or is not cleared appropriately from the bloodstream. These people may not obtain same benefits in cholesterol measurements from a low carb diet. They may require medications to lower cholesterol despite optimal dietary practices. This does not mean that the low carb diet does not work for them - it is still the healthiest way for them to eat, as long as the LDL cholesterol level is controlled.

About one thing, however, there is no dispute. As a society we are clearly in a state of nutritional crisis and in need of radical remedies. The figures on fat are striking in America. The proportion of Americans who are obese rose from 15pct. in 1991 to 27pct. in 1999. Youngsters show the same trend. 10pct. of them are now obese. Add in the merely overweight and it would cover 60pct. of American adults and 25pct. of children. This sounds bad. Yet the food industry is largely giving American consumers (rich and poor) what they want. A pattern of life in which fewer families eat regular meals together, fewer parents remain at home to cook, and increasing amounts of time working or commuting creates a demand for convenient fast-food. The change has been so swift and so pervasive that no simple explanation is possible. Maybe we didnt understand all the ramifications when we jumped on the low-fat bandwagon. Even though millions of people have enjoyed success in weight loss, and improvement in blood sugar control and cholesterol readings, the mainstream medical community still rejects them for lacking a valid scientific basis. This is why most doctors disagree with low carbohydrate diet plans and tell their patients to avoid them, even after seeing first-hand the success many have had with weight loss and improvement in laboratory values.

For an optimum healthy maintenance diet, modifications necessary in a low carbohydrate diet plan can be.

No restriction on protein intake

Avoiding ongoing ketosis

No restriction on fat intake (as long as fat satiety responses are functioning)

Obtaining the carbohydrate portion of a low carb diet is most healthy when natural food sources are used. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain numerous chemicals that are felt to be protective against cancer, and these have not been totally defined or isolated, so they cannot be obtained in a supplement pill. The newest research seems to imply that peoples genetic disposition might matter more than the rest. Variations in the apOEgene, for example, may determine blood cholesterol level more than diet. Perhaps the future will bring better medications, at least for people who are morbidly obese.

Dr. Atkins was the first person who brought the low carb diet to major prominence in the U.S. and is credited for defying the system and offering a weight loss plan that works for most people.

He claims that some people have a condition of hyperinsulinism, in which they produce insulin in excess when they eat carbohydrates, which in turn causes fat storage, diabetes, and a craving for more carbohydrates. This theory is scientifically logical but has not been accepted or proven by the medical community.

His diet plan is one that creates ongoing ketosis for weight loss. In his induction phase the stores of glycogen in the liver are purposely depleted. Glycogen is the source for the body to obtain glucose quickly when it is needed, mainly for brain activity. In his maintenance phase he advises that persons increase their carbohydrate intake to the point where they do not gain or lose weight.

Scientific Analysis

It is not necessary for abnormal amounts of insulin to be produced for a person to suffer the effects Dr. Atkins attributes to hyperinsulinism, but that insulin is such a powerful hormone that our present-day diet of moderate starches and sugars overwhelms the bodys nutritional balance merely through the normal activities of the insulin that is produced. Insulin is a hormone, which is a substance that travels through the body and stimulates chemical reactions. The human body has mechanisms to regulate how much of each hormone is produced, so that its effects can be controlled. With insulin, however, there is no shut-off switch as there is with other hormones. The digestion of carbohydrates produces insulin, and there is no way to stop its activity once it is present in the bloodstream. There is also no way to prevent it from being produced when carbohydrates are consumed, even if these are in excess of what the body needs for fuel. The reason for this is clear, when humans evolved to produce insulin, carbohydrates were so limited in the diet that a shut-off mechanism was not necessary.

Dr. Atkins induction phase may cause problems in persons who typically consume large quantities of carbohydrates, or who are prone to hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), because their bodies may not be able to produce either glucose or ketones fast enough to supply the requirements of the brain and muscle activity, causing fatigue which may be sudden or extreme. But there are few persons who have had major problems with this aspect of the Atkins diet.

Some of the dieticians believe Dr. Atkins diet may be useful for persons who are very sensitive to carbohydrates and have extremely slow metabolic rates. However, even in these persons the ongoing state of ketosis may present hazards, which are not known at this time, and may not be necessary for weight loss. As with all medical treatments, one must consider the risk (of potential problems related to ongoing ketosis) with the benefit (of weight loss which can definitely improve the health of an obese person).

Dr. Atkins diet does not restrict protein intake, which is the correct approach. However, his advice to add carbohydrate grams for the maintenance phase so that continued weight loss does not occur is not scientifically sound. There is no indication that a person will continue to loss weight below an ideal level even with no carbohydrate intake.

It is important to noted that food containing white flour and sugar are not allow in lowcard diet. Most fruits are restricted, but some are allowed. The number of grams of carbohydrates allowed per day varies from person to person. Some might need 20 grams or less carbohydrates count per day to lose weight. Others may successfully lose weight on 50 or 60 grams per day. Below is the LowCarb Food you can enjoy. Lowcarb diet is a high-fat diet. When you feel hungry eat enough fat to satisfy your hunger.

LowCarb Diet

One of the most common shorthand notations found on most diet newsgroups and journals is YMMV (Your mileage may vary). And this is most certainly true of the lowcarb way of eating. Not everyone will lose weight at the same speed. Most of the negative side effects reported, such as tiredness, constipation, diarrhea, or headaches are temporary. Most disappears in a week or so. It is advisable that diet is starts slowly, gradually reducing the number of carbs. This minimizes the side effects.

Anyone who wants to lose weight can try it. But those who have developed hyperinsulinemia are perfect candidates for the lowcarb diet. In fact, a lowcarb diet is the only treatment for hyperinsulinemia. Hyperinsulinemia usually leads to insulin resistance and its associated symptoms and disorders. It is often called Syndrome X.

A lowcarb diet may be the best treatment for Hypoglycemia, High blood pressure, High LDL cholesterol, High triglycerides, Anxiety/Panic disorder, Irritable bowel syndrome, Binge eating, Digestive disorders, Obesity, Heart disease, Type 2 diabetes etc. In fact, it is the only way to actually treat the cause of all these symptoms and conditions - hyperinsulinemia.