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Why do the low carb diet ? – Low-carb diets are nothing new and have been used in the medical community for a variety of purposes for over a century. Based on decades of research, low-carb diets have been associated with benefits including:
- fast weight loss
- reduced hunger
- better control over insulin and blood sugar
- improved cognitive performance
- lower risk of heart disease factors
- reduced risk for certain types of cancer
Why do the low carb diet, how does it work?
You benefits of low carb diets The above-mentioned are due to a reduction, or in some cases almost a total elimination, of glucose. Glucose, or other molecules that can be converted to glucose once eaten, are found in all carbohydrate foods, be they grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, fruits, sweeteners of all kinds – and even nuts, seeds and vegetables.
Since glucose from carbohydrates is no longer available for energy due to a low-carb diet, we begin to burn stored fat and experience rapid weight loss. Our bodies usually run on glucose or sugar for energy, but we cannot make glucose ourselves and only store it for about 24 hours within our muscles and liver.
Glucose quickly runs out, and when our supply is low enough, the body turns to fat for fuel as a backup – luckily, either from our diet or our own body fat.
THE ketogenic diet is a form of very low carb diet – it takes this process to the next level by strictly eliminating almost all sources of glucose to put the body into fat burning mode faster by focusing on fat burning foods. Ketogenic diets Ketogenic diets have well-documented benefits, including helping to treat epilepsy, rapid weight loss, and reducing the risk of diabetes. A traditional ketogenic diet focuses on eating about 75 percent fat, 5 percent carbs, and 20 percent protein. But most people don’t need to drastically reduce carbs to see great results.
Just focus on eliminating large sources of sugar and carbohydrates – especially grains and possibly vegetables and dairy products – also by increasing calories from healthy fats and quality protein, most adults will see rapid weight loss and improvements in overall health. Everyone is different, but generally reducing carbs to about 30 percent of your overall diet, while increasing fat to 40 percent and protein to 30 percent will help you reach your goals.
8 Benefits of Low-Carb Diets:
1. Why do the low carb diet? Rapid weight loss
When it comes to losing weight, calorie counting is crazy, but shifting your attention to the types of foods you eat and focusing on mindful eating can make all the difference. low carb diets Low-carb diets have a reputation for producing rapid weight loss without feeling hungry or having to count calories. In fact, many people experience weight loss on a low-carb diet even if they have tried “everything else” and never got the results they were looking for.
A 2014 study by the National Institutes of Health found that after comparing two overweight adults, the low carb diets were more effective for weight loss and cardiovascular risk factor reduction than low-fat diets, as demonstrated by 148 participants following both types of dietary plans over 12 months.
Why are low-carb diets so effective for losing excess weight, even for people who normally have a hard time losing weight? When we eat foods with sugar and carbohydrates, insulin is released in response to raise our blood sugar (sugar). Insulin is often called the “fat storage hormone” because one of its jobs is to signal cells to store as much available energy as possible. This energy is initially stored as glycogen from the glucose found in carbohydrates, since glycogen is our “primary” energy source.
By eliminating carbohydrates from the diet and keeping the body's glycogen stores low or nearly empty, we can prevent insulin release and fat storage. Less insulin circulating around our bloodstream means the body is forced to use up all of its glycogen stores and then tap into hidden fat stores in our adipose tissue (body fat) for fuel and burn them for energy.
2. Why do a low-carb diet? Better cognitive function
Fat and carbohydrates often have an inverse relationship in a person’s diet. Most people maintain a somewhat stable protein intake, but typically eat more carbohydrates, sugar, and less healthy fats. This is problematic because we need healthy fats for proper brain function, mood control, and hormone regulation. While a sugary or high-carb meal may initially make you feel awake and alert, it will quickly leave you feeling tired and irritable.
Sugar is addictive and has dramatic effects on the brain, especially when it comes to increasing cravings, anxiety, and fatigue. On the other hand, certain types of healthy fats, including cholesterol, act as antioxidants and precursors to some important molecules and neurotransmitters that control learning, memory, mood, and energy. Your brain is largely composed of fatty acids and requires a steady stream of fats from your diet in order to perform optimally.
Recently, a 2012 report published in the Journal of Physiology found evidence of strong metabolic consequences of a high-sugar diet coupled with a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in cognitive skills. These effects were due to the association of high glucose consumption and insulin action, which controls brain signaling mediators. As might be expected, the unhealthy diet high in sugar but low in healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, was associated with lower cognitive scores and insulin resistance .
Researchers believe that people with increased insulin resistance may demonstrate decreased cerebral blood flow and therefore decreased brain plasticity. This is because insulin is a “vasodilator” and increases blood flow to promote glucose delivery to muscles and organs, including the brain. This vasodilatory function is disrupted when someone develops insulin resistance over time from a high intake of sugar and carbohydrates, so there is a decrease in brain tissue perfusion and activity.
3. Why follow a low-carb diet? Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and heart disease
A 2012 study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology found that low carb diets are more effective in reducing certain metabolic and cardiac risk factors than low fat diets and at least equally effective in reducing weight and other factors.
The study investigated the effects of low-carb diets (≤ 45 percent of energy from carbohydrate) versus low-fat diets (≤ 30 percent of energy from fat) on metabolic risk factors by performing a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Twenty-three trials from multiple countries with a total of 2,788 participants were included in the analyses.
The results showed that both low-carb and low-fat diets reduced weight and improved metabolic risk factors. But compared with participants on low-fat diets, people on low-carb diets experienced a significantly greater increase in “good” high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a greater decrease in triglycerides.
They also experienced a smaller reduction in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than the low-fat diet group, however, keep in mind that higher cholesterol levels have not been proven to contribute to heart disease!
These findings held true even though reductions in body weight, waist circumference, and other metabolic risk factors were not significantly different between the two diet groups. These findings suggest that lower-carb diets that are higher in fat may help beat heart disease risk factors as well as diets that are harder to stick to and likely to leave people hungry. Plus, you avoid the risks of low-fat diets .
4. Why follow a low-carb diet? Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
Researchers point out that despite the rising rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and the accelerating cost of resources needed to monitor and treat diabetic patients, the medical community has generally failed to reduce the number of people affected or the severity of complications. While prescriptions for diabetes medications continue to rise, there is a simple, effective, and low-cost strategy that has been proven to work with diabetes: reduce the amount of sugar and starch in your diet.
Researchers from the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension at SUNY University of Brooklyn point out that a diet high in carbohydrates increases glucose secretion and postprandial insulin secretion, thus increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity.
Many studies have shown that a low carb diet It is a natural treatment for diabetes and an effective tool in the prevention of type 2 diabetes patients. It can also help reduce the risk of complications from diabetes and related risk factors, such as obesity or heart disease. A growing body of evidence shows that although a diet rich in “healthy carbohydrates” such as whole grains is still recommended for many patients with diabetes, low-carb diets are comparable to, if not better than, traditional low-fat and low-carb diets for weight loss, improvement in the dyslipidemia of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, as well as control of blood pressure, postprandial blood glucose, and insulin secretion.
In a 2005 study published in The Upsala Journal of Medical Science, for two groups of obese patients with type 2 diabetes, the effects of two different diet compositions were tested in relation to glycemic control and body weight. One group of 16 obese patients with type 2 diabetes were placed on a low-carbohydrate diet (1,800 calories for men and 1,600 calories for women) that consisted of 20 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 50 percent fat.
Fifteen obese patients with diabetes were placed on a high-carbohydrate diet to serve as a control group. Their diet, consisting of the same calories for men and women, included approximately 60 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein, and 25 percent fat. Positive effects on glucose levels were observed very quickly in the group following the low carb plan. After six months, a marked reduction in body weight was also observed in patients in the low carb diet and this remained a year later.
5. Why follow a low-carb diet? It helps fight cancer
Research shows that a high carbohydrate diet refined foods and sugar contribute to free radical damage and actually feed cancer cells, possibly helping them to proliferate more quickly. As low carb diets dramatically reduce sugar and reduce your intake of grains and processed foods, they can act as a natural cancer treatment, causing immunity to improve as oxidative stress decreases.
Studies indicate that carbohydrate intake influences prostate cancer biology, as demonstrated by mice fed a no-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (NCKD) experiencing significantly smaller tumors and longer survival times than mice fed a Western diet. Mice fed the equivalent of a standard human Western diet had higher serum insulin, which was associated with significantly greater blood glucose and tumor tissue growth.
In the process of cutting off the energy supply to cancers, healthy cells are fortunately preserved, as they can use fat for energy. Cancer cells, on the other hand, thrive on glucose and cannot metabolically switch to using fat.
6. Why follow a low-carb diet? Less cravings and less appetite
One of the greatest benefits of a low carb diet The thing is, eating healthier fats and proteins instead of sugar and carbs is super satisfying because it effectively helps turn off ghrelin, the “hunger hormone.” According to studies, insulin downregulates ghrelin, and high-density lipoproteins may be a carrier particle to increase circulating ghrelin. In other words, carbs spike insulin quickly, which leads to cravings for more food later when blood sugar drops and ghrelin spikes. Fats and proteins, on the other hand, are known to change the body’s satiety hormones and allow you to comfortably go longer between meals without needing to snack.
According to a report published in the Journal of International Studies of Obesity:
“Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that have been recognized as having a major influence on energy balance. Leptin is a mediator of long-term regulation of energy balance, suppressing food intake and inducing weight loss. Ghrelin, on the other hand, is a fast-acting hormone, apparently playing a role in meal initiation. As an increasing number of people suffer from obesity, understanding the mechanisms by which various hormones and neurotransmitters influence energy balance has been the subject of intensive research. It is now established that obese patients are resistant to leptin.”
To get off the insulin rollercoaster, you need to control your primary appetite hormone. The easiest way to do this is to keep your sugar levels in check and include quality protein and fats with every meal, especially in the morning with breakfast, which sets the tone for the entire day.
7. Why follow a low carb diet? Better digestion
Less sugar means better digestive function for most people, since sugar feeds “bad bacteria” that can thrive in the gut. The result of a diet too high in sugar and carbohydrates can mean the development of candida viruses, IBS, and more acute symptoms of leaky gut syndrome. Plenty of vegetables, quality proteins, and healthy fats, on the other hand, can act as fat-rich foods that also help nourish the digestive tract and reduce bacterial growth.
Research from a 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Gastroenterological Association showed that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) report symptom improvements after starting a very low-carb diet (VLCD). When participants with moderate to severe IBS were given a standard diet for two weeks, and then four weeks of a VLCD (20 grams of carbs per day), most reported improvements in abdominal pain, stools, and quality of life.
8. Why do a low carb diet? Better Hormonal Regulation
Have you already learned about the positive effects of a low-carb diet may have an effect on insulin and appetite hormones, but reducing carbohydrates also appears to help balance neurotransmitter function in some people and thus improve mood.
When researchers from the University of Adelaide's Department of Psychiatry and School of Medicine compared the hormonal and psychological effects of a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet and a high-protein, low-carbohydrate (HPLC) diet in women with a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) over 16 weeks, they found a significant reduction in depression and improvement in self-esteem in those with low carb diet.
All participated in a weekly exercise, group support and educational program and completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at the beginning and end of the study. The HPLC diet appeared to help balance hormones naturally and was associated with significant reductions in several depressive symptoms, improved feelings of well-being and a greater likelihood of having better compliance with long-term obesity treatment.
Risks of low-carb diets:
Everyone reacts differently to various dietary plans, and there is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach to low carb diet that will work best for everyone. Factors such as someone's age, gender, activity level, body weight, and genetic disposition affect how that person feels about follow a low carb diet.
Therefore, it’s important to practice self-awareness if you plan to reduce your carb intake to get to the level of carbs in your diet that works best for you personally. This may take some trial and error initially, and it’s usually best to reduce carbs gradually to avoid side effects like cravings or feeling tired.
Overall, there seems to be a lot of variability when it comes to how low carb diet and changes in mood and energy levels – with some people feeling fine and others struggling initially. Self-reports, along with data from certain trials, indicate that very low carb diets or ketogenic diets can increase fatigue and irritability in some people – a side effect that has been nicknamed the “carb griffin.” However, this is usually the case when reducing carbs dramatically to around 5% to 10% of total calories.
According to a 2007 study published in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association, blood ketone levels are directly related to feelings of fatigue and greater perceived exertion during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low carb diets. During the study, overweight adults followed a ketogenic diet very low-carb (5 percent of calories from carbohydrates) or a moderate control diet (40 percent of calories from carbohydrates), those with the most “ketones” detected in their blood due to very low glucose intake experienced more dramatic mood swings, feelings of tiredness, and reductions in the desire to exercise.
On the other hand, data from other trials have shown the opposite: low-carb diets, even very low-carb ketogenic diets, can actually help improve mood and reduce fatigue and hunger. A 2007 study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center found that participants experienced significant improvements in a wide range of negative symptoms when they followed a very low-carb diet, even more so than participants following a low-fat diet. Those on the low-carb diet reported less fatigue, cognitive symptoms, physical effects of hunger, insomnia, and stomach problems than the low-fat diet group.
Obviously, reductions in the desire to be physically active, experiencing brain fog, and being irritable are pretty counterproductive for people who want to feel healthier and lose weight, so these types of side effects are something to monitor for. If you find yourself feeling very sluggish, moody, or like you have “brain fog” and can’t think clearly when drastically cutting carbs—especially if you’ve changed your diet quickly and dropped carbs to very low ketogenic levels—try reintroducing some carbs several days a week until you feel better.
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