Saturday, February 2, 2013

Are Low Carbohydrate Diets Harmful Or Safe?

Low carbohydrate diets have been around for 20-30 years, and many of us have obtained a certain amount of success following this plan, although many others have not. Although very popular as a diet plan there is also a certain amount of opposition. The main concern being, are these radical diets safe and are they effective?

Some of the low carbohydrate diets are fairly flexible, whilst others are quite extreme. If we are not particularly fond of large amounts of protein and can cope with only minimal amounts of vegetables and dairy produce, then we would have difficulty keeping to the more extreme low carbohydrate option. Another consideration in following an extreme plan is that we would be depriving our body of important vitamins and minerals we need to keep fit and healthy. A more flexible diet plan involves reducing the more simple form of carbohydrates which are known to be harmful to our body. Obviously this is the more sensible option, being less harmful, and be we are more likely to successfully lose weight.

The consumption of high amounts of fat due to the diet being rich in meat, cheese, milk and butter, is something we need to consider. Many experts insist this is detrimental to our health, leading to heart and cholesterol problems to name but two. On the other hand many experts dispute these facts. There is no denying we are likely to lose some weight whilst following a low carbohydrate diet, but we have to look at the pros and cons of the long term effect it may have.

If we are concerned about our fat intake, it would be much more sensible to just keep it to a reasonable quantity within the diet until we are sure we are not jeopardising our long term health and well being.

There are many ways of reducing carbohydrates.

There are many polyunsaturated fats which are both healthy and advantageous to the body. By avoiding saturated fats in favour of heart healthy ones, we can reduce our intake of carbohydrates, as we will feel much more satisfied and less likely to get bogged down, resulting in us giving up. Oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, and olive oil is a good alternative to a saturated fat.

Although we are trying to reduce our carbohydrate intake, whole grain, providing it is of course in small amounts, is not as detrimental as white flour.

Vegetables are a better substitute to pasta and rice, why not have an open, wholegrain sandwich, only using one slice instead of two.

Reducing sugar intake is another factor in a low carbohydrate diet. Quite often we are advised to abstain from eating fruit but most of the berry fruits are very low in sugar. Additionally fruits, particularly berry fruits are high in antioxidants which are beneficial to our bodies.

We all have different needs and metabolisms and no diet is going to be the right one for us all. In some cases the advice of a doctor may be necessary before embarking on a low carbohydrate diet. We need to find the right diet to suit our individual needs, ensuring we lose the weight without compromising our health and well being.








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