Low Carb Diets - A Review on If They Work and How to Get the Most Out of Them

In recent years, low carb diets have gotten a lot of attention from the press and from individual dieters. These diets have been touted as a miracle weight loss method, and many people say they've had significant success with them. However, others are concerned about the possible health effects of this type of diet.

They point out that they're hard on our bodies and that notable low carb diet proponents have suffered from heart conditions and other health problems. That leaves many of us wondering whether low carb diets work at all. If you're not sure what to do, but want to lose weight in the healthiest way possible, here are the facts.

There are a number of different types of low carb diets. Probably the most famous is the Atkins plan, which heavily restricts carbohydrates of all kinds in an attempt to send the body into ketosis. Weight loss is often very dramatic in the first few weeks of this plan, especially in people who were very heavy to begin with. However, this weight loss slows down as systems begin to function on the new eating plan.

Some people have a lot of luck on the Atkins plan, but one of its major problems is the difficulty of maintaining this level of carbohydrate restriction. The initial period permits almost no carbohydrates, which many people find incredibly difficult to deal with. In addition, most users of this diet don't pay attention to its prescription for a maintenance diet. Often, as soon as they go back to their old methods of eating, the weight comes back.

Other low carb diets include the South Beach Diet and the Paleolithic Diet as well as others. They have differing reasons for restricting carbohydrates than the Atkins plan. The South Beach Diet bases its recommendations on glycemic response, as measured by the Glycemic Index, and the Paleolithic Diet purports to be the diet consumed by Stone Age humans.

All low carb diets have a few things in common. They discourage the consumption of refined carbohydrates, allowing a greater or lesser quantity of unrefined carbs in the form of fruit, whole grains, and similar foods. They also encourage the consumption of meat and fresh vegetables.

Some people have a lot of luck on low carb diets. Others don't have as much success. This suggests that given the difference in individual metabolisms, low carb diets work better for some people than they do for others.

Health concerns about low carb diets include the concern that substituting fats and proteins for carbohydrates could raise cholesterol levels. In addition, demands on the kidneys and liver increase in these diets, causing possible vitamin imbalances and accelerating osteoporosis in women. Some are worried that low carb diets could cause eventual failure of these organs.

The bottom line? Low carb diets seem to work for some people. However, due to the health concerns about these diet plans, you should talk them over with your doctor at length before you start one. Decide how you feel about the risks and see how your body reacts to find out for sure if they're the right choice for you.

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