What is a Low Carb Diet?

Several leading diets, such as the Atkins diet, emphasize low carb intake. Any low carb diet basically asks you to moderate your intake of most carbohydrates. Here’s how it

What is a Carb, anyway?

A carb, or carbohydrate, is essentially a sugar molecule. Carbohydrates provide energy to our system, and carbs are found in a variety of foods. Even starch and fiber are forms of carbohydrates, as they are chains of the molecules. Some carbs are simple and some are complex, but all of them provide energy and are based on a sugar molecule.

Why a Low Carb Diet?

Because some carbohydrates convert very quickly into blood sugar, they boost your blood sugar, and have been associated with weight gains. These foods are known as having a high glycemic index. A low carb diet is based on the assumption that many of these foods are not that good for you in the first place, so it aims to remove them from your diet.

A Low Carb Diet with Good Carbs

Even if you are on a low carb diet, the idea is not to eliminate carbs altogether, as that is not a healthy diet. Rather, it is to control the intake of carbs. There are good carbohydrates that you would want to eat, even on your low carb diet. Most of these are the complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Your choices are endless when looking for good carbs to eat. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “Foods with a low glycemic index have been shown to help control type 2 diabetes and improve weight loss”

Some Good and Bad Foods

One of the biggest offenders in terms of carbs and glycemic index is the potato. It would be great to be very careful about including potato in your diet if you are trying to lose weight, or have any blood sugar problems. The next biggest offender is processed grains, such as you find in white bread, or white rice. The more processing the grain has, the higher its glycemic index. Instead choose whole grains like whole oats, quinoa, and brown rice. These are quite stabilizing for you when you are on a low carb diet.

Low Carb Diet not No Carb

The one thing to take away from this article is that any healthy diet would never totally eliminate all carbohydrates. For one this, it is probably impossible as the carbohydrate is found in so many foods. For another reason, your body must have carbohydrates to produce energy. So if you choose a low carb diet, don’t go overboard. Follow the instructions and include the right carbs, and you’ll be healthier and thinner too.

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