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Online Carb-Free Diets

Embarking on a carb-free diet is a challenge and is certainly a very controversial subject in online discussions. One carb-free diet, also know as a zero-carb diet, has raised questions in the diet community about whether it is safe or healthy. However, advocates of this diet have expressed their satisfaction and continue to post articles online supporting it. Before you start a zero or extremely low-carb diet, make sure you understand how the diet works, what results you are trying to achieve, and the health implications. You may want to discuss your decision with a health-care professional.

  1. Zero-Carb Diet

    • Meat, Fish and Eggs

      Eliminating all carbohydrates, you eat eggs, fish, red meat, fowl, some dairy products and water. The only exception is the use of spices. If you follow this diet you are considered a carnivore. The zero-carb diet was made popular online by Owsley Bear Stanley, who followed it for 47 years. He believed that vegetation and carbohydrates are not food and dietary carbs are the cause of heart disease and diabetes. Stanley was a member of the Active Low-Carber Forums, where he expressed his beliefs about the zero-carb diet online.

    Kitogenic Diet

    • Restricting the amount of carbohydrates you eat, the kitogenic diet is not a carb-free diet. The kitogenic diet is high in fat. It provides 80 percent of the calories from fat while protein and carbohydrates provide the rest of the calories. If you have a child with severe epilepsy, the ketogenic diet may be used under the guidance of your physician to prevent or minimize seizures. The Epilepsy Foundation discusses the medical implications and the pros and cons of the kitogenic diet online.

    Negative Effects of Zero-carb and Extremely Low-carb Diets

    • Eating a diet high in fats with absolutely no carbohydrates or extremely low carbohydrates may increase the risk of heart disease or cause kidney problems. Ketosis is another negative effect of zero-carb and low-carb diets. If you do not have enough carbohydrates in your body it can cause a chemical imbalance known as ketosis, meaning you have a high level of ketones in your body. This will make you lose sodium and water. Low energy, constipation and gas are other side effects of a zero or low-carbohydrate diet.

    Weight Loss

    • Losing weight on a zero-carb or low-carb diet is possible. However, when you return to your normal eating habits you may gain the weight back. The weight loss you experience is water loss, and according to Kathy Hanlon of Vanderbilt University, research has shown that body composition remains the same. Therefore, low-carb diets are not good for getting the weight off and keeping it off. Gaining muscle along with losing weight is a plus for the zero-carb diet. However, an online article by Newsmax recommends you add fresh fruits and vegetables to get the full benefits.

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