Weight Loss Through Carbohydrate Reduction

Low-carbohydrate diets have become very popular in recent years. There have always been controversies about these diets, but if you eat a healthy diet that limits certain types of carbohydrates, you can lose weight effectively. This type of diet can be healthy for your heart as well.

Processed Carbs

• In the past, low-carbohydrate diets were not particular about the kind of carbs that were eliminated. People could eat high-fat proteins and foods as long as they stayed away from high levels of carbohydrates. The health problems associated with these diets became quickly apparent as more was learned about how the body responds to excessive amounts of protein.

  People did lose weight on these fatty diets, but some changes had to be made in the types and amounts of proteins that are consumed. Fat is necessary for a healthy diet, but you must differentiate between healthy fats, such as olive oil and fish oil, and the fat that is contained in red meat.

  The real problem with carbohydrates is with those carbs that are processed and cause blood glucose to spike above normal levels. White flour, processed foods and sugars are the types of carbohydrates you should eliminate for a low-carb diet for weight loss.

Healthy Carbohydrates

• In a healthy diet, you must consume carbohydrates for energy. Vegetables and fruits contain carbohydrates that are healthy for weight loss. Use the glycemic index to determine which carbs can have an adverse impact on your glucose levels. The glycemic index is a chart that assigns a numerical value to the various foods we eat. Foods that rank low on the index have a lower impact on glucose levels.

  Diets that limit carbohydrates do cause a quick weight loss, but the weight quickly comes back when you start eating carbs again. It is far better to eat a diet based on the glycemic index than to eliminate carbohydrates altogether.

  Balanced eating is the key to healthy weight loss. The weight may not come off as fast as it does with a carbohydrate-restricted diet, but the loss is more likely to be permanent.

Daily Protein

• The American Heart Association does not recommend diets that are high in protein. This type of diet limits healthy foods such as vegetables. Many of the low-carbohydrate diets are also very high in protein and animal fat. These diets can lead to problems such as heart disease and stroke. High-protein diets are also linked to cancer.