Carbohydrate diet plan involves a restriction of high intake of carbohydrate which is found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread. It is also known as a low-carb diet which includes the consumptions of foods high in protein, fat and healthy fats.
Studies have shown that this eating pattern has lots of health benefits attached to it and also helps in enhancing weight loss. Reducing your intake of sugar helps to stabilize blood sugar level and also helps to drop the level of fat-storing insulin hormones.
This helps to increase body metabolism, helps to reduce food intake which in turn helps to enhance weight loss. Starting a low-carb, high-fat diet plan involves reducing the number of carbs you take per day which forces the body to use the fats stored in the body for energy. The body uses ketones from fat rather than glucose which is gotten from carbohydrates.
Foods To Avoid During Carbohydrate Diet
There is a restriction on the consumption of foods high in carbohydrates, so you have to avoid eating any of these foods:
- Sugar which includes ice cream, soft drinks, fruit juice, candy and other products that contain lots of sugar.
- You have to avoid eating foods with low-fat such as many dairy products, crackers, cereals which contain lots of sugar in them.
- Highly processed foods, starchy vegetables, refined grains like wheat, rice, bread, pasta, barley and others
What Do You Need To Eat On A Low-Carb Diet or Carbohydrate Diet
Starting this Carbohydrate Diet means avoiding sugary foods and foods with high in carbohydrates but you can take the following foods:
- Meat which is rich in protein, and includes pork, chicken, beef, lamb an others
- Fish like Salmon, trout and other types of fish
- Fruits like apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, melons, and others
- Nuts and seeds like almonds, sunflower seeds, almonds, chestnuts, and others
- Fats and oil like butter, olive oil, fish oil, and coconut oil
- High-fat dairy like cheese, butter, yoghurt and heavy cream.
- Leafy vegetables
Should You Start A Low-Carb Diet
Carbohydrate Diet or Low carb diet has benefits associated with it such as weight loss, reduces the heart health risks and provides the body with essential nutrients it needs.
But before you start this diet, you need to consult your doctor especially if you are taking medication for diabetes, if you are taking high blood pressure medication or if you are a breastfeeding mother.
It is mostly safe for individuals who are not under the category of people listed. Your meal plans should have a mixture of low-carb foods like protein, fats, fruits, vegetables, in exchange for highly processed foods or sugary foods.
Lots of people start this diet plan for weight loss purposes, it works this way since the body does not receive carbohydrates for energy, it burns the fats stored in the body which leads to weight loss.
Before starting this diet plan you should consider the risks associated with it, short term risks of low-carb diet include constipation, headaches, fatigue, nausea, rash, high cholesterol.
Long-term risks of low-carb diet include nutritional deficiencies, loss of bone density and gastrointestinal problems. This is why it is important to consult your doctor before starting this diet plan.