Carbohydrate which is also called as “carb”, is a major source of energy. Our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose and this glucose provides energy for the brain and muscles to function.
Carbohydrates are mainly found in vegetarian foods. Carbohydrate is also present in dairy products in the form of lactose.
Common foods like bread, pasta, beans, potatoes, rice, cereals, ice cream, soft drinks, candy, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils are some of the foods that are rich in carbohydrates.
Eating too many carbs or the wrong type of carbs can sometimes lead to various health problems, the most common of which is unwanted weight gain or obesity. Besides, excess carbs intake also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
On the contrary, low carb diet (low carbohydrate diet) keeps these risks away from us. So in this post we will have a look on the low carb diet in greater detail. Understand it’s benefits and sources.
What is Low Carb Diet?
Low carb diet means having less carbohydrate and more protein in the diet.
The main goals of a low-carb diet are to prevent unwanted weight gain, lower triglyceride levels, and control high blood pressure. Apart from this, low carb diet can also help reduce the risk of serious diseases like type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
Therefore, if you regularly include low carb foods in your diet, then this diet can be beneficial for your health.
Also read: 7-Day Vegetarian Diet Plan That Will Help You Shed Extra Weight
Foods for Low Carb Diet
- Meat, fish, eggs, high-fat dairy products
- Leafy green vegetables
- Cauliflower and Broccoli
- Oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, and rapeseed oil
- Certain fruits, such as apples, blueberries and strawberries
- Nuts, almonds and seeds
There is no definitive figure yet on how much carbohydrate should be in a low-carbohydrate diet, yet a diet with less than 20% carbohydrates is a healthy diet, according to, the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Benefits of Low Carb Diet
- Helps in reducing weight
Reducing carbs from the diet or following the Low Carb Diet is the simplest as well as most effective way of losing weight.
Studies show that people who eat low-carbs lose weight more quickly than those following low-fat diets. This is because a low-carb diet helps in expelling out excess water from your body, leading to rapid weight loss in the first two weeks.
Apart from this, low carbohydrate diet also controls appetite because taking low carbohydrate diet, also cuts down on your excess appetite.
- Lowers Triglyceride
Having higher than normal triglyceride levels can be a serious problem because higher than normal triglyceride levels in the body disturbs your metabolism and can even increase the risks of heart attack and stroke.
Dozens of studies have shown that eating a very low-carb diet can lower triglycerides levels.
- Maintains Ratio of Good and Bad Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol found in our body, one of which is beneficial cholesterol and the other one is harmful cholesterol.
Low-density lipid cholesterol (LDL) is considered as bad, whereas, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is considered to be good cholesterol.
Low-carb foods like fish and nuts contain healthy fats that work to raise your HDL cholesterol levels.
By consuming a low-carb diet, it also improves the ratio of low-density lipid cholesterol (LDL) and high-density lipid cholesterol (HDL) in the blood, which helps in maintaining heart health.
- Lower Blood Sugar
The main cause of diabetes is low production of insulin hormone or non-functioning of pancreas. Due to the lack of insulin hormone, the level of sugar or glucose in the blood increases to much higher levels. Due to which some symptoms like, fainting, rapid heartbeat, weak eyes, kidney failure, etc. can be seen.
According to researchers, low carbohydrate diets reduce the level of sugar in the blood. According to one study, some people with diabetes who were given low-carb diets saw a reduction in their insulin dose by about 50%.
Also read: Striving To Loose Weight? Give A Try To Keto Diet; Know Everything Here
- Reduces blood pressure
Today 1 in 3 people are suffering from high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is usually a condition that does not cause any symptoms, rather it can lead to serious health problems like heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. But do you know that you can control your blood pressure with low-carb diet foods. Yes, of course, a low-carb diet is an effective way of lowering your blood pressure, thereby ultimately reducing the risk of these diseases.
- Reducing the risk of Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a condition associated with problems such as diabetes, heart disease, constipation, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.
Our body does not know how to properly digest foods with high-carbohydrate levels and due to which most of the younger generation has to face these metabolic syndrome. Therefore, these problems can be avoided by following a low-carb diet regularly.
- Relieves stress and anxiety
By taking low-carb foods in your diet, you can get rid of anxiety and stress which might be caused due to blood-sugar fluctuations and at the same time your mental balance will also be maintained, due to which you will not suffer from high blood pressure.
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