Low Carbohydrate Diet Plans

The latest trend these days in weight loss is the use of a low carbohydrate diet plan.
Carbohydrates may be classified into four groups

• Sugars, which are found in honey, fruit, milk and soft drinks,
• Starch which is found in cereals, pasta, flour, root and pulse vegetables and potatoes.
• Cellulose, also known as dietary fiber is found in whole cereals, whole meal breads, brown rice and oatmeal.
• Pectin is found in ripe fruit.

Low Carb diets tend to eliminate all these carbohydrate rich foods and concentrate more on foods rich in proteins.

Market is ringing with a number of such diet plans these days. Atkins Diet, Sugar Busters, Protein Power etc., are a few to name.

YOU WILL EAT LESS! , is the entire promise of these diet plans. Since proteins are more satiating than carbohydrates or fat. You will feel fuller with even small amount of food.
There are many reasons why the low carbohydrate approach to dieting has been so popular, the most common being that it is a quick and easy way to weight loss. Also, it is believed that low carbohydrate diets contribute to beating sugar cravings, as well as decreasing the overall starch intake, which affects the body’s serotonin levels which makes an individual feel less sluggish and tired.
The key principal to how Low Carb diets work is very simple. They turn our body from a carbohydrate burning engine to a fat burning engine. Thus, putting the body in a state known as Ketosis. Normally, the body gets its energy from carbohydrates. So, the intake of diet low in carbohydrates leaves the body to derive energy from the fat already stored.
GOOD NEWS! Fat upholstered hips, belly and thighs become the primary energy source for the body. Does anything else sound better?You will lose these fatty and much loathed fat cushions eventually!
As reported by most of the people who have been on Low Carb Diet plans, weight loss is permanent. You can chose from a number of rich and fatty foods.
While low carbohydrate diets have been proven to increase weight loss, there is a significant loss of essential nutrients and health implications that need to be considered.

• Intake of almost all fruits and vegetables may cause a vitamin deficiency. You will have to stick to vitamin supplements.
• Vegetarians will have a difficulty adhering to such diet plans.
• Limited fiber intake can cause problems in digestive system such as constipation.
• They can be a cause of bad breath.
• If followed for a long period of time, they may lead to problems as severe as kidney stones.

As there is a vast range of conflicting information regarding weight loss and nutrition, it is difficult for the average person to not only identify what works, but also how to apply it.
The credibility of Low Carb diet plans cannot be questioned, as they have been found to be very effective. But still the elimination or seriously controlled intake of food staples such as fiber, starch and sugar make them a hard nut to crack.
For long term weight loss and to maintain the desired body weight, the greatest gains surely will come from a nutritionally balanced diet as well as exercise.