| Many people who are aiming to lose weight put | | | | The problem with this technique is that some |
| great emphasis on reducing their carbohydrate | | | | organs, like the brain, cannot use fat as an energy |
| intake. Some even try to cut carbs from their | | | | source. They need carbohydrates and without |
| diet altogether. Question is, is this an effective | | | | them the body has to produce a substitute fuel |
| way of losing weight? And more important, is it | | | | to keep them going, called "Ketone Bodies". This |
| healthy? Lets try and answer some questions. | | | | leaves the person suffering from a condition called |
| What Exactly Are Carbohydrates? | | | | "Ketosis", symptoms of which are nausea, fatigue |
| Carbohydrates provide our body with energy, and | | | | and foul breath. |
| come in the form of sugars and starches. They | | | | Sounds Scary, So Why Are These Diets Popular? |
| can be divided into 2 groups, simple and complex | | | | Going low carb short term is one way that |
| carbohydrates. You will find the simple kind in | | | | celebrities lose weight in time for a public event, |
| white bread & pasta, fruit and dairy products. | | | | but they do not go on such diets permanently. |
| Complex carbohydrates are found in brown bread | | | | Even the famous Atkins diet, a pioneer of low |
| & pasta and vegetables. Complex carbs are | | | | carb dieting, no longer makes it compulsory to |
| better at providing longer lasting energy because | | | | stay on the low carb diet for a long period. In |
| they take longer to digest. | | | | short, a no/low carbohydrate diet is similar to a |
| What Foods Contain No Carbohydrates? | | | | crash diet - it's a quick fix that some people rely |
| There are very few truly zero carb foods. Most | | | | on for rapid weight loss. |
| unprocessed meat and fish have no | | | | Should I Consider Low Carb Dieting? |
| carbohydrates (processed meat will have carbs | | | | If you are eating too many carbohydrates, then |
| added during the process). Then there are eggs | | | | there is nothing wrong with cutting down on them |
| and cheeses like cheddar, camembert & | | | | as part of a healthy diet. Going low carb the way |
| mozzarella as well as salad vegetables like lettuce, | | | | these types of diet promote however will put an |
| celery & cucmber which are all very low carb | | | | undue strain on the rest of your body, not to |
| foods. | | | | mention starve your brain of its primary source |
| So How Does A Low Carb Diet Work In Practice? | | | | of energy. And as these diets tend to result in a |
| By starving your body of enough carbohydrates | | | | cycle of rapid weight loss followed by weight gain, |
| to fuel its vital functions, your body is forced to | | | | they are not a healthy way to achieve long term |
| use stores of excess fat as the main energy | | | | weight loss. |
| source, and thus leads to weight loss. | | | | |