Low Carb Crib - Low Carb Diet

Low Carb Diet

Are you riding the low carb diet wave? If not, you probably know someone who is or who has. In fact, in 2003 AC Nielsen found that 17% of U.S. households someone who is currently on a low carb diet, and 19% of U.S. households reported that someone in the household was on a low carb diet at one time. Low carb diets are definitely popular, but are they good for you?

Is a Low Carb Diet Healthy?

You probably already know that a low carb diet is an effective way to lose weight--at least in the short term. Oodles of studies have been done to determine if, after a year, people on a low carb diet lost more, less or the same amount as people on a slower, low calorie diet. In the first six months, the low carb dieters took the lead. But at the end of the study, the same amount of weight was lost by both groups. But the benefit goes to the the low calorie dieters. Their weight may have come off slowly, but they are more likely to keep it off that way. And people on a low carb diet often get tired of carb counting and feel it's too restrictive. After all, people on a low carb diet really cut out desserts and sweets almost entirely, and they get very limited amounts (if any--depending on which low carb diet it is) of bread, rice, pasta and cereal. In some cases, milk is even a no-no. And that's just a bad idea for bone health--especially in women. People on a low calorie diet get to have foods from each food group, but they have to watch their portion size and learn to make healthier choices.

Side Effects of a Low Carb Diet

One of the side effects of a low carb diet is that people often report feeling tired. Most people don't feel like exercising. But on a low calorie diet, people do have the energy to exercise. No matter what kind of diet you're on, exercise is going to help you lose even more weight.

Other side effects of a low carb diet include bad breath due to ketosis (a state where your body is expelling ketones that are released into the bloodstream when your body is burning fat) and grouchiness. Some doctors even report that being on a low carb diet for a long period of time can lead to heart problems because of the saturated fat intake (even though it does tend to lower cholesterol) and possible kidney damage.

Before you make the decision to go low-carb, read more about it so you know what you're getting yourself into.

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