by Mychau Hoang
The latest trend in weight loss is the use of low carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins diet and Ketogenic Diet. 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 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 making an individual feel less sluggish and tired.
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.
This article helps dispel some of the fact from the fiction, and hopefully provides a healthy way to successful weight loss.
Carbohydrates may be classified into four groups
Carbohydrates have many fundamental roles in the body, the most important being the primary source of energy for the body cells. Glucose, which the body produces from carbohydrates, is the primary source of energy in many cells, especially of the nervous and brain cells.
To understand the importance of carbohydrate in the diet, it is also necessary to understand the role of insulin in carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
After a meal, carbohydrates are broken down in the small intestine and glucose is released into the bloodstream. Blood glucose levels increase significantly and this raises the alarm to the pancreas to secrete the hormone insulin.
The primary role of insulin is to remove blood glucose from the bloodstream and to stimulate the uptake of glucose into muscle tissue and the liver for storage as glycogen. It is necessary to store glucose as glycogen in the body as it is used to preserve energy during the day for activities ranging from sitting down quietly to exercising as well as ensuring that the brain and nervous system always have a constant supply for normal function as it is the preferred source of energy.
During periods of fasting, or when there is a low carbohydrate intake, other hormones such as glucagon are stimulated, releasing glucose from muscle tissue and the liver into the bloodstream to restore it to normal concentrations.
When insulin is low concentrations, the body turns to the oxidation of fatty acids for its primary fuel source instead of the desired glucose (leading to ketosis). Many people view insulin as a "bad guy" as they believe that it promotes fat storage.
This is true to a certain extent, as an important role of insulin is to stimulate fatty acid clearance from the bloodstream and into adipose tissue. In theory, if there are low levels of insulin, there will be more fatty acids in the bloodstream and less in the body tissue resulting in the use of fatty acids as energy instead of glucose.
This approach to weight loss may succeed for a short period of time, yet there are many disadvantages to this method of losing weight. One disadvantage is the development of ketones, as the fatty acid breakdown is incomplete. For people, especially with untreated diabetes type 1, excessive production of ketones is extremely harmful, and effects include dehydration, ion imbalance, coma and even death in extreme cases.
Nutritionists and doctors have yet to defy the theory that if an individual consumes more calories than the body needs, they will ultimately gain weight, regardless of where the calories come from.
Therefore, a nutritionally balanced diet, in addition to exercise would provide the body with all the vitamins, minerals and energy requirements for an individual whilst also promoting weight loss.
Furthermore, a diet of this type would have far less restrictions and possible health risks associated to it than the low carbohydrate diet, which limits essential vitamins and minerals for the body's needs.
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. For long term weight loss and to maintain the desired body weight, the greatest gains will come from a nutritionally balanced diet as well as exercise.
The benefits and disadvantages of using low carbohydrate diets can be viewed in table below.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Quick initial weight loss | Health problems arising from high protein diet, eg osteoporosis |
| Diets includes foods such as creams, butter, meats, and cheeses | Bad breath |
| There is no restriction on proportion size | Difficulties of sustaining such a restrictive diet |
| Limiting common carbohydrate foods such as breads, cereals, pasta and rice. | |
| Reduction of dietary fibre and foods that have known protective agents from heart disease. | |
| Constipation | |
| Low energy and poor concentration |