Are Low-Carb Diets Safe?
Lose Weight Safely and Improve Health by Eating Less Carbohydrate
Dec 28, 2008
Low-carb diets have been shown to be successful in helping people shed unwanted weight. This makes the speculation by some about the safety of low-carb diets ironic in light of the obesity epidemic. The health risks associated with being overweight are well-established; people with excess body fat are at a higher risk of developing diseases such as Type II diabetes, heart disease, and liver disease, to name a few.
There are several myths that have grown up around the subject of low-carb diets. Part of the problem with any discussion of diets is that the simple labels applied to them (such as “low-carb,” “low-fat” or “high-protein”) can represent a range of dietary choices. For example, a diet low in carbohydrates may or may not also be low in calories.
About Carbohydrates
Sugar, starch and fibre are different types of carbohydrates. Fibre is indigestible, so it provides no calories; sugars and starches are easy to digest. Sugar and starch molecules are too large to pass into your bloodstream through the lining of your digestive tract. They must first be broken down by digestive enzymes into glucose which is then absorbed.
Eating carbohydrates raises the concentration of glucose in your bloodstream. To counteract this, a hormone called insulin is released from your pancreas. Insulin helps move glucose from the bloodstream into body cells to be used as fuel. It also converts some glucose into glycogen for storage in your muscles and liver. If levels of glucose are higher than needed for the amount of activity you’re doing, the excess is converted to fat and stored.
Criticisms of Low-Carb Diets
Critics of diets low in carbohydrates state that “you need carbs for energy.” This simply isn’t true. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats all represent food sources of energy for your body. Carbohydrate and protein each provide 4 calories of energy for every gram that you eat. Fat provides 9 calories per gram and thus is the highest-density source of energy.
Some fear that reducing carbohydrates may cause hypoglycemia. The human body is very intolerant of changes in glucose levels in the bloodstream. However, you don’t need to eat carbohydrates to maintain that level. The building blocks of protein and fat can be converted into glucose within the body. Low blood sugar actually may be caused by overproduction of insulin following carbohydrate consumption in people who are insulin resistant.
Benefits of Low-Carb Diets
Unlike carbohydrates, proteins and fats have significant roles in the body unrelated to energy. One of the most important is in the growth, repair and maintenance of cells. Every cell in your body has an outer layer called a cell surface membrane that controls what goes in and out of the cell (things like water and nutrients, but also bacteria and viruses). This membrane is made of fat and protein.
Both amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and fatty acids are necessary for the manufacture of hormones in the body. Antibodies, which fight bacteria and viruses, are specialized blood proteins. So in addition to supplying you with energy, fat and protein provide the building materials to keep your body functioning properly. When eaten with limited amounts of carbohydrate, dietary fat is actually beneficial to your health.
The key to making the low-carb way of life work for you is to replace foods rich in carbohydrates with sources of fat and protein to make sure that you maintain your energy levels. Combined with moderate exercise, low-carb eating makes it easy to establish a healthy weight and prevent a variety of diseases.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. It does not replace the advice of the physician who cares for you. All medical advice and information should be considered as incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor.
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