Low-carb diet: Can it help you lose weight?

Definition

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates — such as those found in grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit — and emphasizes foods high in protein and fat. Many types of low-carb diets exist. Each diet has varying restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates you can eat.

Purpose

A low-carb diet is generally used for weight loss. Some low-carb diets may have health benefits beyond weight loss, such as reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Why you might follow a low-carb diet

• Low-Carb Diets Reduce Your Appetite

Dieting's most common side effect is hunger.

It is one of the main reasons why many people are dissatisfied and eventually give up.

Low-carbohydrate diets, on the other hand, cause a decrease in appetite.

Studies show that when people cut carbs and eat more protein and fat, they consume far fewer calories.

• Low-Carb Diets Lead to More Weight Loss at First

One of the simplest and most effective ways to lose weight is to cut carbs.

Studies show that people who follow a low-carb diet lose weight more quickly than those who follow a low-fat diet, even when the latter is actively restricting calories.

This is because low-carb diets cause your body to expel excess water, lowering insulin levels and causing rapid weight loss in the first week or two.

People who restrict their carbs lose 2–3 times as much weight — without being hungry — in studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets.

In one study of obese adults, a low-carb diet was found to be more effective than a traditional weight loss diet for up to six months. The difference in weight loss between diets became insignificant after that.

• A Greater Proportion of Fat Loss Comes From Your Abdominal Cavity

Your body's fat isn't all created equal.

How fat affects your health and disease risk is determined by where it is stored.

Subcutaneous fat, which is found beneath the skin, and visceral fat, which is found in the abdominal cavity and is common in overweight men, are the two main types.

Visceral fat is a type of fat that collects around your internal organs. Excess visceral fat is linked to inflammation and insulin resistance, which may be at the root of today's metabolic dysfunction.

Low-carb diets are extremely effective in reducing this dangerous abdominal fat. In fact, it appears that the abdominal cavity accounts for a greater portion of the fat lost on low-carb diets.

• Triglycerides Tend to Drop Drastically

Triglycerides are fat molecules that circulate throughout the body.

High fasting triglycerides — levels in the blood after an overnight fast — are well known to be a strong risk factor for heart disease.

Carbohydrate consumption, particularly simple sugar fructose, is one of the main causes of elevated triglycerides in sedentary people.

When people cut carbs, their blood triglycerides drop dramatically.

Low-fat diets, on the other hand, frequently cause triglyceride levels to rise.

• Effective Against Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a syndrome that has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Metabolic syndrome is, in fact, a collection of symptoms that include:

Abdominal obesity
Elevated blood pressure
Elevated fasting blood sugar levels
High triglycerides
Low “good” HDL cholesterol levels

A low-carb diet, on the other hand, is extremely effective at treating all five of these symptoms.

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