What is a Low Carb Diet?

The Basics...

People diet for two primary reasons, to lose weight, or to improve health--or both. If you are a healthy adult who is not overweight and who has no family members who are obese, the food pyramid recommendations of the USDA will work fine, as long as you remember that the carbohydrates that are recommended are those contained in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. However, even those who are healthy and who are not overweight can maintain their health and vitality by following a reduced carbohydrate lifestyle. (See Syndrome-X, below).

For those who are overweight, or who have diabetes, the low-calorie and low-fat diets recommended by the government do not work well. In fact, for diabetics, they can actually worsen the condition. The only diet that strikes at the real cause of obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, and type 2 diabetes is a low-carbohydrate diet. Many doctors and nutritionists are now starting to recognize this.

There are many different versions of the low-carb diet, such as Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, Protein Power, Neanderthin, The Carbohydrate Addict's Lifestyle Plan, Life Without Bread, and others. All of them, however, have one thing in common -- a very strict reduction in the consumption of carbohydrates. Most low-carb diets replace carbohydrates with fats and proteins. Although diets vary in their recommendations, as a general rule, a low-carb diet is synonymous with a high-fat and moderate protein diet. Those on a low-carb diet should get at least 60 to 70 percent of their daily calorie intake from fat. Carbohydrates should make up less than 10 percent, and in some cases, less than 5 percent of your daily calorie intake.

After being told for years to eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate "balanced" diet, Americans are now the fattest people on Earth, and getting fatter every year! The occurrences of adult-onset diabetes is also increasing. We now know, because research has shown, that fat is not the enemy -- carbohydrates are.

On a low-carb diet, you can eat until you're full, as long as you eat only allowed foods. Allowed foods are meats, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese, plus a limited amount of green vegetables. Stay away from foods that are on the "Not Allowed" list.

source : http://wilstar.com/lowcarb/