Now of days, the low carb diet craze seems to be present everywhere, especially within the topic of weight loss and the several fad diets that are out there. Diets such as Atkins, South Beach, and other low or no-carb diets may lead to quick and dramatic weight loss, but are these methods actually healthy for you? While some would say that they are more interested in weight loss than health, there are some important facts to understand about the overall health risks of a low carb diet. Read on to see how going too low in carbs can lead to adverse and unintended health effects.
The importance of Carbohydrates in your Daily Diet
A balanced diet is composed of three main macronutrients, which include, protein, fats and carbohydrates. So not only are carbs (the right kind of carbs) not bad for you, but they are essential for your body to be able to function properly. Carbohydrates are particular necessary for energy. This is not just the energy that you may need to get through your workout, but even at the more basic level for functions like your heartbeat, digestion and breathing – pretty important stuff.
The reason why carbs may get such a bad rap is due to the fact that there are two different forms of carbs: simple and complex. The simple type is basically just refined sugar and has little to no nutritional value. A few examples of foods that contain simple carbs are sugar, white flour, milk and many other processed items. This has sadly given all carbs a bad reputation. Complex carbs, on the other hand, are filled with fiber, vitamins and minerals and are used for fuel. Another benefit is the fact that they are digested slower in the body, which can mean you feel fuller for longer periods of time, which is great for weight loss. You can find complex carbohydrates in foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grain items. See what kind of supplements you can take here.
Health Risks of a Low Carb Diet
Regardless of the health information given, it is clear that many people will still stay away from all carbs in fear of packing on the pounds. If the nutritional benefits have not moved you, maybe some of the following health risks will motivate you to incorporate healthy carbs into your diet.
Short-Term Effects
Weight Gain: Yes, that’s right, with your efforts to lose weight by giving up carbs completely, you may actually be putting yourself at risk to gain weight. This may be because you feel hungrier without a sensible amount of carbs in your system. Not to mention, even if you lose weight successfully in the beginning of a low carb diet, you may gain back all of that weight once you return to a normal diet.
Brain Fog: Your mental state can also suffer as a result of low-carb dieting, very soon after you begin this type of diet. Usually within the first couple of days, you can begin to feel a bit foggy, forgetful or confused due to the low glucose available in your body. You are also likely to be more irritable and unpleasant to be around.
Long-Term Effects
Hypoglycemia: This occurs when someone’s blood sugar has dropped to inappropriate levels. This can leave the person feeling faint, weak, tired, and confused. This is dangerous not only for diabetics, but for healthy adults as well. Eating a small amount of carbs can reverse some of these hypoglycemic symptoms.
Ketosis: This is another common condition that can occur when one eats too few carbohydrates. It is because ketones can build up in the body when carbs are not present. Symptoms include fatigue, bad breath, nausea and headaches. In long-term, more severe cases, ketosis can lead to swelling of the joints and even kidney stones.
Other side effects of low carb diets
Constipation: Because of the lack of fiber and dehydration, you are more likely to be constipated on a low carb diet.
Low energy: This is another immediate effect. As mentioned earlier, carbs are your body’s first go-to source for fuel, so if you are on a weight loss journey, you may not have the energy to make it through your workouts.
Hormonal imbalance: Because you are not feeding your body all of the proper nutrients it needs, some of the basic elements and functions can be thrown off, hormones being one of them. This may lead to mental conditions, such as feelings of depression among other hormone-related health risks.
Other Long-Term Effects: Maintaining a continuous low-carb diet can leave you prone to even bigger health risks like gout, osteoporosis, heart disease and certain cancers. These are all reasons why your focus should be on health, rather than short-term weight loss.
How to maintain a healthy amount of carbs
Long-term weight loss is all about finding balance and consuming things in moderation. You will want to include the appropriate amounts of complex “good” carbs, like fruit (2-3 daily servings), vegetables (3-5 daily servings) and whole grains (6-11 daily servings). In addition to this, you will want to limit the amounts of simple carbohydrates juices, foods with white refined flour, fried items, etc. (less than 2 servings per day). Things that you will want to have only every now and then include sweets like candies, cakes and pastries, ships, jams, jellies and soda.
With health as your main priority, you cannot go wrong. Rather than putting yourself on a low/no-carb pathway with multiple risks, aim to eat the right kinds of carbs in the right doses. In order to lose weight, you should be mindful of both the quantity and quality of food that enters your mouth. Stick with this healthy, balanced mantra, and you will be bound to succeed.