Low-carb-weight-loss
From Diet Fitness Wiki
A diet that is low in carbohydrates has been shown in numerous studies to reliably effect weight loss while reducing cardiovascular risk factors, particular plasma triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. This article will briefly describe the mechanisms whereby these biological effects take place and mention some of the other benefits of a low carb diet.
Low carb diet is not a fad diet
The popular media has recently characterized carbohydrate restriction as a "dangerous fad diet." This is simply not the case. Carbohydrate restriction has been documented in the medical literature as the primary treatment for obesity for over 200 years. This only changed in the 1970s following the USDA's updated dietary recommendations prompted physicians in the US to begin recommending increased carbohydrate consumption and decreased fat consumption. Despite these guidelines being integrated into all kinds of weight loss advice that people are putting into practice all over the place, obesity levels have risen to epidemic proportions since that time. Not only that, but obesity levels have actually increased in direct proportion to the decrease in dietary fat consumption among the general population. This is why you should be extremely wary of any tips to lose weight that suggest you should cut fat from your diet, since this has been shown to have dangerous effects on your health.
How carbs make people fat
This is because all carbohydrates break down into simple sugars. Sugar, when absorbed into the bloodstream, causes the body to release insulin. This in turn induces the body's cells to absorb the sugar from the blood and to store it in the form of fat. Therefore, more sugar in your diet causes more fat in your body.
How low carb induces weight loss
The opposite is also true. When there is less sugar in your blood, there will also be lower insulin levels. Low levels of insulin cause your cells to essentially open up their gates, allowing stored fats to be released from storage and used as fuel. Therefore, less sugar in your diet causes a loss of body fat.
Additional benefits of a low carb lifestyle
In addition to fat loss, a low carb weight loss plan also stimulates your body's natural fat-burning machinery, causing the free fats that are in your bloodstream (triglycerides) to be used as fuel. This is a very good thing when you realize that greater amounts of triglyceride in the blood are strongly associated with arterial blockage and subsequent risk of cardiovascular events. Although the low carb diet tends to be higher in cholesterol due to its natural emphasis on foods like meat, cheese, and eggs, it has been shown to substantially reduce levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol while increasing HDL "good" cholesterol levels.
Furthermore, high insulin levels have been shown to be a major risk factor for cardiovascular events. This is thought to be due to the direct effects of the insulin itself on smooth muscle tissue--essentially, insulin poisoning. The low carb diet effectively eliminates this risk factor.