Low Carb Foods

Low Carb Foods And Carbohydrates

A carbohydrate is one of three food categories. The other two are fat and protein. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for muscle functioning. Foods such as grains and sugars are carbohydrates. It is generally advised that 55 to 60 percent of your daily calories come from carbohydrates, ideally from complex carbohydrates like starches and fiber. For the average 2,000 calorie a day diet that would be about 1,100 calories from carbs.

The Upside

• Rapid weight loss. People switching to a low carb food diet will see a drop in their weight. This can be attributed to the fact that, as with any diet, the dieter is introduced to portion control. Avoiding simple carbohydrates (sugars), while keeping complex carbohydrates (starches and fibers), will help you lose weight, or maintain your weight, without detrimental health effects.

• Diets that focus on low carb foods may be best suited for people with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, sometimes called Syndrome X, is actually four health conditions that occur together to form one syndrome. Obesity, diabetes, abnormal limpid levels and high blood pressure all make up Syndrome X. When insulin resistance occurs, the body’s cells do not respond normally, and so, the pancreas produces more insulin to compensate for this condition. This causes insulin to build up in the blood stream and causes high blood pressure, abnormal levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and contributes to glucose intolerance. For people with insulin resistance, a diet of low carb foods may be prescribed to help address some of these health concerns.

The Down Side

Eating a diet that consists only of low carb and high protein foods, if followed over a prolonged period of time, can have serious effects on your health. While rapid weight loss is usually seen in the early stages of these diets, this can be due to the diuretic effects of the diet itself, and any weight loss would be mostly water weight.

The risk of osteoporosis is increased. Excessive amounts of protein can leach calcium from bones. Cutting complex carbohydrates from your diet means your diet is low in fiber, and this can lead to constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders.

The body uses carbohydrates as fuel. When there are no carbs to burn, the body starts to use muscle as fuel, which causes a state called Ketosis. As well as muscle loss, Ketosis can cause weakness, nausea, dehydration, light-headedness and irritability. Ketosis can be fatal to people with diabetes, and during pregnancy, can cause fetal death or birth defects. Diets that are high in protein and low in carbs can put a tremendous strain on the liver and kidneys. People avoiding carbs and focusing on proteins alone can overlook the fact that the foods they are eating can be high in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

Oatmeal Soup Recipe

For those looking to increase their fiber intake, while keeping their carbs low, oats are a great option. Here is a recipe for oatmeal soup:

• One medium onion diced
• One cup of sliced mushrooms
• Two cloves of garlic minced
• One cup of rolled oats
• Seven cups of vegetable broth
• Two cups of diced tomatoes
• One cup of tomato sauce
• One cup of milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil for ten minuets. Stir in oats, broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer fifteen minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add milk, but make sure that the soup does not come to a boil again.

Often a simple substitution of a starch for a lower carb veggie will suffice to make a recipe low carb, or you can swap out your hamburger bun for a lettuce leaf.