Low-Carb Diets: Guidelines, Safe Way, and Foods To Eat and Avoid -Carbohydrates are a type of nutrient can be obtained from different types of foods and beverages in the form of flour and sugar.
A low-carb diet is a diet that limits carbohydrate intake, or adapts it to your daily needs and activities. It is beneficial to maintain weight and prevent obesity.
There are different types of diets with low carbohydrate principles, for example ketogenic diets, eco-Atkins, Hollywood diets, zone diets, Dukan diets, Paleo diets and so on.
Each type of diet has certain rules with the same principle: carbohydrate intake should be low.
Low carb diet main guidelines
A low-carb diet itself has no specific definition, simply reducing carbohydrate intake than usual. In general, healthy older persons are recommended to consume carbohydrates of about 300-400 grams per day. While on a diet, carbohydrate intake can be reduced by half or about 150-200 grams.
Carbohydrate reduction should be adjusted to activity patterns, and done slowly in weekly or monthly counts. Avoid lowering your carb intake too much if you are active at a high intensity. Too low carbohydrates will lower metabolism and it can lose muscle mass. The decrease in carbohydrate intake should also be balanced by adequate protein and fiber intake.
Low carb diet safe way
Drink more water
When on low-carb diets, the body will experience metabolic changes.
People who go on a low carb diet and replace it with high fat consumption, the body will experience ketosis.
Ketosis is a condition in which the human body produces ketones for use as fuel, because there is no longer any fuel from carbohydrates.
This ketone will then be excreted by the body through urine. The higher the ketone content in the body, the more it should be removed through urine. The risk of dehydration becomes higher. Therefore, drink more to avoid the possibility of dehydration.
Don’t forget the fiber
Fiber does belong to the carbohydrate group, but fiber cannot be absorbed by the body, does not produce energy, and does not affect blood sugar levels.
Fiber instead keeps the body from constipation, one of the side effects that often arises when a person changes his diet.
An example of a source of fiber is vegetables. Vegetables contain low carbohydrates, but contain a lot of fiber that the body desperately needs.
Fiber and water content in vegetables provide content from the stomach so that it is fuller faster. The hypothalamus (the area of the brain that receives signals to stop eating) gets a “full” message in response to the full condition of food in the stomach.
If we eat a lot of vegetables, the brain will immediately receive that message. We will feel full and less likely to eat much.
Meet the needs of fiber, at least 25 grams for older women, and 38 grams for older males.
Don’t overeat
When a person is on low-carb diets, it does not mean that the consumption of protein and fat can be as much as possible.
Consuming excessive meat and cheese not only carries a risk to health, but can also increase weight, because they contain high calories. Eat when you’re hungry and stop before you’re full.
Other safe ways:
- Give the body a period of adaptation when just starting a diet.
- Regular exercise.
- Always consume fruit and vegetables.
Low carb diet food to eat
When on a low carb diet, consume freshly processed foods instead of frozen foods or packaged foods. Here are examples of foods that are low in carbohydrate content.
- Meat: beef, chicken, lamb and more
- Fish: salmon and fish caught from the wild, not cultivated
- Eggs: omega 3 enriched eggs will be better
- Vegetables: such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots
- Fruit: apple, orange, pear, strawberry
- Nuts: almonds and sunflower seeds
- Dairy products: cheese, yogurt, butter
- Healthy fats: coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil.
When undergoing a low carb diet, keep a limit on the consumption of cheese and nuts.
Low carb diet foods to avoid
Here’s a list of foods we should avoid while on a low carb diet:
- Sugar: soda, fruit juice, sweets, ice cream, and other intake with lots of added sugars
- Processed oats: rice, bread, cereals and pasta
- Trans fats: cooking oil
- Packaged food products labeled low in fat: many products are low in fat, but high in sugar
- Packaged foods: processed foods such as sausages, meatballs, or anything made in the factory
- Vegetables containing starch: red beans, corn, and potatoes
Read also:
Effects of low carb diet on the body
Thank you very much for reading Low-Carb Diets: Guidelines, Safe Way, and Foods To Eat and Avoid, hopefully useful.
