Low-Carbohydrate Diets Improve Health – Fad or Fact?
There is so much to unpack here, so in an effort to not bore you, I’ll keep it simple and to the point (as much as possible.)
What is the hype around low-carb diets? Does eating low carbohydrate actually improve health, or is this just another fad diet that people inherit to meet a weight loss goal
The answer is yes and no. Carbohydrates can get a bad rap because a lot of the “junk food” does fall into the “carb” category. But, the word “carbohydrate” is much more than doughnuts, cookies, refined breads and pastas. There are also whole grains, vegetables, and fruits that fall under the carbohydrate label, and these are undoubtedly beneficial to our health.
Even with the beneficial carbohydrates, we need to be aware of what is happening systemically in the body. When consuming carbohydrate foods, the food turns to glucose (a form of sugar) upon entering our systems. The higher the glycemic index, the more sugar that enters the bloodstream. Glucose is our bodies’ main source of fuel used for energy. Most cells prefer to use blood sugar (glucose). It’s what will get used first. And there is a plethora of nutrients and minerals in carbohydrate foods.
So, there is a place for it, but at what amount? Active children and athletes (or anyone who is very physically active) would likely need more carbs in their diets, because they are needing more glucose for fuel. But when blood sugar is chronically high from too many carbohydrates, and mostly the processed ones, our pancreas is constantly putting out insulin to get our blood sugar to regulate. When this happens, we can develop insulin resistance. Imagine too much loud noise for too long, and so you eventually have to put in ear plugs. The ear plugs are like your insulin receptors finally blocking out the insulin (the noise) because there’s been too much insulin for too long. Your body has become resistant to it. This, in turn, creates metabolic syndrome, a major problem in today’s society.
But here’s the good news about low carbohydrate eating. Our bodies also use ketones for energy. Ketones are produced in the body when fat is metabolized, and ketones are a “cleaner” and more efficient source of energy. In fact, our bodies turn to ketones for energy when glucose is no longer readily available. The body can start breaking down stored fat to use for energy, thus the weight loss benefit. You’ve probably heard of the ketogenic diet. It has become very popular lately, and there is a reason why. Read on…
Ketogenic diets usually have a macronutrient ratio of around: 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbohydrate. As you can see, a ketogenic diet is a low carb diet. The standard American diet probably looks more like this ratio: 20% fat, 20% protein, 60% carbohydrate (mostly processed and refined). And with the past fifty years of low-fat diets, people’s fat intakes have been very low - nowhere close to the ketogenic diet. So, this is quite a shift in the diet culture. Scientific studies have shown ketogenic diets are beneficial for:
· obesity
· type 2 diabetes
· seizures in children
· neurological disorders
So, there’s no need to fear carbohydrates, unless you fall into one of the above health problems. In that case you could try a ketogenic diet temporarily. But eat your carbohydrates, mostly in the form of leafy greens and other vegetables, and make sure they are as seasonal, organic, unrefined, and local as you can get them. And balance your carbohydrates with healthy fats and sustainably sourced proteins.
So, the bottom line is… EVERYTHING IN BALANCE.
And balancing each meal with carbohydrates, fats and proteins is very important. Why cut out a whole macro-nutrient? We need carbohydrates – some of us need more than others. Listen to your body and experiment with different foods and macro-nutrient ratios. If you need help, let me know!
