Carbohydrates are organic compounds and are present in all cells and tissues of living organisms. Life is impossible without them. According to their structure, they are divided into simple and complex, the first are fast, with a high glycemic index, they disintegrate instantly, they do not have time to be converted into energy and are deposited under the skin in the form of fat. deposits. A low-carb diet aims to saturate the diet with protein and reduce carbohydrates as much as possible.
Indications for use
Excess weight not only negatively affects a person's appearance, but is also associated with health risks. It brings the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the development of diabetes and is an excessive load on the joints and spine, leading to their pathologies. Therefore, the benefits of a low-carb diet are obvious - to lose excess weight, to prevent the risk of developing diseases or to contribute to their treatment.
Low-carbohydrate diets for type 2 and type 1 diabetes
The absorption of proteins and fats occurs much more slowly than carbohydrates. It helps reduce the release of insulin and is used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The first recommendations for patients when a disease is diagnosed are to lose weight and eat properly. A low glycemic index diet has been shown to be effective in lowering blood glucose levels.
Although type 1 diabetes is insulin dependent and allows hormones to regulate sugar levels based on carbohydrate intake, it is best to avoid spikes through diet. In diabetics of this group, insulin is not produced at all by the pancreas, so its dose must be determined by counting carbohydrates.
When using a low-carbohydrate diet for type 1 diabetes, it is necessary to take this circumstance into account in order not to provoke a hypoglycemic coma.
Low carb diet for high cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty alcohol, 80% of which is produced by the body, the rest comes from food. It is divided into compounds with high and low density. The latter are called "bad cholesterol" because they are deposited on the inner walls of blood vessels, blocking them. This leads to strokes and heart attacks. An active lifestyle, removing bad habits and reducing consumed fats, namely fatty dairy products, butter, meat, help influence their ratio and reduce harmful ones. Raw vegetables and fruits, juices rich in carbohydrates are very useful. Therefore, a low-carb diet cannot be used if you have high cholesterol.
Low carbohydrate diet for hypertension
Hypertension is characterized by an increase in blood pressure and is felt by headaches, ringing in the head, dizziness, nausea, spots before the eyes and rapid heartbeat. In addition to the bad condition, this is fraught with danger to life, because. . . leads to heart failure and hemorrhage.
The causes of the disease are different: from heredity to bad lifestyle, food and excess weight. To lose weight with hypertension, you can use a short-term low-carbohydrate diet if the disease is not accompanied by high cholesterol or is not aggravated by atherosclerosis.
Desirable foods on the table for patients with hypertension are dried apricots, raisins, bananas, honey and vegetables. Restrictions are placed on animal fats, salt and alcohol.
Low carb diet for weight loss
Nutritionists have developed many nutritional systems based on the restriction of carbohydrate consumption. Some of them focus on protein - low-carb protein diets, while others focus on fats - high-fat diets. Let's present some of the most popular.
The essence of a low-carb diet
A low-carbohydrate diet shifts the role of energy source to fats. It is usually derived from glycogen, into which glucose is converted as a result of metabolic reactions. Depleting one's reserves leads to the fact that one's fat reserves begin to be used up.
The essence of the diet is to eliminate fast carbohydrates from the diet, minimize complex ones and saturate the body with protein, fiber and nutrients. His other rules include small and frequent meals, drinking plenty of fluids (a necessary condition for protein absorption), organizing the first meal an hour after waking up, the last 2 hours before bedtime. Sweets, flour, soda, fast food, berries and sweet fruits, marinades, mayonnaise and smoked foods are completely excluded from the diet.
Atkins low carb diet
Its main phase is designed for 2 weeks, but it lasts much longer and promises weight loss of up to 10 kg. Its author, the American cardiologist Robert Atkins, based on research, developed it specifically to fight his excess weight. The diet is also called the "Hollywood" diet because of its successful use by many celebrities.
The main rule of such food is the complete exclusion of carbohydrates from the menu. In fact, it is a protein, because it contains mainly proteins, but fats are not excluded. It is believed that together they promote weight loss.
The Atkins diet consists of 4 phases. The duration of the first is 14 days, during which carbohydrate intake is reduced to 20 g per day. In this phase, serious changes occur in the metabolism, the process of ketosis begins, d. m. th. The body does not produce enough glucose to produce insulin.
In the following stages, carbohydrates are gradually added to the menu every week, while body weight is monitored. As soon as it stops decreasing, take the last amount as the consumption rate.
The advantage of this diet is the lack of hunger, because proteins saturate well.
The low-carb diet of Dr. Bernstein
Designed for diabetics and is a guide for normalizing blood glucose. It was originally developed for himself through trial and error because he suffered from this disease. Thanks to the production of the first glucometers in the factory where he worked, it became possible to track the blood glucose level at different times of the day and identify the pattern of its changes due to food intake and after insulin administration.
It turned out that by maintaining blood glucose levels, you can live and work fully. To achieve recognition for his technique, Bernstein had to train as a physician, publish his theory, and, as proof of it, live with complex diabetes well into adulthood.
Bernstein's low-carb diet is based on a complete ban on foods such as any grains, sugar, low-fat dairy products, berries and fruits. In parallel, insulin (for type 1 diabetes), sugar-lowering medications are used, the dynamics of sugar levels are monitored, and drug doses are adjusted individually.
Enheld Low Carbohydrate Diet
Enheld is a Western nutritionist who has written more than one book on the subject of low-carb and low-fat diets, which have become real bestsellers. A practicing physician, he argues that there is no better way to get rid of extra pounds than by consuming fat and that there is no connection between cardiovascular disease and fatty foods.
The Enhalda diet prohibits sugar substitutes and sweeteners, starchy foods (potatoes, rice, white bread and coffee, even whole grain products), breakfast cereals, soft drinks, beer, margarine, sweet fruits and berries. dry.
But you can have any meat, all kinds of fish, eggs, vegetables that grow on the ground, butter, milk (except low-fat) and milk products, cheeses, nuts, berries. A moderate amount of root vegetables such as carrots, beets and radishes is acceptable.
For those with a sweet tooth, good news will be the message about the benefits of chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa, and alcohol lovers can occasionally afford a little dry wine, cognac or whiskey, the main thingis that they do not contain sugar. .
The low-carb Dukan diet
Dealing with nutrition issues to help his friend fight obesity, Dukan developed a diet that allowed him to lose more than three kilograms in a week. This gave him the impetus to further his activities as a nutritionist. Now his work is successfully used by a large number of people in many countries.
His diet is low in carbohydrates and proteins, the list of allowed foods includes up to 72 items, there are no strict restrictions on the amount eaten, and you can even use spices.
You should also drink plenty, include oat bran in your diet all the time, do moderate exercise and go for walks.
The Dukan diet consists of several phases, the duration of which depends on how much weight you need to lose. So, to get rid of 5 kg, the "attack" of the first stage lasts 2 days, the second "alternation" - 15 days, the third "consolidation" - 50 days. To lose 10 kg, it will take 3, 50 and 100 days respectively, etc. A final "stabilization" is also provided, which contains recommendations for further proper organization of your diet so that you do not regain the lost weight.
The first phase includes a purely protein menu, without fats and carbohydrates, as well as 1. 5 tablespoons of bran every day and plenty of fluids.
In the second, protein foods and protein with vegetables are alternated. This can be a 1/1, 3/3 or 5/5 scheme, depending on how many kilograms you need to lose. A larger gap, accordingly, removes more.
In the third stage - products of the previous ones and a small amount of those previously forbidden, for example, pasta, rice, potatoes, buckwheat, peas, pork and a few slices of bread.
"Stabilization" should be considered as a further method of nutrition to stay at the new weight: drink plenty of fluids, a few spoons of bran, protein and unlimited vegetables, on average 2 of each starchy food per day.
Low carb vegetarian diet
Is a low-carb diet viable for vegetarians, since the usual source of protein (meat, fish, eggs) is unacceptable for them? As a rule, this category of people is not overweight, but they may have intolerance to carbohydrates, forcing them to minimize their consumption.
Typically, vegans get their protein from beans and grains, but they are high in carbohydrates. Hemp seed can be a complete replacement for these products. For its 28g of weight, 16g are protein and they also contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Other foods on the menu include nuts, avocados, lettuce, asparagus, vegetable oil and seaweed.
Low-carb diet during pregnancy
In order for the child to develop fully in the womb, the expectant mother must eat properly and balanced. Any diet suffers from its bias, which means that the fetus will not get something. Therefore, different food groups are needed in the diet: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, microelements, fibers, vitamins. Thus, a low-carbohydrate diet is contraindicated for pregnant women.
Menu for a week on a low-carb diet
In addition to foods rich in carbohydrates, there is a large list of those that you can use to diversify your menu on a low-carb diet. Each food system offers its own scheme, but the menu for the week can be like this:
day 1:
- breakfast - 2 boiled eggs, grapefruit, tea;
- Second breakfast - a piece of cheese, lettuce leaves;
- lunch - boiled chicken breast, vegetable salad;
- afternoon snack - yogurt;
- dinner - baked fish.
Day 2:
- breakfast - cottage cheese casserole, topped with sour cream, coffee;
- Second breakfast - cabbage and carrot salad;
- lunch - fish, asparagus;
- afternoon snack - kefir;
- dinner - grilled meat and vegetables.
day 3:
- breakfast - omelette with vegetables;
- Second breakfast - avocado and shrimp salad;
- lunch - mushroom soup without potatoes with sour cream, a slice of cereal bread;
- afternoon snack - cottage cheese;
- dinner - boiled beef, greens.
day 4:
- breakfast - sugar-free oatmeal with butter;
- Second breakfast - baked sour apples;
- lunch - meatballs, salad;
- afternoon snack - grapefruit;
- dinner - stew with vegetables.
Day 5:
- breakfast - cottage cheese, coffee;
- Second breakfast - salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, dressed with olive oil;
- lunch - chicken, broccoli, cauliflower;
- afternoon snack - yogurt;
- dinner - 2 eggs, vegetable salad.
Day 6:
- breakfast - buckwheat milk porridge;
- Second breakfast - grapefruit;
- lunch - soup with chicken broth, toast;
- afternoon snack - kefir;
- dinner - grilled eggplant, fish.
Day 7:
- breakfast - egg and squid salad, apple;
- Second breakfast - Greek salad;
- lunch - red borscht, bread;
- afternoon snack - grapefruit;
- dinner - baked mackerel with vegetables inside.
Menu for type 2 diabetes
In the case of type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to exclude fast carbohydrates from the menu, because. they lead to a sharp jump in blood glucose. All products whose glycemic index exceeds 50-55 units should not be consumed by the patient. The above menu can be used to feed diabetics. Dietary cooking methods, low-fat varieties of fish and meat, and dairy products are also important.
Low carb diet menu for 2 weeks
For those who like strict methods to achieve weight loss in a short period, there are more strict diets. Low-carb diet menu for 2 weeks (food per day is divided into several meals).
Days:
- 1 - 200 g of chicken meat, 300 ml of vegetable juice, 2 glasses of water, a glass of green tea, herbal decoction (chamomile, lemon balm, rose hip). Drinking is important for every day of the entire diet period;
- 2 - a handful of walnuts, half a grapefruit, tomatoes, a piece of boiled fish, kefir;
- 3 - apple, steamed meat;
- 4 - a portion of stew with vegetables, steamed meatballs with lean meat;
- 5 - boiled egg, pea soup, 150 g of chicken, yogurt;
- 6 - 2 oranges, a glass of milk, an omelet from the whites of 2 eggs;
- 7 - 200 g red fish, vegetable salad, coffee without sugar;
- 8 - a few slices of hard cheese, boiled chicken;
- 9 - vegetable soup, omelette, kefir, coffee;
- 10 - nuts, grapefruit, pilaf with wild rice without meat;
- 11 - 150 g of steamed beef, cabbage and carrot salad;
- 12 - soup with lentils, 100 g of ham, banana, coffee;
- 13 - vegetarian soup, bread;
- 14 - heavy drinks, kefir, nuts.
This diet is only suitable for healthy people. Even for long-term low-carb diets, for example, for a month, you can use the Dukan system and stick to its menu.
Low carb diet recipes
Numerous recipes will show you how to cook on a low-carb diet.
Soups.They can be cooked with either water or broth.
vegetable includes the following ingredients: broccoli, cauliflower, some carrots, tomatoes, onions (potatoes are not used). The heads are divided into bunches, the rest is cut, dipped in boiling water and brought to readiness.Mushroom soup: In the meat broth, add chopped mushrooms, grated processed cheese, onions, and at the end of cooking, add chopped dill.Cabbage soup: Shredded cabbage, sweet peppers, green peas are boiled in seasoned water with a spoonful of olive oil.
Porridge.Important in the diet menu, because. . . They are a source of fiber and many nutrients. For a low-carb diet, you should choose grains with the highest protein content. This includes buckwheat, oats and quinoa, which is not very common in our area. Cook using water or natural unsweetened milk.
Vitamins for a low-carb diet
When you're on a low-carb diet, the body suffers from a lack of vitamin C. Along with B vitamins, it helps break down carbohydrates. Without D, calcium cannot be absorbed. Chromium and zinc are also necessary for metabolic reactions. Therefore, when you are on a low-carbohydrate diet, you cannot take individual vitamins, but choose vitamin-mineral complexes. Consulting a doctor will help with this.
Low-carbohydrate and biguanide diet
Biguanide is a medicine that lowers blood sugar. Diabetics drink it and sometimes take it for weight loss. If the diet already contains low carbohydrates, then what about biguanides? It is recommended to use it to lose weight in diabetes with obesity, aggravated by hypertension, high cholesterol levels, disorders of the cardiovascular system and in other special cases.
The use of the drug can be safe if the calorie intake does not fall below 1200 kcal per day and there should be no alcohol, although with a diet without biguanides, alcoholic beverages with low carbohydrates (dry wine, whiskey, beer with zero carbohydrates)are not prohibited.
They start drinking biguanide with a small dose - 500 mg per day at night, after dinner. After 1-2 weeks it increases and is gradually brought to 1500-2000 mg.
What is possible and what is not?
Many products that can be used in a low-carb diet have already been mentioned more than once above, but to summarize, we remind you:
- meat - beef, veal, rabbit, turkey, chicken, as well as offal;
- vegetables - leafy vegetables, cabbage, zucchini, bell peppers;
- eggs;
- fruit - grapefruit, orange, lemon, currant, blueberry, strawberry, pomegranate, green apple;
- nuts - walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds;
- dairy products - plain yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sour cream, whole milk.
What can't you eat?When following a low-carb diet, you absolutely cannot eat various sausages, sweets, bread and buns, potatoes, rice, oatmeal, pasta, bananas, grapes, dates, figs, sugar. As in any diet, pickles, smoked foods, sweet drinks, jelly, mayonnaise, ketchup and fatty sauces are unacceptable. Cooking methods such as oil frying and deep frying are not suitable.
Contraindications
A low-carbohydrate diet is not recommended for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children and adolescents.
Potential risks
A lack of carbohydrates can lead to dehydration, which puts the liver and kidneys at risk. There is also a lack of fiber, which reduces intestinal motility and causes constipation. Risks associated with the diet include decreased brain activity, calcium deficiency and increased cholesterol.
Another unfortunate side of the low-carb diet is ketosis. It is characterized by an increase in ketones - carbohydrate fragments, a product of the breakdown of fats. They are formed in the liver from fatty acids. Possible complications are associated with the possibility of intoxication of the body, damage to vital organs: liver and kidneys.
hearing
According to reviews from those who used a low-carb diet to lose weight, they actually managed to lose weight. Sometimes the result reached 10 kg in a month. Many noticed that it was much easier than others, because. . . not limited to protein or fat (depending on which one is chosen).
Another advantage they note is that after finishing you do not throw yourself into the food. By observing moderation, you can maintain your existing weight for a long time.