No-Carb Diet: Benefits, Downsides, and Foods List
A no-carb diet is the latest version of a low-carbohydrate diet. Eliminate almost all sugars, including whole grains, fruits, and most vegetables.
While studies show that reducing your carbohydrate intake can help you shed pounds and have health benefits, cutting out carbohydrates completely is extremely limited and likely unnecessary.
This article provides a detailed description of any no-carb diet, including potential benefits, drawbacks, and foods to avoid.
What is a No-Carb Diet?
Eating a no-carbohydrate diet is one way to eliminate possible digestible carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body. They are found in grains, beans, kidney beans, fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, pasta, bread, and baked goods.
Therefore, someone on a no-carbohydrate diet should avoid most of these foods and should instead eat primarily protein or fat foods such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese, oil, and butter.
There is no strict rubric for any carbohydrate diet. Some people who follow it eat nuts and seeds, starchy vegetables, and high-fat fruits like avocado and coconut.
Although these foods contain some sugars, they are rich in fiber. Therefore, they have only a small amount of digestible or net carbohydrates that are calculated by subtracting the amount of fiber from the total amount of carbohydrates.
A no-carb diet is similar to a ketogenic diet, limiting your carbohydrate intake to less than 30 grams per day and encouraging you to get 70% of your daily calories or 70% from fat.
Depending on what you choose to eat, the no-carb diet may be more restrictive than the keto.
SUMMARY:
A no-carb diet basically encourages foods that contain protein and fat rather than forbidding carbohydrates. In some cases, you can also eat foods rich in fiber.
How to follow No- Carb Diet
Some online sources recommend keeping your net carbohydrate intake at 20-50 grams per day on a net carbohydrate diet, but there is no specific range of macronutrients or any established protocol.
Simply put, when you are on a carb-free diet, you avoid all carbohydrate-rich foods.
In particular, you should exclude whole grains and refined grains, baked goods, fruits, milk, yogurt, beans, lemons, pasta, bread, sugar-sweetened beverages, and starchy vegetables such as peas and the corn.
Foods and beverages approved on a no-carb diet include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, oil, water, and coffee or tea.
If you are less strict, you can also eat nuts, seeds, starchy vegetables, and high-fat fruits such as avocado and coconut, as these foods are low in net carbs.
Since this diet tends to limit specific macronutrients, there are no recommendations for daily calorie intake or portion sizes.
SUMMARY:
A no-carb diet removes sugary foods from sugars, baked goods, and fruits, and instead encourages protein and fatty foods.
Can it help you lose weight?
In general, reducing your carbohydrate intake can help you lose weight.
Protein or fatty carbohydrate replacement helps you feel fuller and eat fewer calories overall which in turn promotes weight loss.
Additionally, a very low-carbohydrate diet often promotes rapid weight loss in the first few weeks due to the rapid weight loss of water. This is because each gram of carbohydrate contains about three grams of water in your body.
A study of 799 obese adults found that within months, those who resisted carbohydrate intake of less than 30 grams per day lost about 6.8 pounds (4 kg) more calories per day than those who resisted less than 30% of fat.
Other studies provide similar results and suggest that following a ketogenic or very low carbohydrate diet for more than 12 months may lead to more sustainable weight loss than a low fat diet.
However, there is a mixture of research. Some studies have shown that a low-carbohydrate diet is not as effective for long-term weight loss as other eating methods, which also reduces low-calorie intake, such as a reduced fat diet.
With these results in mind, taking a carb diet can lead to weight loss at least in the short term.
However, weight loss does not require complete elimination of carbohydrates. Gradually reduce your carbohydrate intake and more importantly, reduce your total calorie intake is a less preventive way to lose weight.
SUMMARY:
A low carbohydrate diet rich in protein and fat can reduce your total calorie intake and reduce weight. However, no diet other than carbohydrates is required to achieve these results.
Other benefits of a No-Carb Diet
There are no studies on diets that completely eliminate carbohydrates, but studies on very low-carb and ketogenic diets suggest that they may have several benefits.
Can benefit heart health
Reducing your carbohydrate intake can improve heart disease.
In particular, a very low carbohydrate diet has been shown to lower blood triglyceride levels. Elevated triglyceride levels can increase your risk of heart disease.
A study of overweight men found that reducing carbohydrate intake by 10% of daily calories for 12 weeks reduced triglyceride levels by 39% compared to baseline levels.
Other studies have shown that a very low-carbohydrate diet can also increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels, which helps protect against heart disease.
Yet more research is needed.
May improve blood sugar control
Carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and sugar, help control blood sugar, which can be especially helpful for people with diabetes.
Some studies have shown that low carb and ketogenic diets are effective in lowering blood sugar levels.
A 6-month study of 49 obese adults with type 2 diabetes found that those who followed the Keto diet had significantly lower hemoglobin A1C, a measure of average blood sugar, than those who did not follow the chemogenic diet.
Reducing your carbohydrate intake can help prevent blood sugar and therefore help prevent complications of diabetes. However, you do not need to completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. In fact, high carbohydrate diets can also help control diabetes.
Other Potential Benefits
Other potential benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet include:
Low blood pressure. Some studies suggest that reducing carbohydrate intake helps lower blood pressure.
Reducing abdominal fat. Limited research indicates that a very low-carbohydrate diet is better than a low-fat diet to reduce belly fat, a type of fat associated with inflammation and certain diseases.
The risk of metabolic syndrome is low. Reducing your carbohydrate intake can prevent some of the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, such as high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and belly fat.
SUMMARY:
Following a very low-carbohydrate diet can improve heart health and blood sugar control. However, you don't have to cut carbohydrates completely to experience these benefits.
The Disadvantages of a No Carb Diet
A no-carb diet can have many drawbacks.
It can cause constipation and low energy.
Since a no-carbohydrate diet limits fruits, most vegetables, beans, and whole grains, it can be very low in fiber.
Fiber is important for digestion because it helps maintain intestinal regularity. For this reason, a diet without carbohydrates can cause constipation and indigestion.
Also, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body. Therefore, a diet without carbohydrates can lead to less energy and fatigue, especially in the beginning.
The metabolic changes that take place in your body when you reduce carbohydrates can lead to poor mental function, nausea, and short-term sleep disturbances.
There may be some malnutrition
No carbohydrate-free diet can provide adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals such as potassium, vitamin B, and vitamin C, which are abundant in the diet of fruits, vegetables, and other plants.
Additionally, limiting carbohydrates can lead to increased urination, resulting in sodium and potassium deficiencies over time.
Eating a balanced diet with a variety of foods can help ensure that you get the nutrients you need. In addition, it is more sustainable in the long term than any diet without carbohydrates.
Restrict limited with unknown long-term effects
There are inadequate studies on the long-term effects of very short carbohydrate diets, so the long-term effects of any no-carbohydrate diet are particularly difficult to predict.
Due to this lack of research, eating a carbohydrate-free diet for a prolonged period can have serious health consequences.
Since a no-carb diet is highly regulatory, very high in fat, and not well researched for protection, it is not suitable for eating disorders, children, pregnant or lactating women who are overly responsive to cholesterol.
SUMMARY:
A no-carbohydrate diet is high in fiber and restricts foods rich in vitamins and minerals to most plant foods. This can lead to constipation, low energy, and possible micronutrient deficiencies.
Must Eat Food
Generally approved foods on a no-carb diet include:
Low carb meat and animal products: chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, bison, pork, eggs, butter, chicken, cheese
Seafood: Salmon, Tilapia, Cod, Shrimp, Sardines, Herring, Crab
Season: herbs and spices
Calorie-free drinks: water, black coffee and natural tea
Nuts and seeds (those with low net sugar content): Almonds, walnuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pesto, cashews
Non-starchy vegetables (low in sugar): broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, cauliflower, spinach, rutabagas, turnips, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, mushrooms.
High-fat fruits: coconut, avocado
SUMMARY:
A no-carbohydrate diet restricts foods high in sugar and relies primarily on meats, dairy, seafood, and low-carbohydrate foods.
To Avoid Food
A no-carb diet is extremely restrictive and eliminates several food groups such as:
Cereals: rice, iron, barley, quinoa, wheat, bread, pasta
Sweet and baked goods: cakes, cookies, candy, soda, sweet drinks.
Fruits: apples, oranges, bananas, berries, kiwis, pears.
Starchy vegetables: peas, corn, squash, potatoes
Beans and legumes: black beans, kidney beans, lentils, lentils
Dairy: milk and yogurt
Condiments with added sugar: tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, salad dressings.
Alcohol: beer, wine, alcohol, sugary drinks
SUMMARY:
Foods restricted to a no-carbohydrate diet include grains, sweets, baked goods, fruits, starchy vegetables, beans, milk, yogurt, and alcohol.
Sample Menu
Here's a five-day sample for a no-carb diet.
DAY 1
Breakfast: eggs,sliced avocado, bacon
Lunch: romaine lettuce with ground turkey, cheese, and olive oil dressing
Dinner: salmon, side of sunflower seeds, zucchini noodles
Snacks: beef jerky, cheese
DAY 2
Breakfast: eggs,bell pepper strips, steak
Lunch: tuna-fish lettuce wraps, carrots dipped in mashed avocado
Dinner: lamb chops, spinach salad with walnuts and olive oil dressing
Snacks: pistachios, hard-boiled eggs
DAY 3
Breakfast: eggs, turkey sausage, avocado
Lunch: scallops, Brussels sprouts roasted with Parmesan cheese
Dinner: pork chops, roasted tomatoes, and turnips
Snacks: sunflower seeds, brie
DAY 4
Breakfast: eggs with shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, jalapeño
Lunch: turkey burger patties with rutabaga fries
Dinner: meatballs and zucchini noodles with roasted tomatoes
Snacks: sardines, macadamia nuts
DAY 5
Breakfast: cheesy eggs with broccoli, chicken sausage
Lunch: flank steak and arugula salad with olive oil dressing, cashews
Dinner: coconut-crusted shrimp, mushrooms,and roasted asparagus
Snacks: avocado, turkey jerky
SUMMARY:
A no-carbohydrate diet is extremely limited and relies primarily on animal foods and very low-carbohydrate plant foods.
BOTTOM LINE
A no-carb diet eliminates almost all carbs and encourages a high intake of fats and proteins.
It can enhance weight loss, heart health and blood sugar control. Still, cutting all the carbs is unnecessary for these benefits.
Also, this diet can lower energy levels and increase the risk of malnutrition.
Instead, aim for a balanced diet with a variety of foods.
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