Do You Think the Low-Carbohydrate Diet is Healthy?

Hello my name is Diana and I am doing a research project on the low-carbohydrate diets and could use some information from the experts. I was wondering if you think the low-carbohydrate diet is healthy? Why or why not?

Thanks.

Diana - About.com User

Are Low-Carb Diets Healthy?

I think low-carb diets can be either healthy or unhealthy depending on the foods you choose. A low-carb diet that consists mostly of fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, lots of greens and green vegetables, nuts and seeds plus plenty of water is very healthy. A diet like this would provide the vitamins and minerals you need, plenty of protein and not a lot of added chemicals and food additives that may not be good for you.

A low-carb diet full of processed meats, too much cheese, unhealthy fats, and the low-carb snacks sweetened with alcohol sugars is not a healthy diet.

Most processed meats such as sausage, bacon, hot dogs and some sliced meat have nitrites that may combine with other substances to form N-Nitroso compounds in the body. These compounds may be part of the reason why eating processed meats has been associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer.

Red meat and low-carb snacks like pork rinds are very high in saturated fat, which is the type of animal fat that is bad for your heart.

Low-carb snacks are fine to eat occasionally, but many of them are sweetened with alcohol sugars that tend to cause gas, abdominal cramps and they can still be fairly high in calories.

One big positive component of low-carb diets is the removal of sugar and refined carbohydrates from foods such as white bread from the diet. Sugary foods generally have a lot of calories and not much nutritional value.

Some possible problems with low-carb dieting are lack of dietary fiber and deficient amounts of calcium or vitamin C. A low-carb diet with lots of low-carb vegetables and berries will take care of the fiber and vitamin C need, but taking a calcium supplement may be beneficial.

Tips for a Healthy Low-Carb Diet

• eat lots of green vegetables daily like asparagus, broccoli and green beans
• try several varieties of delicious greens and lettuce with low-carb dressings
• choose fish over red meat that is high in saturated fat
• drink plenty of water
• berries make a terrific low-carb dessert
• consider taking a daily multivitamin and calcium supplement
• avoid processed meats that contain nitrites and saturated fats

Remember that to lose weight you still have to monitor the number of calories you consume. Low-carb snacks sweetened with alcohol sugars and high-fat meat and cheese may still contain a lot of calories. Calorie-Count Plus has the tools to help you track your calories so that you don't overdo it.

_Source:

Ward MH, Cross AJ, Divan H, Kulldorff M, Nowell-Kadlubar S, Kadlubar FF, Sinha R. "Processed meat intake, CYP2A6 activity and risk of colorectal adenoma." Carcinogenesis. 2007 Jun;28(6):1210-6. Epub 2007 Feb 2.