As the name suggests, a low-carb diet means decreasing the number of carbohydrates you consume daily. Some of the benefits of this eating plan include weight loss and lower blood sugar levels. It might mean curbing some of your favorite foods like fries and pastries, but in the end, the benefits are well worth it.
Here’s what you need to know about the low-carb diet.
Low Carb Diets
Studies have shown that consuming fewer carbohydrates help with weight loss. The government dietary guidelines state that carbohydrates should provide 45% – 65% of daily caloric intake. However, you will have to decrease that percentage to less than 26% for a low-carb diet. That means consuming about 130 grams of carbs daily.
You can always create a customized low-carb diet based on what you like, but if you need a little help, check out some of these popular diets.
The Keto (Ketogenic) Diet
The keto diet is a low-carb food plan that focuses on eating more protein and fat than carbohydrates. The idea is that when your body burns off the sugar used to produce energy, it will then start to burn fat and protein. This shift aids with weight loss.
The process of breaking down fat in this way is known as ketosis, which is where the diet gets its name. With the keto diet, you will be getting only 10% of your calories from carbohydrates.
The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is very similar to the keto diet. They both emphasize cutting down on carbohydrates so that your body metabolizes fat instead. The primary difference between the two is that you gradually increase your carb intake with the Atkins diet once you’ve achieved your weight loss goals.
Low-carb diets are a great way to lose weight. By holding back on the carbohydrates, your body breaks down the fat you are looking to get rid of.
