The question that should be on more people’s minds today is: Are there any health risks of low-carb, and if so, what are they? The idea that carbs are off-limits for shape-conscious people is so popular that some cringe when the waiter places the basket of bread in front of me at a restaurant. In fact, one of the first things that came to mind when I decided to write this article is the scene in that Ryan Reynolds B-movie ‘Just Friends’ where the Britney Spears type character scrunches up her face and spits something out. the lines of ‘I don’t eat CARBS, idiot!’ when another character offers him some fries.
That scene in the movie may seem extreme, but in fact, I have friends who ask to ‘hold the bread’ when they order a sandwich (sigh). As much as I want to say I’ve avoided this insanity, I feel more uncomfortable and guilty eating carbs than any other type of food. I don’t stick to a carb free diet because I find it almost impossible to enjoy life when I try to, but I can understand why others do.
But aside from the fact that avoiding carbs like the plague is a pain, are there any negative health consequences to doing so? The answer is yes, yes and YES! In fact, I didn’t find out how unhealthy it is until the other day, when I came across an article about the dangers of fad diets. It didn’t surprise me that a grapefruit diet, for example, could be very harmful, but the fact that staying away from carbs is dangerous intrigued me. I did more research and it turns out that a large proportion of health specialists support this claim.
Let’s go over some basics for those of you who aren’t sure what no-carb diets really are. Generally, diets like these (for example, the Atkin diet) recommend a severe restriction of carbohydrates. When people do this, their bodies enter ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat (as opposed to carbohydrates) for energy. So when your body normally breaks down the carbs you eat for fuel, it now goes straight to your fat cells. Another ‘plus’ of no-carb diets is that you typically feel less hungry when your body is in ketosis and therefore eat less.
Now the negatives…
Less serious side effects are that while many people see initial weight loss success, it comes down to water weight and muscle mass, and most people have a hard time keeping that weight off. Second, the increase in ketones produced in the body during ketosis can lead to bad breath.
Now for the more serious effects. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the American Heart Association, low-carb diets are too high in cholesterol and fat. And as most of us know, high cholesterol can lead to heart disease, cancer, and stroke. These diets also tend to lead to increased protein consumption, which, along with a lack of carbohydrates, can cause a host of other serious health problems, including: kidney stones, kidney failure, cancer, osteoporosis (already that we excrete more calcium while eating these foods). diets) and taste.
Hopefully, if you were thinking about severely restricting your carb intake, you’ll think twice now. Personally, this information made me feel elated as I can now enjoy things like high carb fruits, whole wheat pastas and breads, and granola without feeling guilty!