1/27/2020 0 Comments Should You Be Carb Free? “Keto” has become a household term in the developed world as more and more people embrace a diet free of carbohydrates. The reasons most go carb free include weight loss, energy gain, and hunger management.
Not far behind in ideology is another popular fad, the Atkins diet. It does not completely eliminate carb intake, but does drastically reduce it then steadily re-introduce carbs until each person finds their personal balance. But, like many food fads, the effectiveness of low-carb living is widely debated. The Research A 2004 study that lasted 24 weeks believed that “a long-term ketogenic diet significantly reduced the body weight and body mass index of the patients. Furthermore, it decreased the level of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose, and increased the level of HDL cholesterol.” Unfortunately, six months is not what the medical community generally considers “long-term,” and researchers have had a very hard time tracking impacts of low carb consumption past one or two years because the diet is so hard to stick to. And a more recent review of six studies conducted since then suggests it may not even be worth it. Published in the Fall 2019 issue of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, here’s what that review said: “Despite favorable effects of low-CHO and very-low-CHO diets on energy expenditure and intake, long-term effects on weight loss may not be superior to more conventional strategies. According to the 2013 American Heart Association/American Cardiology/The Obesity Society Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, research has not demonstrated any advantage of a very-low-CHO diet on weight loss at 6 months compared with a calorie-restricted, low-fat diet. Participants assigned to both low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) and high-carbohydrate, low-fat (HCLF) diets achieved clinically meaningful weight loss.”
“With the popularity of low-carb diets, many people are afraid to eat any carbohydrates, but it is important to distinguish between the health-robbing effects of simple sugars and other carbs, and the health-giving properties of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are high-fiber foods, which improve your digestion. They help stabilize the blood sugar, keep your energy at an even level, and help you feel satisfied longer after your meal. In contrast, sugar and other simple carbohydrates can alter your mood, lead to cravings and compulsive eating, cause wide swings in your blood-sugar levels, and cause weight gain in most people.” Bad News And the benefits do not come without the cost. In June of 2019, The University of Chicago Medicine reported that, “the keto diet could cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease. Strict diets like keto could also cause social isolation or disordered eating. Keto is not safe for those with any conditions involving their pancreas, liver, thyroid or gallbladder.” In Conclusion As always, I never mean for my article to override the advice of a personal physician. In the case of using ketosis to reduce seizures in children, the science is very sound in support of the diet. However, for the purpose of weight loss, this diet just doesn’t live up to the hype, and is difficult to sustain. Instead of restricting certain foods based on surface macronutrients, we should be considering each type of food for the positive nutrients, especially micronutrients, it does provide, instead of writing off entire food groups as bad. Additional ResourcesHarvard Health: Ketogenic diet: Is the ultimate low-carb diet good for you? Northwestern Medicine: What You Need to Know About Keto
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