Low-Carb Dietary Principles: Are They Good for Your Well-Being?
Since the discovery of carbohydrates as a part of energy levels in our meals, lots of people decided that carbs are their #1 enemies in their weight-loss goals. It’s quite reasonable because carbs are responsible for the fast delivery of energy to our bodies. Yet when we digest them, carbs are broken into simple sugars named glucose. These sugars boost the production of insulin in our pancreas and insulin, in turn, pushes cells to consume glucose or to store it.
Thus, when we decide to eat less carbs, less sugars are stored in our body and that’s just the beginning!
The Essence of Low-Carb Diets
The whole idea of reducing carbs consumption isn’t new for nutrition. For example, the Atkins diet which gained popularity in the 70s, is based on this principle. Other diets referring to the reduction of carb consumption are as follows:
Here we should mention that scientists divide diets based on reduced consumption of carbs into two sections:
- Low-carb diets allow eaters to consume no more than 40% of carbs. The first four diets we mentioned before are low-carb diets or moderate-carb diets.
- Low-carb diet offers only 10% of daily energy intake from carbohydrates. Namely, the keto diet is what is called a very-low-carb diet.
Yet, maintaining keto is not a one-fits-all solution. It should be maintained under the supervision of a doctor because a very-low-carbohydrate diet boosts the process of ketones in our livers. Ketones become substitutes for sugars as a fuel for our body. During the transition from standard eating to keto, our body burns all remains of glucose and then fat deposits, and thus, we lose weight. But at the same time, the keto diet can be harmful in some cases, so starting it is appropriate only after consulting with your doctor.
The Main Benefits You Get from a Low-Carb Diet
When you start to eat less carbs, your physical and mental state starts to change. The most prominent effects of maintaining a low-carb diet are as follows:
- Higher energy levels
- More concentration during the day
- Faster metabolism
- Weight loss and appetite control
- It helps to control “good” cholesterol
- Reduced levels of sugar in the blood and lower insulin production
Yet, there are also some specific features you should also know about. The first is that low-carb diets often have side effects, like the notorious keto flu. One more thing is that when you start maintaining low-carb eating, you have to be persistent. If you quit your low-carb initiatives and return to a high-carb menu, your weight should grow again.
Which Meals Are Low-Carb?
So, if you are interested in reducing carbs in your everyday meals, the best idea is to adhere to the principles of the Paleo diet and Mediterranean diet. Thus, the best product choices for your menu low in carbohydrates are as follows:
- Meat and poultry
- Eggs
- Fish and seafood
- Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and eggplant
- All kinds of greenery
- Avocado
- Essential oils like olive oil, avocado oil, black seed oil etc
- Olives
- Nuts and seeds
- Greek yogurt and all kinds of non-sugared dairy products.
All of them provide you with energy, vitamins, and microelements without many sugars and carbs.
The Best Low-Carb Meals for Your Dietary Purposes Are Already There!
If you decide that a low-carb diet is good for you, it can be a bit difficult to decide on meals which consist of no carbs or fewer carbs. Besides, it often requires you to change your cooking and eating habits considerably.
We have a great proposition for you. In 95 Nutrition, we developed a full-fledged menu of meals that fit the low-carb or keto diets. They are marked with special labels on our website, so you can clearly understand which meal suits your low-carb goals. With our help, you can get low-carb meals for your healthy eating every day and form your menu to your taste. We’ll deliver the low-carb meals you choose freshly cooked and frozen to help you plan your meals thoroughly and with no hassle.
Low carbohydrate consumption can be life-saving for some health issues, and it can help you maintain a healthy weight and control overeating. If you follow that eating principle under the guidance of your nutritionist, it’s OK but it is better to consult your medical advisor if you want to start a keto diet or limit carbs because, in some cases, it is not the best decision ever.