How does a low-carb diet benefit you | PrisChew.com

A low-carb diet typically comprises of restricting the intake of foods that are high in carbs. Some types of foods that primarily provide the body with carbs, may include rice, bread, pasta, sugars and breakfast cereals.

How does a low-carb diet benefit you?
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Blood sugar levels to rise

By taking in carbs, our blood sugars will rise and cause the body to create insulin, which is used in the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream as well as in the conversion of them into glucose and glycogen to be used by the body as fuel.

So taking in carbs will cause a subsequent rise in the blood sugar levels. This can result in a sugar rush – where you will feel high immediately after eating the carb-rich foods, and you will crash and become even more hungry than ever, when this sugar rush wears off. Thus you will end up binge-eating.

Body is forced to look to alternative sources of fuel

But if you reduce or control your intake of carbohydrates, then the body is forced to look to another source of fuel – and the most easily accessible alternative fuel are fats. When these are burned, this will lead to some degree of weight loss too.

At the same time, fats burn more slowly and provide twice as much energy (9kcal per gram with fats being burned, compared to 4kcal per gram with carbs). So fats will be able to sustain you longer, through the day, and you will be less likely to suffer from those hunger pangs.
Besides experiencing weight loss, people who follow a low-carb diet have also commented that they experience other benefits such as having more energy to go through their day, having fewer mood swings as well as greater satisfaction and well-being.

So if you are often feeling sluggish and tired and feel a bit full after your standard meal of rice or noodles, then you might want to consider a low-carb diet to reinvigorate yourself.

Some Diets that advocate low carbs

Some classic diets that reduce carbs include the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. The Atkins Diet is extremely strict especially in the initial phases, as absolutely zero carbs are allowed, including fruits – due to the high amounts of natural sugars contained in them. On the other hand though, the Atkins Diet allows you to consume some degree of saturated fats, like those found in full-cream cheese and dairy products.

However, another low-carb alternative, the South Beach Diet allows the intake of fruits such as strawberries and blueberries because these ones have a low Glycemic Index (GI). It primarily targets healthy fats like those found in nuts, and lean meats, such as chicken breast. But it does not advocate the consumption of saturated fats like those in margarine.