Low-carb diet: benefits, contraindications and an approximate menu

Low Carb Diet- it's just a diet for one or two months, it's a way of life. And although it has certain restrictions on products (for example, it is necessary to exclude soda, sugar, baked goods), it is not much stricter than the usual, but so vague in understanding proper nutrition.

Grilled meat, fish, fatty dairy products, berries, vegetables and a variety of greens - and with all this variety, you can still successfully lose extra pounds! Doesn't every girl dream about this?! But, as elsewhere, there are pitfalls here - which is why we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor before switching to a low-carb diet.

The essence of a low-carb diet

Everyone who has tried to lose weight at least once knows that in order to lose weight, one must give up sweet and starchy foods. True, most often fat-containing foods are excluded from the diet - butter, meat, cream, mayonnaise. As a result, girls, in an effort to gain a dream figure, eat lettuce and green tea, which inevitably leads to a breakdown and even greater weight gain. This approach to losing weight is fundamentally wrong. To lose weight, it is necessary to eat, just the diet must be different from what you followed earlier.

Moreover, many women forget that healthy fats are the basis for the formation of sex hormones in the ovaries, adrenal hormones and vitamin D, which is responsible for the expression of several thousand genes!

Nutritionists are constantly studying the effect of certain foods on human health. Their work results in various nutritional systems aimed at maintaining good health, a stable emotional background and achieving ideal physical shape. In the mid-2000s, Swedish scientists proved that the widespread and massive consumption of sugar and starch, and not fat, as was previously believed, is much more harmful for the figure. This led to a real revolution in nutrition.

Fat-containing foods have a completely different effect: they give the body a long-lasting feeling of satiety, provide it with energy, which is enough for a sufficiently long period. Just compare: when carbohydrates are burned inside the furnaces of our body, the production factory in the form of cells and tissues receives a little more than 4 kilocalories, while fat brings in twice as much - 9 with a small tail.

Recently, another myth has been debunked that the brain needs glucose for normal functioning, which supposedly can only be obtained from pure sugar. Large-scale studies in the field of physiology and nutritional science suggest the opposite: senile dementia is more often observed in sweet lovers, and those who have consumed moderate amounts of carbohydrates throughout their lives retain clarity of thought until the end of their days.

Indeed, the nervous tissue uses glucose as substrates for energy (that is, the firewood that it sends to the mitochondrial stoves) - this is a favorite, but far from the only way to ensure its vital functions. With prolonged starvation and a decrease in carbohydrate intake with food, our brain, at first, of course, reluctantly, but switches from gasoline to gas - or rather from glucose to ketone bodies.

A low-carb diet for weight loss is very easy for many women to tolerate, since it is not accompanied by bouts of hunger. Adherents of this style of eating note that they do not feel the craving for eating foods containing a large amount of sugar and starch. In this regard, there is no need to clearly normalize the amount of allowed carbohydrates, however, nutritionists still give certain recommendations - from 20 to 100 g of carbohydrates per day. Naturally, the source of their supply should be cereals, vegetables and fruits, but not refined sugar and premium flour (and even more refined).

However, the constant counting of calories eaten and the resulting feeling of guilt if you did not fit into the daily norm, entails only loosening the emotional background - and then losing weight is backfired with psychosis. Add enough physical activity and make sure that satiety does not automatically equate to overeating, and then you will definitely not need very conditional calorie calculations by applications on your phone.

• Eat only natural fats, strongly discarding synthetic ones.
• Keep cooking foods to a minimum.
• Eat with pleasure, getting physical and aesthetic pleasure. Stay alone with your plate - let phones, newspapers and TVs not distract you from your meal: do not forget that digestive juices are secreted even before food touches the taste buds of the oral cavity - this is the so-called cerebral or complex reflex secretion phase.

There are no serious contraindications for a low-carb diet, but people with chronic medical conditions (such as Tired Adrenal Syndrome) are advised to consult with their doctor. Insulin-dependent patients, patients with cardiovascular problems should take into account the peculiarities of their condition and be guided by the recommendations of nutritionists.

How mitochondria work in the body

It would seem, why should a person, far from science, understand such a complex issue? However, understanding the basics of cell functioning will make it possible to better understand what processes are taking place in the depths of our body. We will only touch on the effect of ketones and insulin on mitochondrial activity in order to show how exactly we can improve our health, just by making changes in the diet.

Mitochondria function- Extraction of energy from food, its combination with oxygen and the synthesis of adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), which is the basic unit of energy in an animal cell. Mitochondria are present in every cell of the body, with the exception of erythrocytes - red blood cells are forced to support themselves through slightly different glucose transformation processes.

Insulin plays an important role in this process. It depends on him exactly how the body will dispose of the generated energy: will it spend it for current needs or store it for a rainy day. Elevated insulin levels trigger synthesis reactions - including fat. This is the hormone of ANABOLISM - that is why everything grows on it: both muscles (due to the increased production of proteins) and cancer cells (in fact, the tumor is based on uncontrolled division).

A lack of carbohydrates leads to the fact that insulin is produced in a limited amount - just enough to cover the body's need for it. This starts the process of ketogenesis: fatty acids are converted into ketones, which serve as fuel for cells - including the neurons of the brain, as mentioned earlier.

8 types of low-carb diets

Basic low-carb diet

In a nutshell, it can be described as follows: fewer carbohydrates, more protein (compared to your usual diet). The basis of the diet is meat, fish, eggs, cereals, vegetables, fruits, nuts, natural fats.

As for the recommended amount of carbohydrates, it depends on the goal:

• to maintain weight or supply the body with energy for intense sports activities - 100-150 grams. Fruits and starchy vegetables are allowed;
• moderately reduce weight - 50-100 grams; Banned potatoes and sweet, high-carb fruits (like bananas and mangoes)
• quickly get rid of excess fat - no more than 50 grams. Lots of vegetables, but minimum of fruits.

Ketogenic diet

If you reduce carbohydrate intake to a minimum, insulin levels drop to basal, triggering the onset of ketosis, a state in which fatty acids are broken down to extract the energy the body needs. Ketone bodies are formed in the liver, which itself does not have the enzymes to use for energy - in fact, it is a factory that produces goods for export. These molecules serve as fuel for muscles, kidneys and brain.

The diet for a ketone diet includes foods rich in protein and fats, while the amount of carbohydrates is limited to 20-50 (and often 5-10) grams per day.

Low-carb, high-fat diet (LCHF - low carb, high fat). . .

This eating style differs from the conventional diet by its emphasis on whole foods or minimally cooked foods. Most common in Scandinavia, where sustainable ways of eating and living in general are traditionally popular.

Low Carb Paleo Diet

Adherents of this method of losing weight and maintaining health believe that only those foods that were available to humans at the dawn of its appearance, in the Paleolithic era, can be eaten. You can eat meat and fish, seafood, eggs, fruits, vegetables and wild berries, nuts, seeds and roots. In a word, what the ancient man could collect or catch with his own hands is allowed. Everything that has appeared as a result of the development of agriculture and the food industry is banned: sugar, cereals, sausages and confectionery, semi-finished products. The main idea of such a diet is the confidence that by the time Homo sapiens appeared, nature had prepared everything necessary for his good nutrition.

Atkins diet

The popularity of this weight loss system has not diminished over the past forty years. Meat, fish, seafood, eggs, salad and other non-starchy vegetables, mushrooms, dairy products, nuts are allowed. Fruits need to be limited due to their high fructose content.

The diet has four stages:

• in the induction phase, it is recommended to eat less than 20 g of carbohydrates for two weeks. The diet consists of protein products and vegetables that do not contain starch.
• in the phase of stable weight loss, the amount of carbohydrates increases weekly by 5 g. 3-5 kg before the desired weight, this phase ends.
• in the stabilization phase, carbohydrates are added by 10 g per week.
• in the maintenance phase, it is allowed to include healthy carbohydrates in the diet. If the weight starts to grow, their number decreases again.

Eco-Atkins

For adherents of plant nutrition, a special kind of Atkins diet has been created. Since animal products are not used as a protein source, the essential amino acids are obtained from soy, legumes, nuts, and gluten. This inevitably increases the amount of carbohydrates consumed compared to the classic Atkins diet, however, against the background of traditional diets, there are very few of them on the vegan menu. In addition, the frequent use of cereals negatively affects intestinal permeability - it increases, which leads to the entry of elements of the bacterial cell wall into the systemic circulation and activation of reactions from the immune system.

Zero Carbohydrate Diet

Few decide to completely exclude the use of carbohydrates in order to start the process of active weight loss. However, there are people who exclusively include animal products in their diet. Their menu includes dishes from meat, fish, eggs and animal fats. They do not eat vegetables, fruits, and even more cereals. How safe this eating style is is not known for certain, since the corresponding scientific research has not yet been carried out.

Definitely, the complete absence of fiber (a kind of broom that cleanses the intestines, and also stimulates its motility) will adversely affect the body. The resulting constipation and stool problems form a closed vicious circle, leading, in turn, to bacterial overgrowth and, as a result, to an increase in intraintestinal pressure. The latter will negatively affect the mechanisms of excretion of pancreatic juice and bile.

Mediterranean diet

Based on the traditional Mediterranean diet of fish, seafood, olives, vegetables, cheese and durum wheat pasta. It differs from the classic low-carbohydrate diet in a reduced content of red meat and animal fats and a large amount of vegetable, namely olive, oil. Studies show that this lifestyle helps the Mediterranean people suffer less from obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.

Benefits of a Low Carb Diet for Weight Loss

Research has proven the effectiveness of a low-carb diet for weight loss. At the same time, people do not feel hunger, do not experience a constant craving for prohibited products. This is due to the specificity of protein breakdown and sufficient caloric content of fats.

A low-carb diet can help you quickly lose fat in your belly, including the visceral stores around your internal organs. This significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Benefits of a Low Carb Diet in Fighting Disease

Excess weight becomes the cause of the appearance of many pathological conditions, therefore, it is necessary to get rid of the accumulated kilograms, even if there are no tangible health problems yet. A low-carbohydrate diet should be the guiding principle of nutrition for patients with diabetes, heart, reproductive and neurological diseases.

• Diabetes. . . Changing the diet towards lower carbohydrates while increasing fat has many beneficial effects in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Adhering to such a diet, they stabilize blood glucose levels and can take smaller dosages of pharmacological drugs prescribed for this pathology.
• Neurological disease. . . For people with epilepsy, a low-carb diet has long been recommended as a simple and effective way to reduce the risk of seizures. For Alzheimer's disease, as well as to prevent its occurrence, neurologists advise to include in the diet more foods with a high fat content and to minimize the use of simple carbohydrates.
• Heart diseases. . . By adhering to the principles of a diet with a minimum carbohydrate content, patients with heart problems can significantly improve their condition. One study involved 55 overweight subjects. After 12 weeks of adherence to a low-carb diet, they showed a decrease in triglycerides, C-reactive protein (one of the main markers of inflammation), and also an improvement in indicators of "good" cholesterol in HDL (high density lipoprotein).

Foods to Avoid on a Low Carb Diet

Compliance with a diet means excluding the following foods from the diet:

• Cereals and starchy: bread, rolls, pies, pasta, rice, and other cereals.
• Sweet drinks: juices, tea with sugar, milkshakes, fruit smoothies, sports drinks, cocoa, sweet lemonades.
• Sweeteners: sugar, honey, agave, syrups.
• Vegetables high in starch and sugar: potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, beets, peas.
• Alcoholic drinks: beer, sweet cocktails and sweet wines.
• Commercially available low-calorie and dietetic foods. . . Such labeling is often misleading: light mayonnaise contains starch, and diabetic products contain fructose.
• Semi-finished products and sausages: not suitable due to high sugar, starch and soy content. They are also a hidden source of gluten.
• Fruits can be consumed in limited quantities, berries - in small portions.

These are general guidelines for all types of low-carb diets. The exact amount of carbohydrates that can be consumed during the day depends on the goal and, accordingly, the type of diet. Thus, ketosis can be achieved only with the maximum reduction of carbohydrate-containing foods. Other types of diets are allowed to include up to 50 or even 100 g of carbohydrates in the diet.

List of approved products

In order to lose weight without feeling hungry and unhealthy, the creators of low-carb nutrition systems are focusing on foods that are high in fat and protein.

This list includes:

• Eggs. . . They contain a lot of healthy fats and an almost complete absence of carbohydrates. In particular, it is a source of biotin, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E), as well as choline, a precursor of one of the main neurotransmitters of the nervous system - acetylcholine.
• Oils. . . All types of oils can be used in the diet, but olive, coconut and avocado oils are recognized as leaders in terms of health benefits.
• A fish. . . It is better to give preference to fatty varieties - salmon, trout, sardines. Their sufficient consumption will provide the body with omega-3 fatty acids, thereby significantly reducing the risks of pathologies of the cardiovascular system and impaired cognitive functions.
• Meat and poultry. . . Veal, chicken, turkey, rabbit meat are recommended.
• Milk products. . . Cream, unsweetened yoghurt, butter, cottage cheese, cheeses.
• Non-starchy vegetables. . . Any greens, broccoli, all kinds of lettuce, asparagus, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms.
• Avocado. . . A unique fruit high in healthy fat.

I will give you a sample menu

A sample low-carb diet for weight loss for a week looks like this:

Breakfast:

• An omelet made from two eggs and a small amount of full-fat milk or cream.
• Two pieces of hard cheese.
• Coffee with coconut milk or cream.

Dinner:

• Pork steak.
• Fresh vegetable salad with olive oil.
• Cream cheese (3 tablespoons).
• Tea without sugar.

Afternoon snack(optional - but still it is better to strive for the most physiological three meals a day):

• 20-30 pcs. pre-soaked almonds.
• Baked apple (no raisins, sugar and honey! ).

Dinner:

• Greek salad (bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese, olives).
• Mushrooms grilled or fried in vegetable oil.
• Baked fish.

Menu for the week

In order to simplify the process of losing weight as much as possible and save your time, we suggest using a menu for every day for an accurate adherence to a low-carb diet. If you wish, you can make changes to it without going beyond the list of approved products.

Monday

• Breakfast.Omelet with cheese, salad of vegetables and herbs, toast with avocado, unsweetened coffee with a piece of butter or coconut oil and berries.
• Dinner.Grilled or skillet pork steak, lettuce, salted homemade cheese.
• Dinner.Veal in a creamy sauce, cabbage salad.

Tuesday

• Breakfast.Pike perch cutlet, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, natural yogurt as a dessert (you can add coconut, almond flakes and some berries whipped in a blender).

• Dinner.Mushroom soup, tobacco chicken, homemade eggplant and bell pepper caviar.
• Dinner.Duck breast with a vegetable side dish.

Wednesday

• Breakfast.Ham omelet, green salad with sour cream dressing, a handful of your favorite nuts, green tea.
• Dinner.Zucchini puree soup, fried cheese, baked apple (it is better to choose unsweetened varieties).
• Dinner.Sauteed veal, cauliflower, stewed in cream.

Thursday

• Breakfast. Poached eggs with avocado, spinach, lightly salted salmon.
• Dinner.Pike cutlets, grilled vegetables.
• Dinner.Pork and broccoli casserole in sour cream sauce with cheese crust.

Friday

• Breakfast.Soft-boiled eggs, zucchini pancakes with ricotta cheese, olives, cocoa.
• Dinner.Chicken fillet chop on a vegetable pillow.
• Dinner.Salmon steak with pumpkin puree.

Saturday

• Breakfast.Omelet with ham and sun-dried tomatoes, hard cheese, a handful of nuts and berries.
• Dinner.Rabbit back with poached and fried asparagus.
• Dinner.Chicken leg, mushroom and eggplant sauté.

Sunday

• Breakfast.Poached egg with salmon and spinach, baked turkey, sugar-free coffee.
• Dinner.Turkey steak, cauliflower in a creamy sauce.
• Dinner.Cured meats and broccoli puree.

We remind you that for those wishing to switch to a low-carb diet, this weekly menu is just a guideline for creating an individual diet. It is impossible to take into account the taste preferences of each person. The main thing is to adhere to the basic principle behind a low-carb diet: low in carbohydrates, high in fat.

Low Carb Diet for Diabetes

The principles of a low-carb diet differ depending on the type of diabetes. Insulin dependent patients should eat a balanced diet that includes foods with a low glycemic index.

The type 2 diabetes low-carb diet has some specific features:

• The main share of the medical menu is made up of vegetables and herbs. For women, the norm of non-starchy vegetables is 500 g per day, if she does not spend a lot of energy, and up to 800 g - with physical work or regular sports.
• To keep cholesterol levels from rising, people with diabetes eat a low-carb diet without saturated fat. Preference is given to healthy unsaturated fats, which are found in low-fat varieties of fish, as well as vegetable fats. This means that pork, lard, salmon, salmon are not recommended. Instead, nutritionists advise diabetics to eat more nuts, avocados, olives, and use vegetable oils for cooking.
• Complete rejection of carbohydrates for such patients is contraindicated, as this is fraught with a drop in blood sugar and a deterioration in well-being. Carbohydrates should be absorbed evenly throughout the day, with vegetables being the best source of carbohydrates.
• For snacks, you can use protein foods with a low glycemic index, which quickly satisfy hunger - pre-soaked nuts are perfect.
• In type 2 diabetes, a low-carbohydrate diet with a low-sugar menu may require adjustments to previously prescribed dosages of medications. At the first stage, it is necessary to constantly measure the level of glucose in the blood: if it becomes lower as a result of a change in diet, the doctor will reduce the dosage of antihyperglycemic drugs. An endocrinologist's consultation is required; it is not worthwhile to adjust the medication intake on your own.

Low Carb Diet for Fatigue Adrenal Syndrome

Fatigue adrenal syndrome occurs as a result of constant stressful conditions. One of the symptoms of this condition is hypoglycemia and accompanying hunger, irritability, headache.

Treatment is accompanied by proper nutrition, which is based on three key points:

• Do not abuse sweets under any circumstances. Eaten candy will temporarily improve your well-being, but then invariably lead to a sharp decrease in the concentration of glucose in the blood and the subsequent malaise.
• Any sausage is better to prefer a regular piece of meat. Products obtained as a result of complex technological processing contain a lot of substances that are contraindicated in such a diagnosis.
• Gluten and vegetable oils containing pro-inflammatory omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids will have to be eliminated from the diet.

In addition, a low-carb diet for men and women with fatigue adrenal syndrome means avoiding coffee altogether. It's all about cortisol, the production of which is increased under the influence of caffeine. As a result, the metabolism slows down, and the process of losing weight slows down.