As the name suggests, a low-carbohydrate diet is characterized by a reduction in the amount of carbohydrates required, thereby leading the body to weight loss. There are many examples of such diets: the popular low-carbohydrate Kremlin diet, the Protasov diet, the protein diet, the high-fat Atkins diet - all of them are based on low carbohydrate intake, which reduces the release of insulin into the blood and thereby promotes the active breakdown of fats. Most likely, it is not worth talking about the fact that the rejection of sweet, starchy, various fruits, sweets and chocolate will promote weight loss and help to effectively get rid of extra pounds. Namely, they are simple, or in another way, fast carbohydrates. It is precisely at reducing their consumption that the diet is aimed, which will be discussed later.
The essence and benefits of a low-carb diet
To understand the very essence of the diet, it is important to distinguish how simple carbohydrates differ from complex ones. The fact is that "simple" or "fast" carbohydrates have the ability to very quickly be absorbed and converted into body fat. "Slow" carbohydrates, or as they are also called "complex" carbohydrates, tend to be absorbed at a slow pace, charging the body with vigor and energy, due to which a person does not feel hunger for a long time and is able to lose much more calories than he gained with a portion of food.
Simple carbohydrates include: a variety of pastries, sweets, smoked delicacies, fatty and flour foods. The use of these products is strictly prohibited. Complex carbohydrates include various grains and all vegetables. But a low-carb diet allows for vegetables and only a small amount of cereals and some fruits.
Low-carb diets can be of two types: slow and hard. The first are designed for gradual weight loss. At the same time, later, if you adhere to certain norms in the diet, it is quite possible to avoid the repeated set of unnecessary kilograms. Rigid diets are intended mainly for athletes. Often used by bodybuilders for drying, so its use by a common person can lead to rapid uncontrolled weight gain.
The main advantage of a low-carbohydrate diet is that with its help you can safely lose a decent amount of kilogram irrevocably without suffering from constant hunger. But at the same time, you should not expect quick results. It is a long-term, controlled process that will help the body avoid unnecessary possible harm. Such, which is usually accompanied by various "hungry" diets. Anyway, such a diet can later become a nutritional system, the basis for a daily diet.
The benefits of a low-carb diet are as follows:
- it does not require fabulous costs, since it uses extremely useful and affordable dishes;
- in diabetes mellitus, such a diet helps to restore the lipid spectrum, normalizes blood glucose levels, but such a diet can only be used under the supervision of a specialist;
- the diet is unbalanced, but you can safely adhere to it for a long time, or you can make it a way of life, positioning it as a special nutritional system;
- it is quite in demand among athletes, as it helps to burn fat without affecting muscle mass, and it also energizes for a long time.
Contraindications and cons of a low-carb diet
As great as the system is, it has both advantages and disadvantages. In addition, a low-carb diet has a number of contraindications:
- it is not recommended to use this diet in childhood and adolescence, since a lack of carbohydrates in a developing body is fraught with unpleasant health consequences;
- during pregnancy and lactation, one should also not resort to such a weight loss system, since for pregnant women, the priority is the state of fetal health, therefore, in principle, they should not go on diets;
- if there are health problems, it is necessary to consult a specialist before a diet.
While adhering to the principles of a low-carb diet, it should be remembered that eating protein foods every day can lead to undesirable consequences in the work of the heart and blood vessels, as well as to a great burden on the kidneys. This is usually due to a lack of potassium in the body, which in small quantities enters the body with such a diet.
Glucose deficiency is undoubtedly one of the downsides of a low-carb diet. This primarily affects mental activity, memory impairment and a slowdown in the speed of reaction are often noted. It is especially difficult for lovers of sweets to come to terms with such a diet. A large percentage of those who quit the diet are among such people.
Also, protein foods are rich in cholesterol, which can accumulate in the body, and the lack of healthy fiber in the menu can provoke problems in the intestines. With a high protein content in the diet, the body begins to produce ketone bodies. They, in turn, are able to flush fat from the body, but at the same time they can also hook on useful substances that are needed for the normal and well-coordinated work of important organs and systems. This can often lead to weakness, dizziness and bouts of insomnia. In this case, you need to see a doctor, most likely this method of losing weight is not for you.
Since the intake of some useful vegetables is limited with a low-carbohydrate diet, the body may lack the required amount of vitamins and minerals, therefore, the use of additional vitamin complexes at this time is encouraged.
Allowed Products
The basis of the menu for a low-carb diet should be protein foods with a small addition of fats and carbohydrates. The following products are permitted:
- lean meat and lean fish;
- eggs;
- low-fat fermented milk and dairy products;
- mushrooms;
- seafood;
- various vegetables, if possible excluding potatoes, legumes, and olives and olives;
- a limited amount of fruits, with the exception of grapes and bananas, since they have a rather high calorie content;
- offal;
- dried fruits and nuts;
- buckwheat, oat bran or brown rice in limited quantities;
- various greens.
Prohibited foods
Prohibited foods on a low-carb diet include:
- vegetables and cereals rich in starch: potatoes, white rice, pasta of any varieties;
- bread and various products from it;
- sweet confectionery;
- smoked sausages and other delicacies;
- mayonnaise, ketchup and other fatty sauces;
- sugar in any form;
- grapes and bananas, which are rich in fructose;
- fruit juices and compotes;
- alcoholic drinks.
Nutritionists are vying to insist on banning fatty foods and replacing them with low-fat counterparts, but reviews of numerous adherents and supporters of this method of losing weight suggest otherwise. They calmly adhered to this diet and lost weight, eating some types of fatty sausages and meat. Only you need to eat them in moderation, without overdoing it.
Low Carb Diet Guidelines
In order for such a diet to proceed as expected and not harm the body, certain rules must be followed:
- with such a diet, it is necessary to consume as much liquid as possible - more than one and a half liters per day;
- vegetables are recommended to be baked, steamed or stewed;
- with such a system, walking for at least twenty minutes a day or additional physical activity is desirable;
- in order to correctly compose a daily diet, you should use a table in which the carbohydrate component of various products is viewed.
Table of the content of the carbohydrate component in various products per 100 grams
| Products | Points |
|---|---|
| Alcoholic drinks | |
| Drinks with a high alcohol content (rum, whiskey, tequila, vodka, and others) | - |
| Dry wine | $ 1 |
| Beer (about 250 grams) | 12 USD |
| Liquor (about 60 grams) | $ 18 |
| Mushrooms | |
| Fresh champignons | 0. 1 c. u. |
| Fresh morels | 0. 2 c. u. |
| Butterlets, honey mushrooms and raw mushrooms | 0. 5 cu |
| Fresh milk mushrooms, boletus and porcini mushrooms | $ 1 |
| Raw chanterelles, boletus and russula | 1. 5 USD |
| Dried porcini mushrooms | $ 7. 5 |
| Dried boletus | $ 13 |
| Dried boletus | $ 14 |
| Canned food | |
| Any fish | - |
| Beetroot caviar | $ 2 |
| Canned beans | $ 2. 5 |
| Pickled cucumbers | $ 3 |
| Tomatoes and seaweed | $ 4 |
| Olives, eggplant caviar | $ 5 |
| Canned green peas | 6. 5 c. u. |
| Zucchini caviar | $ 8. 5 |
| Pepper with vegetables | $ 11 |
| Sweet Canned Corn | $ 14. 5 |
| Tomato paste | $ 19 |
| Cereals | |
| Beans and other legumes | $ 46 |
| Oatmeal | $ 49 |
| Hercules, split peas | $ 50 |
| Buckwheat | $ 62 |
| Pearl barley and millet | $ 66 |
| Barley | $ 67 |
| White rice | $ 71 |
| Dairy products | |
| Vegetable oil | - |
| Low-fat cottage cheese, margarine and various types of cheese | $ 1 |
| Butter | $ 1. 3 |
| Low-fat types of cottage cheese | $ 1. 8 |
| Mayonnaise of any fat content | $ 2. 6 |
| High fat cottage cheese | $ 2. 8 |
| Sour cream of any fat content | $ 3 |
| Sour milk or kefir | $ 3. 2 |
| Sugar Free Yogurt | 3. 5 USD |
| Cream of any fat content | $ 4 |
| Pasteurized and baked milk | $ 4. 7 |
| Sugar content yoghurt | $ 8. 5 |
| Sweet curd mass | $ 15 |
| Sweet curds in glaze | 32 USD |
| Meat products, poultry | |
| Different types of meat (lamb, beef, pork, veal), poultry, rabbit, heart and beef liver, lard, loin and tongue, steak and various sausages, pork legs | - |
| Chicken eggs | 0. 5 cu |
| Chicken liver | 1. 5 USD |
| Beef sausages, boiled sausage and milk sausages | 1. 5 USD |
| Pork sausages | $ 2 |
| Breaded meat | $ 5 |
| Meat in batter | 6 USD |
| Beverages | |
| Coffee, sugar-free tea, mineral water | - |
| Tomato juice | 3. 5 USD |
| Carrot juice, xylitol compote | 6 USD |
| Apple juice | $ 7. 5 |
| Grapefruit juice | 8 USD |
| Mandarin juice | $ 9 |
| Plum juice with pulp | $ 11 |
| Cherry juice | $ 11. 5 |
| Orange juice | 12 USD |
| Grape, pomegranate and apricot juice | $ 14 |
| Plum juice without pulp | $ 16 |
| Pear compote | $ 18 |
| Grape and apple compote | $ 19 |
| Apricot compote | $ 21 |
| Cherry compote | $ 24 |
| Vegetables, herbs | |
| Daikon | $ 1 |
| Celery, lettuce, spinach | $ 2 |
| Green beans, fresh cucumber, asparagus, sorrel | $ 3 |
| Green onions | 3. 5 USD |
| Pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes, radishes | $ 4 |
| Eggplant, red cabbage, white and cauliflower, bell peppers, turnips, garlic | $ 5 |
| Bell peppers green and red | $ 5 |
| Celery root, wild garlic | 6 USD |
| Leek, radish | 6. 5 c. u. |
| Rutabaga, carrots | $ 7 |
| Horseradish fresh | $ 7. 5 |
| Beans, kohlrabi, parsley | 8 USD |
| Watermelon, melon, onion, beet | $ 9 |
| Parsley root | $ 10. 5 |
| Fresh green peas | 12 USD |
| Raw potatoes | $ 16 |
| Nuts | |
| Pine nuts | $ 10 |
| Almond nut | $ 11 |
| Walnuts and pumpkin seeds | 12 USD |
| Peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts | $ 15 |
| Sunflower seeds | $ 18 |
| Coconut and sesame seeds | $ 20 |
| Cashew nuts | $ 25 |
| Condiments and spices | |
| Red wine vinegar (tablespoon) | - |
| Spicy herbs (tablespoon) | 0. 1 c. u. |
| Capers and horseradish (tablespoon) | $ 0. 4 |
| Cinnamon and ground hot pepper (teaspoon) | 0. 5 cu |
| Mustard, tartar (tablespoon) | 0. 5 cu |
| Ginger (tablespoon) | 0. 8 c. u. |
| Apple cider vinegar and soy sauce (tablespoon) | $ 1 |
| Wine white vinegar (tablespoon) | 1. 5 USD |
| BBQ sauce (tablespoon) | $ 1. 8 |
| Vinegar (tablespoon) | $ 2. 3 |
| Tomato sauce (50 grams) | 3. 5 USD |
| Ketchup (tablespoon) | $ 4 |
| Cranberry sauce (tablespoon) | 6. 5 c. u. |
| Seafood, fish | |
| Frozen, fresh, boiled and smoked fish, shrimps, red and black caviar | - |
| Lobster and seaweed fresh | $ 1 |
| Fresh crabs | $ 2 |
| Fresh squids | $ 4 |
| Fresh mussels | $ 5 |
| Fish in tomato sauce | 6 USD |
| Fresh oysters | $ 7 |
| Breaded fish | 12 USD |
| Sweets | |
| Jam for diabetics | $ 3 |
| Jam for diabetics | $ 9 |
| Ice cream in chocolate | $ 20 |
| Ice cream | $ 22 |
| Frozen ice | $ 25 |
| Almond cake | $ 45 |
| Chocolate with nuts | $ 48 |
| Sponge cake and dark chocolate | $ 50 |
| Chocolate candies | $ 51 |
| Milk and white chocolate | $ 54 |
| Halva | $ 55 |
| Condensed milk | $ 56 |
| Cream cake | $ 62 |
| Plain waffles and apple jam | $ 65 |
| Apple jam | $ 66 |
| Jam, jam | $ 68 |
| Lollipop | $ 70 |
| Strawberry and raspberry jam | $ 71 |
| Honey and butter biscuits | $ 75 |
| Marmalade | $ 76 |
| Custard gingerbread | $ 77 |
| Pastila and fruit waffles | $ 80 |
| Fondant (candy) | $ 83 |
| Caramel stuffed | $ 92 |
| Sugar of different types | $ 99 |
| Soups | |
| Chicken or meat broth | - |
| Goulash soup and green cabbage soup | 12 USD |
| Mushroom soup | $ 15 |
| Vegetable soup | $ 16 |
| Tomato soup | $ 17 |
| Pea soup | $ 20 |
| Fruits | |
| Lemons | $ 3 |
| Cherry plum and grapefruit | 6. 5 c. u. |
| Quince, orange and tangerines | 8 USD |
| Rowan | $ 8. 5 |
| Dogwood and apricots | $ 9 |
| Pear, peach, plum and apple | $ 9. 5 |
| Kiwi and cherries | $ 10 |
| Cherries | $ 10. 5 |
| Pomegranate, chokeberry, fig | $ 11 |
| Pineapple | $ 11. 5 |
| Persimmons and nectarines | $ 13 |
| Bananas | $ 21 |
| Dried apples | $ 45 |
| Dried pears | $ 49 |
| Dried apricots | $ 53 |
| Dried apricots | $ 55 |
| Prunes | $ 58 |
| Raisin | $ 66 |
| Date fruit | $ 68 |
| Bread | |
| Soy flour | $ 16 |
| Rye | $ 34 |
| Diabetic | $ 38 |
| Borodinsky | $ 40 |
| Cereal bread and rye tortillas | $ 43 |
| Wheat | $ 50 |
| Riga and bun | $ 51 |
| Armenian lavash | $ 56 |
| Bagel | $ 58 |
| Seeded rye flour | $ 64 |
| Creamy rusks | $ 66 |
| First grade wheat flour | $ 67 |
| Sushi, egg noodles and premium wheat flour | $ 68 |
| Sweet straws and pasta | $ 69 |
| Corn flour | $ 70 |
| Potato starch | $ 79 |
| Corn starch | $ 80 |
| Berries | |
| Cloudberry | 6 USD |
| Strawberry | 6. 5 c. u. |
| Blueberry | $ 7 |
| Black and red currants | $ 7. 5 |
| Lingonberry, raspberry, blueberry and white currant | 8 USD |
| Gooseberry | $ 9 |
| Fresh rose hips | $ 10 |
| Grape | $ 15 |
| Dried rosehip | $ 21. 5 |
Based on the table, you can create a personal menu, adhering to which you can lose up to 9 kilograms in a week.
The principle of construction is based on limiting the use of foods containing a large amount of carbohydrates:
- for weight loss - you need to gain up to 40 conventional units per day;
- for weight stabilization - no more than 60 conventional units;
- to increase the kilogram - 60 conventional units and more.
Different types of menus for the week with a low-carb diet
A sample menu for a week can be presented as follows:
- breakfast - steamed omelet, green or herbal tea;
- second breakfast - low-fat cottage cheese;
- lunch - mushroom soup, boiled chicken;
- dinner - baked fish.
Slimming menu for the week
To lose about 10 extra pounds in a week, you can try this version of the weekly menu:
- breakfast - cottage cheese with dried fruits;
- lunch - cabbage soup;
- dinner - boiled veal.
Diabetes mellitus weekly menu
A separate medical menu can be used for diabetes mellitus:
- breakfast - low-fat cottage cheese, tea and 2 boiled eggs;
- second breakfast - 250 grams of yogurt;
- lunch - bean soup;
- afternoon tea - orange;
- dinner - fish baked in the oven with vegetables.
High fat low carbohydrate diet
This diet was invented by Dr. Atkins. It proceeds in four phases:
- the first phase - duration 2 weeks, restriction in carbohydrates about 20 grams, proteins are allowed in any quantities;
- the second phase - lasts several months, during which it is necessary to gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates consumed in food;
- the third phase - in order to keep the weight in the current state, it is recommended to increase the rate of available carbohydrates to 10 grams per day;
- fourth phase - to consolidate the result, you need to consume the same amount of carbohydrates as in the third phase.
Sample menu for athletes
To effectively burn fat without losing muscle mass, it is recommended to use approximately the following menu for a week:
- breakfast - tea, oatmeal in milk;
- second breakfast - 200 grams of low-fat cottage cheese;
- lunch - vegetable soup, seafood salad, stewed vegetables;
- afternoon tea - curd pudding;
- dinner - meat baked in the oven, steamed vegetables, kefir.
Low-carb diet for vegetarians
There is a separate diet for those people who do not use meat in their diet. There are some rules for them:
- the calculation of consumed carbohydrates must be done in this way: 5 grams of carbohydrates per 10 kilograms of weight;
- meat and fish products need to be replaced by their soy counterparts, beans, and cereals.
Protein diet
Such a menu in their diet can be used by both athletes during the drying period and ordinary people who prefer protein foods:
- breakfast - tea and 100 grams of fat-free cottage cheese;
- second breakfast - zhmenya nuts;
- lunch - boiled chicken with stewed vegetables;
- afternoon tea - kefir or yogurt;
- dinner - fish cooked in a double boiler.
Low Carb Diet Recipes
Shrimp soup
To make the soup you will need:
- shrimp - 1 kg;
- celery;
- tomato - 1 pc;
- onion - 1 pc;
- curry;
- lemon juice.
Peel the shrimp and rinse well, finely chop the vegetables and herbs. Pour the ingredients over with water, add a little curry, sprinkle with lemon juice and place on the stove.
Beef stew with spinach
To prepare such a dish, you can use the following recipe:
- beef - 1 kg;
- spinach - 400 grams;
- onion - 1 pc;
- celery root - 200 grams;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- tomatoes - 2 pcs;
- olive oil;
- caraway;
- ginger powder;
- beef broth - 250 grams.
Fry all the seasonings in oil, gradually add chopped onions and tomatoes there. Fry a little, add beef broth and remaining ingredients. It is best to cut the beef into strips so that it takes less time to cook. Cover the dish and simmer for forty minutes.
conclusions
Reviews of the low-carb diet are mixed, with many supporters and many opponents. However, both those and those note its effectiveness. Such a diet is well suited for those who do not like exhausting fasting, because it allows you to eat a lot of foods. Its advantages include its successful use in case of diabetes mellitus. As a remedy, it has proven itself quite well. In addition, it is affordable and will not hit the family budget hard. In a word, if you use such a system specifically for weight loss, it will undoubtedly lead to amazing results. However, it is worth remembering that such a diet, although not a mono-diet, but its indicators are unbalanced, therefore, before embarking on a course of such fasting, it is imperative to consult a specialist, especially if there are any chronic diseases in the history.