The Truth About Low Carb Foods

Diet experts are always heard to tout the truth about low carb foods: how these foods can supposedly decrease the risk of heart and liver disease, how low carb foods can supposedly make you lose weight with little exercise, and how such foods can actually make you healthier. But what is the truth about low carb foods? Are they really as good as dietitians say they are?

The truth about low carb foods can best be understood by notice the difference among the terms fat, carbohydrates, and calories. Many diets will advocate the use of low calorie foods to lose weight, while others claim that a diet lower in fats is even better for your body. How are these terms related to your health, and how can they help you find out the truth about low carb foods?

You need to understand that fat and carbohydrates are molecules, while calories are a measure of heat. Fats are found in every cell, but if you do take up fat, you are in danger of having them clog your arteries and increase your risk of getting a heart attack. Your gall bladder delivers bile to your small intestines to break these fats down and make them easier to digest and derive energy from. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are your main energy source, but if unused, they can actually lead to higher weight gain.

Calories are simply the measure of heat or energy that you derive from any food, be they carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. The truth about low carb foods is that they have fewer carbohydrate-derived potential energy, but because they may also contain large amounts of fats, they are not necessarily foods for the sluggish as well.

You may have been offered low carb foods in your supermarket to supplement the starchy foods that you might have to eliminate from your low carb diet. The truth about low carb foods that have carbohydrate substitutes is that they contain even more protein and fats to make up for the solidity that carbohydrates bring. This is true about pasta and ice cream substitutes, all of which may even scrimp on flavor.

The truth about low carb foods that are used to substitute for the real thing is that they may actually be more dangerous for you if you have kidney problems or a tendency to have increased levels of uric acid in your blood and joints. Excess proteins can force your kidneys to work overtime; the truth about low carb foods and a low carb diet is that you need to constantly drink large amounts of water to flush your toxins out.

Low carbohydrate foods need not have lower amounts of calories: they will have fats and proteins to provide the energy that you need. This energy has to be burned, or you may end up adding to your body weight. Not eating carbohydrates can actually work to your disadvantage: carbohydrates contribute to increasing your brain power, because your brain needs glucose to function; indirectly, carbohydrates can help you maintain bone mass, because large amounts of protein can actually make you lose protein when you urinate.

If you want to find out more about the truth about low carb foods, consult with a licensed dietitian or ask your general physician questions about the truth about low carb foods. If they can harm your body more than maintain your health, then you may need to take vitamin or nutritional supplements to keep your body up and running. Above and beyond all this, the truth about low carb foods is that they should not be the only element of your fitness regimen: you need starches, exercise, and sleep to keep you completely healthy and illness free.