What IS "Low-Carb"? An Overview and Guide
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baconslave
Posts: 6,952 Member
All this "low-carb" business can be confusing. It is quite simply complicated. Careless media practices have given people all sorts of crazy ideas of what "low-carbing" is. Here is a brief low-down for those who want to try it for themselves or just learn how it all works.
What does low-carb mean?
The term "Low-carb" is a blanket generalization for any eating plan that restricts carbohydrate intake. On the individual level, there are many different ways to skin a cat, and there are many different ways to go "low-carb." The Standard American Diet (SAD) often contains 300g or more of carbohydrates per day and while sites like MFP recommend that 40% to 50% of your intake be carbohydrates, which can technically be lower than the SAD, that is not really accepted as low-carb. Diets like South Beach, the Zone, or Sugar Busters tend to be lower in carbs than the SAD, and are great plans, but are not low-carb diets either.
So what IS low-carb? Medical recommendations for those with insulin resistance, diabetes, and PCOS often are in a range of 150-100 grams of carbs per day. So we can draw our line there. Underneath this imaginary line, however, dwells a plethora of differing plans and levels, depending on your needs.
What Do Low-Carbers Eat?
Low-carb diets, in general, focus plans around meats (poultry, fish, beef, pork), eggs, low-carb dairy (cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream), fats, and the low-carb, non-starchy vegetables (like leafy greens and brocolli), however the plans that allow higher carb levels also allow for legumes, fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains. Generally they avoid added sugars (table sugar and corn syrups, for example) and limit (if not eliminate altogether) white flour, pasta, and rice. However, each plan is different, differing in carb level and restrictions.
On the Level: Low-carbing by Carb Level:
Ketosis Plans: The lowest carb plans are ketosis plans. Here carb intake ranges from zero to 50g daily. The aim of these plans are to decrease carbs so greatly that your body enters ketosis, the process in which the body switches from burning carbs for fuel to burning fat. This process has many health benefits, including aiding those with insulin resistance, epilepsy, and some autoimmune issues. It is also reported to help curb cravings and increase energy in those who follow these plans. Atkins and keto are ketosis plans and begin with cutting carbs to 20g daily for a period. Atkins slowly increases their carb count by re-adding certain foods it had restricted in certain phases, until the person discovers their personal carb threshold. Many keto folks do increase theirs as well, though ketoers don't necessarily restrict their foods selections other than ensuring they stay under the desired level.
Ketosis plans, due to the very low carb count, keep food consumption to proteins, fat, and non-starchy veggies, low-carb dairy and a small amount of nuts. Those closer to 50g occasionally add low-carb fruits. They desire to juggle their low carb-levels, moderate protein, and high fats in order to keep their bodies in ketosis.
General Low-Carb: The next bracket, which ranges from 50g-100g daily, have a greater variety of foods available. They often can add, in addition to their non-starchy vegetables (which they may eat more of), low-carb fruits, more nuts, and in cases of careful carb-budgeting in the higher levels (closer to 100g), can add small amounts of legumes and whole grains.
LowER-carb plans: range from 100g-150g daily (45-60g per meal is the American Diabetic Association recommendation.) These plans are often suggested by doctors for diabetics or those who suffer from insulin resistance, or are used by those who would rather keep a higher carb level, and usually encourage you to keep tabs on your carb count by choosing carbs that are low on the Glycemic Index. Those on these plans may choose low-carb, fruits, appropriate servings of whole grains and starchy vegetables.
Are Carbs All We Care About?
Carb count is very important to the low-carber, but the quality (kind) of the carb is crucial as well. Most old-timers in the low-carb scene would recommend you would be wiser to choose foods with a low Glycemic Load, that is, they cause less of an insulin response than other foods. The whole reason low-carb diets are pursued is this: lower carb intake decreases the insulin response, which urges the body to fuel itself from stored fat instead of glucose (sugars) and to discourage the body from storing extra energy as fat.
However, carbs aren't everything in a low-carb diet. We are concerned with the other macros (fat and protein) as well. The proportion in which you consume these other macros will impact you. You may see the acronym LCHF (Low Carb/High Fat) associated with many low-carb diets. What does this mean? This means that to be successful and healthy while low-carbing, and in addition feel generally more satisfied, you need to make sure to eat enough fat. Isn't fat bad? NO. It's not. The medical community is discovering that the studies that lead us to believe that nonsense for decades was misreported and misrepresented. Too little fat will leave your appetite unsatisfied and will make you tired. Too much or too little protein can affect your health as well causing you to strain your liver and kidneys (protein too high) or make you become too tired and potentially cause you lose lean muscle (protein too low).
Do Calories Matter?
Yes. Calories always matter unfortunately. However, many people find they are more satisfied on a low-carb diet, as it helps reduce cravings for some, and naturally enforces portion control. In the beginning focus on carbs, hitting your protein macro, and filling the rest with fat. Eat until you are full, and not a bite more. Cutting your carbs will naturally decrease your calorie intake. If you are interested in a low-carb diet for weightloss, after the first month, however, you should start watching your calories. As your body decreases in weight, so does your body's need for calories.
Drink That Water!
Another important concern for those following a low-carb diet are dehydration and electrolyte balance. Asking your body to fuel itself with fat instead of sugar causes your body to need more water. Water is the best beverage for your body's health. We realize a lot of people don't like to drink water. There are many zero-carb, zero-calorie flavors we can now add to our water to make it more palatable. So no excuses! As we burn ketones and drink more water, our electrolyte consumption must increase. Ever hear of keto-flu or carb-flu? This is because of electrolyte imbalance. Make sure you are getting enough electrolytes! If you are low-carbing, and you ever drink water, sweat, or have a pulse, you need to get enough sodium, magnesium and potassium! More ketones means you need more electrolytes. More water means you need more electrolytes. Drink salty broth and/or make your own electrolyte drinks. Check out the Electrolyte post here for helpful details: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest.
Artificial Sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners can help low-carbers to mitigate any remaining flare-up of the sweet tooth. Many of them are zero-carb, however, powdered sweeteners generally have 1g carbs (and 4 or 5 calories) for 1 tsp due to the bulking agent added (usually maltodextrin or dextrose)since they are too lightweight on their own. A better solution is to look for liquid versions of the artificial sweeteners. These are super concentrated and usually zero-carb. Some plans shun artificial sweeteners however. And unfortunately, some people find that their use may either stall their progress, adversely affect their blood sugar, or cause them gastric distress. YMMV. Your Mileage May Vary.
Getting Started
What if you don't like any of the low-carb plans? Or if you just want to get started now while you are still nailing down which plan you want? All of the above information seems like a lot of confusing do's and don'ts, and some plans may seem complicated, but low-carbing can be simply reduced to the following to get you started:
Carbs: set your carbs to a realistic goal for you. If you have a medical condition, you should follow the carb gram recommendation given to you. But if you are pursuing a low-carb diet for weightloss (or for the other benefits this diet provides), we generally recommend a 100g ceiling for beginners. Set your sugar to 30-40g. Try not to exceed either of them. You can jump down to 100g immediately, or if you'd rather, set your goal to 150g and decrease it slowly over time. This level generally provides enough challenge for beginners coming off the SAD, but is still easily attainable once you learn to center your meals around something that isn't pasta, bread, or white potatoes.
Protein: set your protein to .6-1g per pound of lean body weight, or about 100g, and try to get close (it's okay if you're a little over or a little under). This is generally a good starting point for most people, as you can easily reach this goal with 3-4oz of a protein source per meal, which is reasonable for most people without trying to artificially inflate or deflate the amount. You don't need to be afraid of eating too much protein. While a process called gluconeogenesis exists in the body, which converts protein to glucose, you would have to eat A LOT of protein, a huge amount that would cause you to eat in a calorie surplus, for it to even matter. It is a demand-driven and metabolically expensive process. Even in that case, only a few grams of glucose are produced, usually because your body or brain require it. Conversely, too little protein can cause you to lose muscle. However, some diabetics or those who are insulin resistant have reported being very sensitive to protein intake. YMMV. (Your Mileage May Vary) If all the noise on the internet still has you concerned, take a bit of time to read up on what Amy Berger, MS in Nutrition and Certified Nutrition Specialist, has to say regarding protein and glucogenesis: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Protein & Gluconeogenesis
Fat: After setting your protein level and carb level, fill the rest of your intake with fat. This can look like a scary number at first, but it isn't bad. Fat is not bad. We can't say this enough. Fat fills you up, makes food tasty, and when paired with the appropriate amount of protein, can keep you satisfied for a long time and give you energy.
We hope this brief guide has helped you better understand what low-carbing is and will help you jumpstart your foray into the lifestyle.
If you have more in-depth questions, revisit The Launch Pad. There you will find links to low-carb plans and suggestions for informative books, videos, and the science behind low-carb diets.
What does low-carb mean?
The term "Low-carb" is a blanket generalization for any eating plan that restricts carbohydrate intake. On the individual level, there are many different ways to skin a cat, and there are many different ways to go "low-carb." The Standard American Diet (SAD) often contains 300g or more of carbohydrates per day and while sites like MFP recommend that 40% to 50% of your intake be carbohydrates, which can technically be lower than the SAD, that is not really accepted as low-carb. Diets like South Beach, the Zone, or Sugar Busters tend to be lower in carbs than the SAD, and are great plans, but are not low-carb diets either.
So what IS low-carb? Medical recommendations for those with insulin resistance, diabetes, and PCOS often are in a range of 150-100 grams of carbs per day. So we can draw our line there. Underneath this imaginary line, however, dwells a plethora of differing plans and levels, depending on your needs.
What Do Low-Carbers Eat?
Low-carb diets, in general, focus plans around meats (poultry, fish, beef, pork), eggs, low-carb dairy (cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream), fats, and the low-carb, non-starchy vegetables (like leafy greens and brocolli), however the plans that allow higher carb levels also allow for legumes, fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains. Generally they avoid added sugars (table sugar and corn syrups, for example) and limit (if not eliminate altogether) white flour, pasta, and rice. However, each plan is different, differing in carb level and restrictions.
On the Level: Low-carbing by Carb Level:
Ketosis Plans: The lowest carb plans are ketosis plans. Here carb intake ranges from zero to 50g daily. The aim of these plans are to decrease carbs so greatly that your body enters ketosis, the process in which the body switches from burning carbs for fuel to burning fat. This process has many health benefits, including aiding those with insulin resistance, epilepsy, and some autoimmune issues. It is also reported to help curb cravings and increase energy in those who follow these plans. Atkins and keto are ketosis plans and begin with cutting carbs to 20g daily for a period. Atkins slowly increases their carb count by re-adding certain foods it had restricted in certain phases, until the person discovers their personal carb threshold. Many keto folks do increase theirs as well, though ketoers don't necessarily restrict their foods selections other than ensuring they stay under the desired level.
Ketosis plans, due to the very low carb count, keep food consumption to proteins, fat, and non-starchy veggies, low-carb dairy and a small amount of nuts. Those closer to 50g occasionally add low-carb fruits. They desire to juggle their low carb-levels, moderate protein, and high fats in order to keep their bodies in ketosis.
General Low-Carb: The next bracket, which ranges from 50g-100g daily, have a greater variety of foods available. They often can add, in addition to their non-starchy vegetables (which they may eat more of), low-carb fruits, more nuts, and in cases of careful carb-budgeting in the higher levels (closer to 100g), can add small amounts of legumes and whole grains.
LowER-carb plans: range from 100g-150g daily (45-60g per meal is the American Diabetic Association recommendation.) These plans are often suggested by doctors for diabetics or those who suffer from insulin resistance, or are used by those who would rather keep a higher carb level, and usually encourage you to keep tabs on your carb count by choosing carbs that are low on the Glycemic Index. Those on these plans may choose low-carb, fruits, appropriate servings of whole grains and starchy vegetables.
Are Carbs All We Care About?
Carb count is very important to the low-carber, but the quality (kind) of the carb is crucial as well. Most old-timers in the low-carb scene would recommend you would be wiser to choose foods with a low Glycemic Load, that is, they cause less of an insulin response than other foods. The whole reason low-carb diets are pursued is this: lower carb intake decreases the insulin response, which urges the body to fuel itself from stored fat instead of glucose (sugars) and to discourage the body from storing extra energy as fat.
However, carbs aren't everything in a low-carb diet. We are concerned with the other macros (fat and protein) as well. The proportion in which you consume these other macros will impact you. You may see the acronym LCHF (Low Carb/High Fat) associated with many low-carb diets. What does this mean? This means that to be successful and healthy while low-carbing, and in addition feel generally more satisfied, you need to make sure to eat enough fat. Isn't fat bad? NO. It's not. The medical community is discovering that the studies that lead us to believe that nonsense for decades was misreported and misrepresented. Too little fat will leave your appetite unsatisfied and will make you tired. Too much or too little protein can affect your health as well causing you to strain your liver and kidneys (protein too high) or make you become too tired and potentially cause you lose lean muscle (protein too low).
Do Calories Matter?
Yes. Calories always matter unfortunately. However, many people find they are more satisfied on a low-carb diet, as it helps reduce cravings for some, and naturally enforces portion control. In the beginning focus on carbs, hitting your protein macro, and filling the rest with fat. Eat until you are full, and not a bite more. Cutting your carbs will naturally decrease your calorie intake. If you are interested in a low-carb diet for weightloss, after the first month, however, you should start watching your calories. As your body decreases in weight, so does your body's need for calories.
Drink That Water!
Another important concern for those following a low-carb diet are dehydration and electrolyte balance. Asking your body to fuel itself with fat instead of sugar causes your body to need more water. Water is the best beverage for your body's health. We realize a lot of people don't like to drink water. There are many zero-carb, zero-calorie flavors we can now add to our water to make it more palatable. So no excuses! As we burn ketones and drink more water, our electrolyte consumption must increase. Ever hear of keto-flu or carb-flu? This is because of electrolyte imbalance. Make sure you are getting enough electrolytes! If you are low-carbing, and you ever drink water, sweat, or have a pulse, you need to get enough sodium, magnesium and potassium! More ketones means you need more electrolytes. More water means you need more electrolytes. Drink salty broth and/or make your own electrolyte drinks. Check out the Electrolyte post here for helpful details: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest.
Artificial Sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners can help low-carbers to mitigate any remaining flare-up of the sweet tooth. Many of them are zero-carb, however, powdered sweeteners generally have 1g carbs (and 4 or 5 calories) for 1 tsp due to the bulking agent added (usually maltodextrin or dextrose)since they are too lightweight on their own. A better solution is to look for liquid versions of the artificial sweeteners. These are super concentrated and usually zero-carb. Some plans shun artificial sweeteners however. And unfortunately, some people find that their use may either stall their progress, adversely affect their blood sugar, or cause them gastric distress. YMMV. Your Mileage May Vary.
Getting Started
What if you don't like any of the low-carb plans? Or if you just want to get started now while you are still nailing down which plan you want? All of the above information seems like a lot of confusing do's and don'ts, and some plans may seem complicated, but low-carbing can be simply reduced to the following to get you started:
Carbs: set your carbs to a realistic goal for you. If you have a medical condition, you should follow the carb gram recommendation given to you. But if you are pursuing a low-carb diet for weightloss (or for the other benefits this diet provides), we generally recommend a 100g ceiling for beginners. Set your sugar to 30-40g. Try not to exceed either of them. You can jump down to 100g immediately, or if you'd rather, set your goal to 150g and decrease it slowly over time. This level generally provides enough challenge for beginners coming off the SAD, but is still easily attainable once you learn to center your meals around something that isn't pasta, bread, or white potatoes.
Protein: set your protein to .6-1g per pound of lean body weight, or about 100g, and try to get close (it's okay if you're a little over or a little under). This is generally a good starting point for most people, as you can easily reach this goal with 3-4oz of a protein source per meal, which is reasonable for most people without trying to artificially inflate or deflate the amount. You don't need to be afraid of eating too much protein. While a process called gluconeogenesis exists in the body, which converts protein to glucose, you would have to eat A LOT of protein, a huge amount that would cause you to eat in a calorie surplus, for it to even matter. It is a demand-driven and metabolically expensive process. Even in that case, only a few grams of glucose are produced, usually because your body or brain require it. Conversely, too little protein can cause you to lose muscle. However, some diabetics or those who are insulin resistant have reported being very sensitive to protein intake. YMMV. (Your Mileage May Vary) If all the noise on the internet still has you concerned, take a bit of time to read up on what Amy Berger, MS in Nutrition and Certified Nutrition Specialist, has to say regarding protein and glucogenesis: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Protein & Gluconeogenesis
Fat: After setting your protein level and carb level, fill the rest of your intake with fat. This can look like a scary number at first, but it isn't bad. Fat is not bad. We can't say this enough. Fat fills you up, makes food tasty, and when paired with the appropriate amount of protein, can keep you satisfied for a long time and give you energy.
We hope this brief guide has helped you better understand what low-carbing is and will help you jumpstart your foray into the lifestyle.
If you have more in-depth questions, revisit The Launch Pad. There you will find links to low-carb plans and suggestions for informative books, videos, and the science behind low-carb diets.
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