The Low Carbohydrate Trend

The trend in the nutrition industry in recent years has been toward low carbohydrate dieting . With such a diet a person eats no or very few calories from bread, pasta, potatoes, fruits, and dairy while eating more meat, eggs, and other high protein foods. Despite their current popularity, these diets are problematic in several way, especially for those participating in a regular exercise program.      




Without carbohydrates that can be used as an energy source, the body shifts into a state called ketosis. Ketosis is when the body burns fat and fat like compounds called Ketones as an energy source . Ketosis increases fluid loss, resulting in an initial weight loss of five or more pounds during the first few days of the diet. Dieters encouraged by this initial weight loss often continue dieting without realizing that their weight loss can be attributed to water loss






Low carb diets can have adverse effects on the body.




When a person is not eating enough carbohydrates, the brain also is forced to find an alternate energy source. Unlike the body, the brain cannot fuel itself on fat and instead must break down muscle tissue into its amino acid components. The amino acids are then converted to glucose and used to fuel the brain. Muscle breakdown depletes a person's muscle mass, resulting in a slow metabolism. The decreased muscle mass and slowed metabolism that result from low carbohydrate dieting explain why people tend to gain weight quickly when they quit this diet.