Going on a diet is on many people's list of good intentions at the start of a new year. Many different diets can be found on the internet or in magazines, which often advertise losing as many kilos as possible in the shortest possible time. However, this is not sustainable: you often put on weight again after the quick-fix diet and sometimes you end up with more on your ribs than before. The typical yo-yo effect. But are all diets bad? In the next few articles, we will be taking a closer look at a few popular diets and nutrition trends, starting with the Low-carb diet.
What does a low-carb diet mean?
With the Low carb diet avoid carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes, bread, rice and pasta, but also Sweetbecause with Sugar are also carbohydrates. However, fruit and vegetables that have a comparatively high carbohydrate content should not end up on your plate either. These include bananas, sweetcorn, grapes and peas. Pulses are also avoided, as they also contain some carbohydrates. But what do you eat then? Mainly foods with a high protein content, i.e. meat, fish, eggs and dairy products.
How does the low carb diet work for weight loss?
We only lose weight if we consume more energy in total than we need. Protein keeps you full for a long time, which is why you tend to eat less on a low-carb diet. In addition, various functions of the human metabolism are used to accelerate fat loss. Superfluous carbohydrates are converted into fat, among other things, so that they can be stored better. If there are too few carbohydrates, the reverse process starts more quickly, fat is broken down and you lose weight, which can even happen very quickly at first.
Is low-carb a sustainable way to lose weight?
The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has evaluated various diets in terms of their health effects (German Society for Nutrition e.V. - Diets and fasting, dge.de). She considers a diet to be healthy if the following points apply:
- Slow and long-term weight loss
- Maintain weight for at least one year
- Individual preferences are taken into account when eating and drinking
- Health-conscious behaviour is promoted (for example, exercise, healthy & enjoyable eating behaviour)
- No side effects
Nutrition experts advise against a low-carb diet, as this form of nutrition is very one-sided due to the fact that so many foods are avoided. In addition, carbohydrates are not unhealthy in themselves; whole grains and pulses in particular provide a lot of healthy nutrients and fibre that our bodies need. If you eat a low-carb diet for a long period of time, this can lead to deficiency symptoms in the long term. Too much animal protein and fat increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, blood lipid levels and uric acid levels can rise, which can lead to various diseases. Of course, none of this will happen if you follow a low-carb diet for a few weeks. Nevertheless, the yo-yo effect is very likely to set in after the temporary diet if you don't change your diet to a balanced one in the long term.
Tip for losing weight: One low-carb meal a day
There are different ways to lose weight. If you are interested in a low-carb diet, we recommend that you don't eat all your meals at 100% low-carb in order to avoid the disadvantages of this one-sided diet. For example, you could eat 2 low carb meals and the third balanced meal with whole grains and legumes.
It's no secret that many animal products and meat are not advisable. However, there are also plant-based alternatives to add variety to a low-carb meal. In our shop you will find some products that are low in carbohydrates but high in versatile ingredients thanks to lots of vegetables.
Conclusion: Better balanced & long-term
Although you can achieve quick weight loss success with low-carb, this diet is not a balanced way to lose weight. It is much better to lose weight with a balanced diet, namely with adjusted portion sizes, exercise and a long-term change in diet. Would you like to include a low-carb meal from time to time? In the shop you will find here suitable products. These meals are purely plant-based and have a comparatively low carbohydrate content. Nevertheless, some of them contain potatoes and pulses.
How about a delicious tomato soup? All soups from our Tasting Pack Creamy Soups are a good, low-carbohydrate alternative.
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Sources: AOK, TK, DGE
Image "Low Carb": Adobe Stock, Pixelbliss, #71644603
Low carb food image: Adobe Stock, azurita, #140345682
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