Carve Out Carbs - Low Carbs

Low Carbs

Which Diet is Better--Low Fat or Low Carbs?

Carbohydrates are made of carbon and water, so when you cut carbs, a lot of the weight that's lost is water weight. In addition, carbohydrates have 4 calories each. Considering most of us ingest 200 or more grams of carbs a day, cutting down to just 20-40 a day will result in a fairly quick weight loss as well. After all, you're cutting 640-720 calories from your diet each day. However, most low carb diets allow you to eat as much protein and fat as you want, and fat has 9 calories a gram, so that could easily offset the calories you cut be being on a low carb diet in the first place.

But when it comes to the health of your heart, a low fat diet is far better than low carbs. Why? Because dietary fats (especially saturated fats and trans fatty acids) increase blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and that puts you at risk for heart disease. In addition, fatty foods can lead to obesity because they have a lot of calories--and obesity is another risk factor for heart disease. This is logical and makes good sense, but many people who focus on low fat instead of low carbs are still gaining weight. Why is this? Because most foods that are low fat add sugar (carbs) back in to enhance the flavor, and that sugar adds calories.

So why do diets that emphasize low carbs seem to be so successful then? Supporters of diets with low carbs are convinced that obesity is caused by carbs. Therefore, a low carb diet is the only way to go to lose weight. But then there's the issue of the fat. Most of the time, if a food is low in fat, it's got more carbs. So people on a low carb diet eat the full fat versions of these foods instead, which is more calories. On the other hand, when you're on a low carb diet, your body burns fat and protein instead of carbs because the carbs aren't there to burn. If the fat is being burned, then it can't cause damage, right?

Doctors are back and forth on the issue, and if you ask different doctors, you're likely to get different answers. The best thing to do is to ask your doctor. He's familiar with your health history and can recommend the best kind of diet for you, whether it's low fat or low carbs.

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