Article by Wendy Wood

The Low Carb Craze. Diets low in carbohydrates have been very popular for the last decade or so. Proponents of these diet plans seem convinced that significantly reducing a persons carbohydrate intake is the key to permanent weight loss. Various low carb based diets continue to appear on the best seller lists and the food industry has responded by offering many carbohydrate reduced products to meet the demand for low carb food options. So, do low carbohydrate diets really work? Before deciding whether or not to pursue a low carb diet, it is good to get an understanding of how carbohydrate rich foods are processed by the body.

How Carbohydrates Figure Into NutritionAlong with protein and fat, carbohydrates are one of the three food groups classified as nutrients for your body. A healthy diet should be composed of all three nutrients, although not in equal amounts. Carbohydrates can be described as ant type of food that comes from a plant, plus milk and yogurt. Carbs provide the building blocks for energy and are frequently used by athletes to increase their endurance and stamina while training. There are two main types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Simple carbs are received from natural sugars or glucose, while complex carbs are full of fiber and starch. While the body needs nutrients found in both types of carbohydrates, our bodies make better use of more complex carbohydrates to function properly. Simple carbohydrates include foods like sugar, honey, fruit juice, milk and candy. Complex carbohydrates are comprised of foods such as grains, bread, potatoes, rice and beans.

Healthy Ways to Cut CarbohydratesWhile completely removing carbohydrates from your diet will negatively affect your health, cutting back on certain types of carbohydrates can help you to lose weight. Because carbohydrates can metabolize into fat, reducing the percentage of carbs in your diet will have a beneficial effect on your waistline. High carb diets generally consist of a caloric intake that is between 50% – 60% from carbs, while low carb diets trim that percentage to 30% – 40%. Some ways to maintain a healthy diet while reducing the overall carbohydrate intake include:

Avoid Processed Foods. Natural grains and organic vegetables provide more nutritional value than processed carbohydrates.

Remember that Milk and Yogurt are Carbs. While milk and yogurt also contain fats, there is also a carbohydrate content in dairy products. Do not forget to count dairy based foods in your overall carb intake.

Minimize Simple Carbs. While many consider bread products to be the ultimate carbohydrate villain, candies, cookies and other sugar based simple carbs actually do more ultimate damage.

Get Your Carbs from Fruits and Vegetables. The best carbs for your system include fresh fruits and vegetables. Along with maintaining important nutrients and fiber, fruits and vegetables have long been considered a staple of healthy diets.

Article by Suzie Green

A low-carbohydrate or low-carb diet is a dietary program that restricts the amount of carbohydrates you eat. Many women often restrict their carbohydrate consumption to help control their weight. When on a low-carb diet, you are limiting carbohydrates such as refined bread and pasta and replacing it with foods that contain more proteins or fats.

Many women often become confused about a low-carb diet due to the vast amount of information that is available. Here are some pointers for you if you do want to take this low-carb journey.

1. Start by making easy changes to your lifestyle

Do not go cold turkey, it will come as a shock to your body. When you begin low-carb eating, reduce the unhealthy carbohydrates that are currently in your diet. Unhealthy carbohydrates consist of overly processed and refined breads and rice. This does not add much nutritional value to your diet.

2. Learn what you can eat

This is essential when it comes to any diet. Do your research. Do not think that all fruits are bad for you or that all breads are restricted from your diet. You need to know that some of these foods do add great nutritional value to your body and can be consumed. These are known as the good carbs. Find a low-carb food pyramid online to know what is good for you.

3. Research low-carb diets you want to follow

Two popular diets are currently the Atkins and South Beach diet. Which one do you think is right for you? For those who are interested in the Atkins diet, it is a diet that consists of limited refined carbs and eating a variety of fats. It also allows people to eat butter which is a surprise for many. The Atkins diet also requires that a person counts all carbs that are digestible.

For those who are interested in the South Beach diet, they will notice similarities to the Atkins diet. It advises against eating refined carbs and sticking to carbs that are more fibrous and better for the body. Unlike Atkins, the South Beach diet advises that a person should minimize their intake of saturated fats and butter. Both diets advise to eat foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids.

Know that it will not be an easy journey and that there will be temptations. If you experience an unexpected turn of events or a speed bump, do not throw your hands in the air and quit. Push through it and stay committed to your goals and work through it. You will feel great when you achieve the results that you want from these low-carb diets.