Low carb, i.e. no more carbohydrates or the like after 6 pm: almost everyone has heard that at some point. But what is it actually all about? Today we take a closer look at the low-carb diet for you in our series “Nutrition myths uncovered“, as it is still a very popular method for losing weight.
Low carb: what does that actually mean?
Low carb has its origins as far back as the 19th century. Because sugar and carbohydrates have increasingly been blamed for overweight and widespread diseases in recent decades, a number of diet and weight-loss concepts have developed from this. Their focus is on giving up or reducing carbohydrates.
There is, for example, the ketogenic diet, in which virtually no carbohydrates are supposed to be consumed any more. But there are also more moderate forms in which consumption is reduced to a low level.
The theory behind a low-carbohydrate diet
As so often, advocates argue with the theory that humans are still at the evolutionary stage of Stone Age man. Since he did not eat that many carbohydrates, we should not either, because evolution supposedly did not intend it for us.
The hormone insulin is also used as an argument again and again. It is released when sugar or short-chain carbohydrates are consumed, causing the blood sugar level to rise and then fall again. These constant fluctuations in blood sugar supposedly prevent weight loss and have other negative consequences for the body, such as insulin resistance, which in the long term can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus.
But here we have to say straight away: NO, that is not how it is. Even if advocates explain their theories very convincingly to lay people, that does not make them true, nor do they reflect the body’s physiological mechanisms truthfully.
Our ancestors did not eat so few carbohydrates back then because their bodies were not designed for them, but simply because they were not available. In fact, our body can take in very large amounts and absolutely needs them! One example: triathletes consume up to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour during a competition and are still in top shape and healthy. Or perhaps precisely because of that?
Apart from that, too, carbohydrates are an important part of the diet. They supply the body, and in particular the brain, with energy. Furthermore, many carbohydrate-rich foods contain important vitamins and minerals and above all the important dietary fibre that does our health so much good!
Things are not quite as simple with insulin as is often portrayed. The hormone’s mechanisms are extremely complex and cannot be broken down into one or two sentences. In addition, it is not only sugar that triggers the release of insulin, but also proteins, which are eaten in large amounts on a low-carb diet. Insulin fluctuations are therefore completely normal in a healthy person and not harmful to health at all. Quite the opposite: insulin is a vital hormone that helps you prevent excessively high blood sugar and supplies your cells with energy. So you do not need to be afraid of diabetes or overweight. Both arise from an unhealthy lifestyle in which people eat too much and move too little, and not because you eat a handful of gummy bears now and then.
But why does low carb work so well for losing weight?
Low carb does in fact work for many people. But is that due to cutting out carbohydrates? Probably not. Losing weight always works through a calorie deficit, i.e. when you take in less energy than your body uses. It is as simple as that. There are several reasons, however, why low carb works so well for many people.
- At first you lose weight very quickly, because the body stores several hundred grams of glucose (i.e. sugar), above all in the muscles. This glucose is also bound to water. When the diet starts, these glucose stores empty, which is why you lose the first kilos on the scales within the first few days. This effect occurs with all diets, but it is considerably more pronounced with low carb.
- In addition, many people otherwise consume large amounts of energy-dense, carbohydrate-rich foods (such as pasta, baked goods, etc.). When they change their diet, these foods are not replaced by low-carb versions but for the most part simply no longer eaten. This automatically creates an energy deficit which, as already mentioned above, then leads to weight loss.
- Finally, a diet rich in protein and fat has the advantage that these foods keep you full for much longer, because they take considerably longer to digest than, say, a bread roll. Because they feel fuller, people automatically eat less, which also contributes to their weight-loss success.
What speaks against a low-carb diet?
Although low carb seems totally simple at first glance and works really well, for many people it is not a long-term strategy for regulating body weight. For one thing, on a low-carb diet you should make sure you continue to get enough dietary fibre. It is found mainly in wholegrain products and pulses, which, however, contain a lot of carbohydrates. On a low-carbohydrate diet you should therefore eat enough vegetables, as animal products contain no dietary fibre.
There is also the danger that the high consumption of animal products means eating too many saturated and too few unsaturated fatty acids. Too high an intake of saturated fatty acids can, for example, increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Care should therefore be taken to include enough nuts and seeds in the diet, as they contain many high-quality unsaturated fatty acids.
Lastly, you have to admit that with this form of diet the choice of foods is considerably restricted. Many people manage to stick to it for a few months during the diet. After that, however, most fall back into old patterns and quickly regain the pounds. That is not because of the evil carbohydrates, but simply because more calories are being eaten again. Of course, you could also eat low carb for the rest of your life. But let us be honest: do we really want to restrict ourselves that much in life and give up quality of life? Surely the goal should rather be to lead a healthy life without giving up a whole food group. Because losing weight can be done differently.
You will find out how in the next blog post, which goes online next week. There we will explain whether there are actually such things as healthy and unhealthy foods. Stay tuned.
