There is a wrong way to do a low-carb diet and there is a right way to do a low-carb diet. Actually, there is a million wrong ways to do a low-carb diet. Extremely low-carb diet is not a long-term diet plan. It is a tool you can utilize to reach a certain physique, in which you will slowly begin to add healthy carb sources back into your diet.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates should make up 45% to 65% of your total daily calories in a standard diet. The number can vary on your height, weight, and current physique. A low-carb diet is considered to be anywhere between 20 grams to 60 grams of carbohydrates.
To give you a better idea:
- One cup of brown rice is 45 grams of carbohydrates
- One tortilla is 13 grams of carbohydrates
- One cup of fruit is 15 grams of carbohydrates
- A banana is 27 grams of carbohydrates
- A hamburger is 28 grams of carbohydrates
Foods that contain no carbs include eggs, chicken, beef, lamb, pork, leafy green vegetables, apples, blueberries, strawberries, coconut oil, fish, nuts, and seeds.
Stay Away From Refined Carbs
Also referred to as simple carbohydrates, they are grains that have been stripped from bran, fiber, and nutrients. Refined carbohydrates include white rice, white bread, pastries, pasta, white flour tortilla, and nearly anything white.
Stick To Complex Carbs
Complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to break down because they include bran, fiber, and nutrients. This causes your body to stay full longer which will reduce your appetite. It also causes your body to work harder which burns more calories.
Eating unprocessed foods that are available fresh at local markets is your best option to incorporate into your diet. You can make the basis of your diet green veggies and lean proteins. Low-carb diets may help prevent serious health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Any diet that helps you shed excess weight can decrease and even reverse the risk of fatal diseases.
