| Low carb diets are probably the most popular diet | | | | insulin increase and then subsequent rapid drop in |
| types today. Its philosophy of cutting down on bad | | | | insulin only promotes more hunger pangs. This means |
| carbohydrates, bad fats and bad sugars has turned | | | | that just after two to four hours after a |
| the world on its ear because it challenges the age-old | | | | carbohydrate-rich meal we would already crave for |
| belief that low fat diets help you lose weight. But | | | | more carbohydrates. This is like a vicious circle where |
| according to supporters of low carb diets, if low fat | | | | you eat carbohydrates, store fat, get hungry and |
| diets are really beneficial in losing weight then why is | | | | then eat more carbohydrates. With a low fat diet, a |
| it that 30 years after it was first presented to the | | | | person still gets fat and raises his cholesterol levels - |
| public there are more obese people now than ever | | | | and that is bad news. |
| before. | | | | This explanation to support low carbohydrate diets is |
| According to low carb diet supporters the reason lies | | | | as sound as the explanations being forwarded for |
| in carbohydrates. They contend that carbohydrates | | | | low fat diets. By limiting or even avoiding |
| are what contributes to obesity. They also said that | | | | carbohydrates in our diet we can control our insulin |
| carbohydrates are a power stimulant that triggers | | | | levels to a manageable degree and thus prevents the |
| hunger pangs. This misconception about how certain | | | | hormone from transforming glucose into fat. This |
| ingredients in our food work is proving to be a huge | | | | would in turn transform our metabolism enabling us to |
| mistake because low fat diet followers are actually | | | | use our fat reserves as the source of our energy |
| more compelled to eat more carbohydrates. | | | | and not glucose that is made from carbohydrate |
| How does this exactly work? When we eat | | | | digestion. This transformation enables our body to |
| carbohydrate rich food especially those that are | | | | burn fat more. |
| made of simple carbohydrates like sugar, pasta, | | | | Unfortunately, at this point in time, there are not |
| potatoes, rice or anything made with refined flour it | | | | enough studies to support the low carbohydrate diet |
| stimulates the production and secretion of insulin. The | | | | when compared to the older low fat diet regimen. |
| effect of insulin in the body is that it coaxes glucose | | | | But as more and more studies are made, it is |
| - which is produced by the digestion of | | | | becoming apparent that low carbohydrate diets |
| carbohydrates - to be absorbed more rapidly by our | | | | actually have tremendous health benefits to our |
| tissues for energy consumption. The extra glucose | | | | body. There are some indications that this type of |
| that is not consumed are then converted into and | | | | diet can actually lower cholesterol and triglyceride |
| stored as fat. | | | | levels in the body. The tremendous health benefits |
| But it does not stop there. Once the glucose levels in | | | | that are being attributed to low carbohydrate diets |
| our body drop, the insulin levels in our body would | | | | really deserves a second look. |
| also fall. This cycle of a carbohydrate meal - rapid | | | | |