Diet without carbohydrates
introduction
In a diet without carbohydrates, all carbohydrates disappear from the menu and are replaced by fats and proteins. This means that fats and proteins are the main sources of energy in the so-called no-carb diet. This type of diet is a ketogenic diet. The background to this diet is that if the body is not supplied with carbohydrates through food, it is forced to look for another source of energy.
This means that the energy required for metabolic processes comes from the love handles, among other things, so that the pounds melt away. The fatty acids from the fat deposits are converted into so-called ketone bodies in the liver, which our body uses as an alternative source of energy. In order for this effect to work as well as possible, the carbohydrate stores (Glycogen) and the carbohydrate intake must be stopped. For this reason, on a diet without carbohydrates, a maximum of 30 grams of carbohydrates per day should be consumed with food.
Please also read our article on this Carbohydrates.
Course of the diet
The carbohydrate-free diet is extreme supervision, which if strictly followed should at best be checked by a doctor. The no-carb diet is based on a protein and fat-rich diet. The body is supplied with numerous saturated and unsaturated fats. In the case of a diet without carbohydrates, it is essential that no more than 30 grams of carbohydrates are ingested with food each day. This means that you have to pay close attention to the carbohydrate content of the food.
Apart from that, the foods permitted in this form of diet may be eaten without counting calories. It is recommended; Take three main meals a day and avoid snacks in between. Plenty of water should be consumed and sweetened drinks and snacks should be avoided.
Read more on the subject below Carbohydrates table.
What can i eat?
In the diet without carbohydrates, mainly animal fats, saturated fatty acids and protein are allowed to be eaten. Vegetables or nuts that are high in carbohydrates are prohibited.
Meat can come from beef, chicken or game, for example.
Seafood such as scallops, herring, sardines, trout, and tuna are good choices for this diet.
You can also eat a lot of eggs. Cheeses such as cheddar, Gouda, blue cheese and goat cheese are on the menu as well as butter, cream and lard.
In order not to exceed 30 grams of carbohydrates per day, attention should be paid to the carbohydrate content in all foods. This is especially true for fruit and vegetables, so that only low-carbohydrate, especially green vegetables can end up on the menu.
Please also read our article on this High protein diet.
Side effects
A serious side effect of the carbohydrate-free diet is limited performance. Due to the lack of carbohydrates, the body gets most of its energy from the conversion of fat into so-called ketone bodies, which are less efficient and have a lower energy density than carbohydrates. This means that you can only provide a limited service. This effect can be particularly disadvantageous when doing sports or at work.
Read more on the subject below Lose weight by burning fat
Especially in the beginning of the diet without carbohydrates, concentration problems and headaches are common. In addition, the no-carb diet bombarded the body with numerous saturated and unsaturated fats. The high proportion of saturated fats in particular is less good for blood lipid levels. If the diet is followed for a long time, the high intake of fat can be detrimental to our health. Since fewer vegetables and fruits are on the menu than recommended, it is questionable whether the body is getting enough minerals, nutrients, trace elements and vitamins. This can lead to serious deficiency symptoms over a long period of time. Over a long period of time, a diet without carbohydrates can put a strain on the kidneys, as a lot of calcium is excreted through it. The risk of osteoporosis and kidney stones increases with months of dieting.
Criticism of the diet
The diet without carbohydrates is a very radical form of nutrition that should be checked by a doctor if it is carried out for a longer period, i.e. from several months. If the diet is left uncontrolled over a long period of time, the kidneys can be extremely stressed, kidney stones and even kidney failure can occur.
If the electrolytes are not in balance, the risk of osteoporosis increases significantly.
The high fat intake in this diet leads to increased blood lipid levels, which are dangerous for the blood vessels over a long period of time. The diet is not suitable for people who do a lot of sport, as the pure fat burning does not leave enough strength for training.
Where can I find recipes for this form of diet?
There are many delicious carbohydrate free recipes on the internet. You will find a variety of recipe ideas of different degrees of difficulty, so that there is something to cook for everyone. Despite the limited food selection, the no-carb diet can be made colorful, which makes it easier to stick to this diet. In addition, there are tons of books that contain recipes. These often provide shopping lists and weekly plans so that the diet can be carried out in a structured manner. Depending on your preference, you can choose between websites and books and you will always find delicious recipe ideas without a lot of carbohydrates.
How Much Can I Lose Weight With This Diet?
Very good successes of 2 to 4 kilos per week are often described as part of the diet without carbohydrates. In the first few days, water is also washed out, which is clearly noticeable on the scales.As with any diet, the success of the no-carb diet depends heavily on the initial situation, the daily calorie intake and, if necessary, additional exercise. Accordingly, the success of the customer can vary.
Read more on the topic: Lightning diet
How can I prevent the yo-yo effect with this diet?
The risk of a yo-yo effect is particularly high with a diet without carbohydrates if cheating is carried out during the diet and, in addition to the rather high-fat foods, particularly high-carbohydrate foods are eaten. When combined with diet food, these sins are more likely to lead to weight gain. The no-carb diet should therefore be strictly implemented. If you want to end the diet, you should strive for a slow transition to a permanently healthy diet and gradually consume larger amounts of carbohydrates. At the same time, the fatty foods may be slowly reduced. In this way, the dreaded yo-yo effect can be effectively prevented.
Evaluation of the diet
In the short term, you can lose weight very quickly with the carbohydrate-free diet. With a strict diet, you actually break down the love handles. According to studies, test subjects report that after an initial decrease, the concentration increased over the period of the diet, the complexion improved and mood swings decreased.
With the diet, due to the high protein content, there should be fewer cravings and the feeling of hunger should generally decrease. As part of a ketogenic diet like the diet without carbohydrates, the body's turnover increases significantly, which explains why you lose pounds particularly quickly with the no-carb diet (see also: Ketogenic diet).
In the long term, however, the diet without carbohydrates has some disadvantages, such as stress on the kidneys and increased blood lipid levels. There can also be a deficit of vitamins, nutrients and trace elements, which should be controlled with this type of diet. Therefore, we do not recommend following this diet for more than a few weeks. Should complaints arise, the family doctor should be consulted.
What alternatives are there?
The carbohydrate-free diet is a very strict form of nutrition that is not suitable for everyone because it omits carbohydrates. If you want to lose weight specifically over a longer period of time, it can make sense to try a low-carb diet instead, which is also easier to incorporate into everyday working life and is more compatible with exercise. Examples of this are the Atkins diet, the Logi method and the Glyx diet. All of these diets require a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. Another way to lose weight quickly without carbohydrates is the Strunz diet.
However, the fat content in these diets is lower than in the diet without carbohydrates. These milder forms of diet can help to convert the diet to a healthy, balanced lifestyle in the long term and ultimately to maintain the desired weight. Since exercise is easier to implement with these diets, it can also stimulate the metabolism and get the body in shape. If you want to lose a lot of weight faster, you can also try radical mono diets, such as the crash diet, fruit or vegetable diet or formula diets with protein shakes. After the end of the diet, however, there is a greater risk of the yo-yo effect to resume.
Read more on the subject below Low carb diet.
Cost of a carbohydrate free diet
The diet without carbohydrates is a particularly high-fat and protein-rich form of diet. This means that a lot of meat and fish are used, as well as valuable oils that are relatively expensive. With this diet, you do without finished products and pay relatively more money for fresh products. In general, a healthy diet means that it is worth spending more money on fresh, high-quality products. Compared to other diets, the carbohydrate-free diet is slightly more expensive because of the meat and fish consumption. However, the cost of eating varies from person to person on this diet, since, for example, not everyone eats fresh seafood every day.
Difference to low-carb diets
The low-carb diet eats significantly fewer carbohydrates than a normal, balanced diet. By not eating bread, pasta, etc., the insulin release should be kept low and fat loss should be driven. There are radical forms of low-carb diets such as the Atkins diet, the Logi or South Beach methods that have different diet plans. A big difference between the low-carb diet and the no-carb diet is that the diet without carbohydrates includes significantly more fats on the menu. Both diets have a large proportion of protein in the food and avoid snacks, sweetened drinks and alcohol. The low-carb diet has a less restricted choice of food than the diet without carbohydrates and is therefore much easier for many people to implement. In addition, the low-carb diet is more suitable for athletes.
