Popularised by the now debunked Atkins Diet, the idea that one could lose weight by ditching carbs and adding protein is a bad one. The belief that one food group is completely bad and one is good is wrong.
So why are low-carb/ high protein diets so popular? For starters, short-term benefits: Since you are eliminating a huge food group, you are starving your body of calories. Second, these diets are easy to implement because elimination is easier than substitution. The fundamental problem is that this diet is rooted in misconceptions about both protein and carbs. I’ll outline the benefits of both.
Why carbs are good?
You need carbs. From being a key macronutrient and an important source of energy, carbs also enhance your mood and help with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, all very important functions. And get this: carbs are integral to the metabolism of fats. In other words, if you want to cut fat, you need carbs to burn it!
But like good fats and bad fats, there are simple carbs and complex carbs. Simple carbs are sugary foods, chocolates, cakes, sweets and drinks. These are called ‘simple’ because your body doesn’t have to work to digest them. They are high in calories. Avoid. Turn your attention to complex carbohydrates – rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, wholewheat, vegetables and fruits.
Excess protein is harmful
Protein, on the other hand, is considered to be a life-giving nutrient responsible for building tissue, replacing worn-out cells and transporting enzymes, hormones, antibodies and neurotransmitters. They also build muscle. But what many may not know is that protein helps with weight loss because your body needs more calories to digest it (digestion also burns calories). On an average, they pump up your metabolic rate by a massive 30 per cent versus just 4 for carbs or fats. Which is why high-protein diets are so seductive, yet detrimental. Excess protein has been associated with excess formation of uric acid, kidney problems, osteoporosis and cancer.
Stick to balanced meals: your day’s diet should have 65% carbs, 25% protein and 10% fats. Eat light as evening closes in.
The two thirds of the population that are either overweight or obese have a plethora of diets to choose from. From low-fat to high-fat, keto diets and intermittent fasting, the fads are numerous — but what are their consequences for our health?
A new study focuses on low-carb diets and explores the health risks that are associated with them. Carbohydrates are a major source of energy for most living organisms, so how does a diet low in these molecules impact health?
The new research does not offer a causal answer to this question, but it does examine the links between low-carb diets and the risk of premature mortality, as well as mortality from specific chronic diseases.
A large study concludes that a low intake of carbs raises the risk of premature mortality, as well as mortality from several chronic illnesses. Therefore, scientists urge dieters to avoid low-carb diets.
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