Should You Try a Low Carb Fad Diet?

Have you thought about trying a low carb fad diet? Before you commit yourself to the latest low carb fad diet, you’ll want to check out the scientific evidence behind these weight loss plans.

Low carb diets claim you'll shed pounds quickly if you eliminate or reduce your carb consumption below a certain level. The trustworthy premise behind this diet plan is that a low carb diet keeps your blood sugar low—ask any diabetic—and therefore decreases your body’s production of insulin. Since insulin triggers the storage of fat, it makes sense to lower your body’s insulin production. As a result, people lose weight when they start a low carb diet plan.

The bad news is these plans claim dieters can lose weight without limiting calories or portions. The idea is the dieter can eat unlimited amounts of low carb foods such as bacon and hamburger and still lose weight, a concept that has been challenged by a study put on by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The study measured the success rates of 800 adults on a variety of diet plans, including low carb diets. The end conclusion was you must limit caloric intake if you want to lose weight long term.

Low carb fad diet plans also don’t account for dealing with cravings that come up. Because your body needs carbs, you will find yourself fighting cravings, making it very difficult to remain on this diet plan for the long term.

Many low carb dieters complain that they don't have enough energy to do everyday activities. Carbohydrates are necessary for energy, especially if you want to combine exercise with your diet plan. Try going for a run while deprived of carbs; you'll find it to be incredibly difficult, which makes it hard to stay motivated to work out. You may need to sneak in a few carbs in order to exercise, which is essential for muscle tone.

Now you can make an educated choice regarding low carb fad diets.