low-carb-related stories
Modest Carb Cutting Can Boost Weight Loss
Jonny's Take, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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| Photo: a.drian, Flickr |
Even a modest reduction in carb intake might be enough to stabilize blood sugar, reduce insulin and, in the long-run, facilitate weight loss, says a new study from the Department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Barbara Gower, coauthor of the study, says, "There has been great public interest in low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss, but they are difficult to maintain, in part because of the drastic reduction in carbohydrates."
Well, we can quibble about the difficult to maintain part -- many low-carbers feel it's the easiest program they've ever been on once they get used to it -- but let's admit that many people do find the idea of giving up high-carb foods daunting, to say the least.
Eco-Atkins - Easy Snack Ideas
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Going vegetarian without carbs? Getting lots of protein without meat? That sounds like crazy talk to most of us, but in reality, there are plenty of delicious ways to get your nutrients without resorting to meat or simple carbs.
Like what? Here are some quick Eco-Atkin's-friendly snack ideas:
- A handful of nuts, like almonds or walnuts. Be careful though -- nuts are high in fat, so don't overdo it.
- Celery and peanut butter -- seriously, seriously delicious.
- Plain yogurt with some fresh fruit -- or soy yogurt if you're vegan. Between you and me, I usually add a touch of honey.
- Hummus and fresh veggies give you lots of fiber and nutrients all in one go.
- An apple with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top will hit the spot, or with some low-fat cheese if you're OK with dairy.
Need more inspiration? Click here for some great resources.
Low Carb? Highly Doubtful
Liz Neporent is a diet and fitness expert and author of 12 fitness bestsellers. She regularly appears on national TV programs and is the president of Wellness 360, a New-York based wellness provider.
Of all the relics of the low-carb craze, the one that bothers me the most is "net carbs." It's a phrase that still appears on food packaging, and I still get questions about it.
What does "net carbs" mean? Actually, it's a classic misdirect cooked up by marketers who want to divert your attention from the unhealthier aspects of their products, sort of like how car dealers now refer to used cars as "pre-owned." This fabricated term arbitrarily subtracts fiber and sugar alcohols from a food's total carb count. These are considered "zero impact carbs" that don't spike blood sugar or add calories to the diet. But of course, this isn't always the case.
Calories - Are They That Important?
Jonny's Take, Diet & Weight Loss
if you cut your calories, you'll lose weight, regardless of the diet you follow. An encouraging and optimistic message, this is true. But it's not the whole story.
A recent study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" put overweight women on one of four low-calorie diets: Two of the diets were low-fat, two of them were high-fat and each had either a "high-protein" component or an "average-protein" component. Carb intake ranged from 35 percent of calories to 65 percent. The women were told to slash about 750 calories from their daily intake and to exercise 90 minutes a week. Typical diets ranged from 1,400 calories a day to 2,000. The participants also attended counseling sessions. And after two years, the participants had lost an average of nine pounds and trimmed two inches off their waists, regardless of which diet they were on.
But now, on to the rest of the story.
Starbucks - Thumbs Up for Low-Carb Fare
Jonny's Take, Nutrition & Supplements
Though many people associate the term "low-carb" with a very stringent version of the Atkins Diet, fact is that low-carb has penetrated the mainstream in many ways, including some you might not notice at first. The latest "fast-food" emporium to offer a really healthy low-carb option -- though they don't call it that -- is none other than (drum roll, please) ... Starbucks!
Yup, Starbucks. The place where the only "food" you could order once came in the form of extremely high-calorie muffins and pastries, loaded with sugar and absent of any resemblance to a food that could have been gathered, plucked, hunted or fished (the four Jonny Bowden Food Groups).
Starbucks now offers a number of food items suitable for low-carbers, including nuts, cheese and fruit.
Withdrawn: Advice on Low-Fat Diets for Weight Loss!
Jonny's Take, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Recently, researchers combed through hundreds of previously-published studies that investigated low-fat diets in comparison to other weight loss strategies. They looked at the Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry, MEDLINE and EMBASE, all sources of rigorously-controlled published trials. They were interested in the ability of people to actually sustain weight loss over a long period of time, so they investigated the studies in which people were given specific dietary advice (like eat a low-fat diet, or reduce calories). Three independent reviewers poured over the studies that met the criteria for inclusion.
Guess what they concluded?
10 foods for low-fat and low-carb diets
- Asparagus It's low-carb and low-fat.
- Zucchini A low-cal, low-carb veggie.
- Tomatoes Eat them as is or use in sauces, soups, or sliced on salads.
- Broth & Stock Soup Use as a base for soups, stews, and sauces.
- Wine One four-ounce serving is correlated with good health.
- Game Meats Think venison and elk -- healthy substitutes for beef -- and you'll get some lean protein.
- Berries A good choice for satisfying a sweet craving. High in vitamins and antioxidants too.
- Dark Greens & Lettuces They add volume to a meal without calorie overload.
- Salmon It's fatty, but its omega-3 fatty acids make it healthy. Full of protein too.
- Chicken & Turkey Both are low-fat and excellent sources of protein. Organic is best.
Bake with garbanzo beans?
Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
When you think of stocking your pantry with baking needs, usually garbanzo beans don't come to mind. It's time to change that thinking, for a number of reasons. Baking with garbanzo beans:- instead of flour adds protein and fiber to your baked goods
- allows people on gluten-free diets to enjoy sweet treats
- creates treats for people on low-carb diets
- adds more nutrition to your baked goods; they really do become a viable food
Research declares low-carb diet a winner
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Which is best: Low-fat or low-carb? Results of one of the longest and largest studies to compare the two weight-loss techniques reveals that low-carb is the way to go -- for both weight loss and cholesterol management. Bummer for me, a carb-loving gal who is quite happy with a basket of bread, a plate of pasta, or a bowl full of crackers. Two years this study has been taking place. And for two years, 85 percent of the participants stuck with the competing diets -- amazing, just like the results, which indicate for some that Atkins-like diets are pretty effective and are even capable of lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Not everyone agrees. One nutritionist says this study is deceiving and leads people to assume low-carb and Atkins go hand in hand. But dieters ate the mono- and polyunsaturated fats found in vegetables, not the Atkins saturated artery-clogging fats found in cream and butter.
Heart associations are not jumping on board the low-carb anything just yet but are still recommending low-fat diets for the reduction of heart risks. They also like the Mediterranean diet.
What about you? What do you like? And what diet are you most likely to follow?
Do you Heart low-carb diets?
Womens Health, HealthWatch, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Men's Health
Are you a hearty eater? No, I'm not talking about a hardy eater; eating robust meals (for some reason beef stew comes to mind) and washing them down with pints of lager. What I'm actually wondering is if your diet is good for your heart. We've all heard plenty about the importance of cutting bad fats from your diet to ensure heart health, but did you know that cutting back on carbs can also help? This is clearly the case, says a study out of the University of California at Davis.
Researchers found that cutting your carb intake to be less than 40 percent of total calories actually turned off a particular triglyceride-producing gene. As a matter of fact, they found that the more carbs were slashed from a person's diet, the less active this gene (known as stearoyl-coenzyme A desaurase) became.
This doesn't mean that it's time to go back to an Atkin's philosophy; rather, it simply means that being aware of carb intake is crucial for a well-balanced diet. Of all the macronutrients we get from food, carbs seem to be the easiest to source, which is also why it's so easy to go overboard with them. The most sound approach, based on current research, is to stick to heart healthy whole grains, legumes, and fruits and vegetables as your carb sources.
Low-carb diet reduces inflammation
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
Now that we've thankfully moved well past the carb-starve days, it's good to see people enjoying starch again. Carbohydrates are an integral part of a healthy diet, which is why depriving yourself of this macronutrient is not exactly the best course of action. That all being said, keeping your carb intake under control is just as important, as evidenced by a recent study out of the University of Connecticut.According to UConn researchers, a low-carb diet can reduce inflammation, a known cause of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Volunteers who went on either a low-carb or low-fat diet had blood samples taken after a 12-week period, revealing that only the low-carb group exhibited any significant reduction in their inflammation (by as much as 30 percent).
Finding a balance of protein, carbs, and fats can sometimes be a bit tricky. For a little guidance, try visiting our sister site, AOL Body, for a wealth of tips and nutrition tools that can help you along.
Low-carb may mean low-risk
Cellulite, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products, Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements
Many people are turning to low-carb diets to help them lose weight. Is this a good idea? Yes and no. Yes, if we're talking about eliminating mostly fast-digesting carbs, such as white rice, sweets, and sugary soft drinks; no if it means removing all carbs -- even those that are shown to be quite good for us, such as whole grains and vegetables -- from what we eat. Whatever the case, some still wonder if a low-carb diet of any kind is good for the heart.
Not so, says a new study from the University of Connecticut. In fact, this same UConn study shows just the opposite: a low-carb diet may actually be good for your heart. According to researchers, study volunteers who limited their carb consumption were able to reduce their LDL cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and lower triglycerides.
But, this doesn't mean that you want to do that "carb-starve" nonsense. As stated before, just do your best to be choosy with your carb sources.
Using sweeteners on a low-carb diet
After having personally lined up all available sweeteners myself in the last year, there are plenty of choices beyond refined table sugar that give a decent (but not stuffed) amount of calories while tasting great. And, they're not synthetic chemicals also.Agave nectar and stevia are two of my favorites. You can completely replace refined sugar in most recipes with agave nectar and use it in tea and even water. But for sweeteners like maple syrup, avoid them unless you want a huge dose of calories in addition to that sweet taste.
Get up to speed with some of the better alternatives to sugar here. Then, get set to stock your pantry with them.
No carbs are best for a healthy prostate
However, it should be noted that high-fat diets have been said to lead to prostate cancer, even though these findings show that it might help speed up treatment. So, in the meantime, I think moderation is key -- don't cut out healthy carbs like whole grains, and don't load up on unhealthy fats either.
Yummy low-carb vegetarian snacks
- Add nuts to a salad
- Home made guacamole is low in carbs and high in fibre
- Add some parmesan cheese to some steamed broccoli for a healthy and yummy snack
- Enjoy soy nuts as an on-the-go snack
- Stuff an artichoke with some cheese for a gourmet meal
- Add tofu to a fruit smoothie for a high-protein breakfast
- Fresh fruit is an indulgence, but a worthy one. Pair it with some plain yogurt.
