Most often, low-carbohydrate diets are associated with one of the most popular diets of the 20th century, the Atkins diet. However, few people know that long before the advent of the Atkins diet, other specialists had already developed various low-carbohydrate diets. To date, nutritionists offer a variety of diets that adhere to the same principles of nutrition. It is rather difficult to single out general recommendations that unite the whole variety of low-carb diets, but the goal of such diets is the same – to reduce the level of carbohydrates, which leads to the production of ketone, which in turn serves as a replacement for glucose in the body.

Low-carbohydrate diets are inherently based on the concept of the principles of the relationship between consumed carbohydrates, blood sugar or glucose levels and hormones. According to this principle, after eating a meal containing carbohydrates, blood sugar levels rise sharply. And since the permissible norm of blood sugar has a narrow range of values, its excess is reduced with the help of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. At the same time, excess glucose is stored by the body in the form of fat, and in case of its shortage, the body returns the amount it needs for normal functioning from its “warehouse”. Therefore, any low-carbohydrate diet aims not only to reduce carbohydrate intake to prevent fat deposition, but also to create conditions for the body to “remove” its reserves.

However, any low-carbohydrate diet does not involve a complete reduction in the total amount of carbohydrates in food, but only those that are digested. According to this principle, the consumption of sweets, bread, pasta, as well as potatoes and rice should be reduced. The main rule is to avoid foods high in starch and sweets. Indigestible carbohydrates in this case are not taken into account.

Low-carbohydrate diets in their recommendations differ in the allowable daily intake of digestible carbohydrates and allowed/prohibited foods. In relation to the content of fats, nutritionists do not adhere to a single opinion. Modern diets recommend moderate fat intake, however, some earlier authors recommended high fat diets.

In terms of food allowances, a low-carbohydrate diet allows for the consumption of fatty meats, which is often unacceptable in other types of diets. This includes both sausages and red meat. However, most often from meat products, the authors of diets recommend eating poultry and fish. A vegetarian diet has also been developed, based on soy products. At the same time, legumes are excluded from the diet due to their high starch content, and tofu is introduced into the diet as a source of vegetable protein.

It is quite logical that the diet menu includes only those vegetables, the sugar and starch content of which is low. These include green beans, cauliflower and broccoli, among many others. Potatoes, corn and other vegetables high in starch and sugar are not suitable for a diet. Due to the high sugar content, the consumption of fruits is also limited, but fruits are not completely excluded from the diet. All the essential nutrients found in fruits can also be obtained from vegetables. This organization of the diet avoids the lack of any nutrients and does not harm the body.

Initially, the popular Atkins diet completely eliminated the consumption of any carbohydrates. Even those that are not absorbed by the body and do not affect the increase in insulin in the blood and the deposition of fat. As a result of such a diet, a person got constipation due to a lack of fiber intake. In the future, this approach was revised and therefore fiber in the new diet processing is included in the list of permitted foods. The modern version of the diet does not bring any discomfort and allows you not only to improve your appearance, but also your well-being.