Carbohydrate-free or low-carb diets are nutritional programs that limit or completely eliminate carbohydrate intake.
When switching to this diet, foods that are high in easily digestible carbohydrates (e.g. sugar, bread, pasta) are limited or replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of fats and proteins (e.g. meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, cheese, nuts) and seeds) and others that are low in carbohydrates (for example, most vegetables such as spinach, cabbage), although other vegetables and fruits (especially berries) are often allowed. The amount of allowed carbohydrates varies depending on the type of low-carb diet.
In this article, we will consider the main advantages and disadvantages of this type of food, to whom it will suit, allowed and prohibited foods, as well as an approximate menu of a carbohydrate-free diet for a week and recipes.
Benefits
For decades, the media has been reporting that fat is harmful to our health. Meanwhile, low-fat foods, often containing huge doses of sugar, have flooded supermarket shelves. This was a serious problem that led to the epidemic of obesity.
Studies show that there is no reason to be afraid of natural fats. You can eat tasty food without sugar and starch and at the same time lose weight.
How it works? When you eliminate high-carb foods from your diet, your blood sugar will stabilize and your insulin levels will drop. This starts the process of burning fat and makes you feel full, reducing the amount of food consumed.
Consider the main advantages of this type of diet:
- Weight loss. In the case of low-carb diets, weight loss contributes to an increased sense of fullness and a tendency to choose nutrient-rich foods. A low-carb diet works slightly better than a low-fat diet for long-term weight loss.
- Diabetes treatment Limiting carbohydrate intake is a traditional diabetes treatment. Indeed, this was the only effective treatment before the development of insulin therapy. Some experts recommend a low-carb diet as the first thing to do when treating people with diabetes.
- Decrease in mortality. The quantity and quality of carbohydrates consumed directly affects life expectancy. Diets that include whole grains reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, which is very common among the population.
disadvantages
Despite the potential benefits, a low-carb diet also carries risks:
- A sharp restriction of carbohydrates can cause weakness, headaches, fatigue, and gastrointestinal upsets.
- Such a diet can lead to bone loss, nutritional deficiencies and an increased risk of certain diseases.
- A diet high in saturated fats can potentially contribute to cardiovascular problems.
- There are not enough studies that confirm the long-term effect of this diet.
If you are considering trying a low carb diet, consult your doctor first to discuss the risks and benefits.
Most healthy people can safely start a low-carb diet. But in these three situations, you may need preparation or adaptation:
- You are taking diabetes medications.
- You are taking medicine for high blood pressure.
- You are breastfeeding now.
If you do not belong to any of the above groups, then you can try to stick to a carbohydrate-free diet.
During lactation, in the presence of high blood pressure, as well as diabetes, a menu of a carbohydrate-free diet for a week should be agreed with your doctor.
Combination with sports
Carbohydrates are the main fuel for muscle work. Most athletes whose sport involves high endurance are able to use their full potential with just enough carbohydrates. In sporting events that last up to three hours, carbohydrates are the main source of energy. Accordingly, it is recommended that you use classic, carbohydrate-rich diets, rather than diets high in fat and low in carbohydrates.
Amateur athletes who train about two to three times a week do not need a lot of carbohydrates on a daily basis, unlike professional athletes who do physical exercises daily. For this reason, with non-intense exercise, you should limit your carbohydrate intake on days when there are no workouts.
Most bodybuilders before the competition go on a carbohydrate-free diet to reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat. During this period, the intensity of training decreases, a large number of cardio loads are added to the training plan. However, it is difficult to constantly be on this type of diet, as hard training requires a lot of energy, which for the most part comes from slow carbohydrates.
What can I eat?
- Meat - all types of beef, pork, chicken, lamb, etc. Do not trim the fat or skin from the chicken.
- Seafood - all kinds, especially those that contain omega-3s, such as salmon, mussels, tuna, sardines.
- Vegetables are all species that grow above the ground. Leafy greens, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, avocado, zucchini, eggplant, paprika, mushrooms, salad.
- Cheese - choose non-fat varieties.
- Whole milk - avoid all flavored dairy products and any large quantities of milk.
- Nuts and seeds are a great snack option, but you need to keep track of the serving size. Do not abuse cashews, which have a higher carbohydrate content than other nuts.
- Eggs - chicken and quail - are an excellent source of protein.
- Fruits - Low-calorie, nutritious, dense berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, are best.
- Fats - olive oil, coconut oil.
What to avoid?
- Processed drinks with sugar - carbonated drinks, flavored dairy products, sports and energy drinks, fruit juices.
- Production sweets - cakes, cookies, jams, sweets. These foods have no nutritional value and a lot of sugar.
- Fruit is something that should be limited due to its high fructose content. Sure, fruits contain vitamins. However, you will receive much more nutrients by increasing your intake of vegetables. Dried fruits should also be avoided.
- Cereals - wheat, oats, barley, pasta. All of these foods have a high glycemic index and increase blood sugar and appetite.
- Potatoes - should be excluded due to the high starch content. Choose brightly colored, starchy vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, beets, or sweet potatoes.
- Rice has very little nutritional value. Try replacing rice with more vegetables.
If you do not have a goal to lose weight and you are on maintenance, then sometimes you can include in the diet:
- Red wine unsweetened varieties.
- Dark chocolate (85% cocoa or higher).
- Low carb baking.
What can I drink?
Ideally, only water should be drunk, however tea and coffee are also allowed. Do not use sweeteners. A small amount of milk or cream can be added to coffee or tea.
Weekly plan
The amount of carbohydrates consumed will depend on your goals. The menu for a week of a carbohydrate-free diet for men and women will be the same, the difference is only in the size of the servings.
You do not need to count the number of calories or weigh your food - focus on your feelings. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you feel full.
From the examples of dishes below, you can create your own carbohydrate-free diet for a week for weight loss.
Breakfast:
- Low-calorie yogurt, berries, nut muesli, coconut cream.
- Two slices of bacon, eggs, spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, paprika.
- Omelet with cheese and whole milk.
- Omelet with any vegetables.
- Chocolate, green smoothie.
- Berry cocktail with coconut cream.
- Low carb waffles.
Dinner:
- Salad from any combination of lettuce, spinach, avocado and tuna.
- Steamed salmon with green asparagus.
- Grilled chicken fillet with a salad of tomatoes, paprika and feta cheese.
- Light egg salad.
- Boiled squid, cucumber salad and greens.
- Steamed vegetables, boiled chicken.
- Seafood soup and brussels sprouts salad.
Dinner:
- The meat is of good quality and low-starchy vegetables.
- Lasagna with minced meat (instead of dough, use sliced zucchini).
- Baked fish.
- Bacon wrapped chicken fillet with cream cheese sauce.
- Homemade burgers without bread (add salad, avocado, cheese, grated carrots and mushrooms).
- A pair of apples, low-fat cottage cheese.
- Coleslaw with tomato, steamed red fish.
Snack:
- A small handful of nuts.
- Coconut Cream
- Dark chocolate.
- Boiled egg.
- Cheese or paste on slices of cucumber instead of crackers.
- Cheese and olives.
- Garnet.
From the weekly menu of a carbohydrate-free diet for women, snacks should be excluded in order to achieve better results.
Next, consider recipes for delicious diet foods.
Omelet with bacon, avocado and salsa
Ingredients:
- 1 medium red tomato;
- 1 small onion;
- fresh lime juice;
- 4 large eggs (whole);
- 30 g of water;
- 3 middle strips of bacon;
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil;
- 1 avocado;
- 30 g of cheese.
Professional athletes need fuel for a morning workout, so it is important to start the day with a healthy breakfast. This delicious dish contains 44 g of fat, 33 g of protein, 6 g of carbohydrates, 570 calories.
Cooking:
- For salsa, finely chop the tomatoes and green onions. In a small bowl, mix them with lime juice and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium bowl, beat eggs with water, salt, and pepper. Prepare bacon, avocado and cheese.
- Melt some butter in a pan over medium heat. Add half the egg mixture. Hold for 1 minute until the mixture has set. Put crushed bacon, avocado and cheese on the omelette and pour the rest of the egg mixture.
- Keep under cover until ready. Serve the finished omelet with salsa.
Beef Skewers
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil;
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp curry powder;
- 1 tablespoon of red or cayenne pepper;
- 350 g of beef fillet;
- 1 large onion.
This dish contains 39 g of protein, 32 g of fat, 4 g of carbohydrates, 458 calories.
Cooking:
- Preheat the grill.
- In a large bowl, combine oil, minced garlic, curry powder, and cayenne pepper (optional). Then add beef and onions to the marinade.
- Place beef slices and onion rings on skewers.
- Grill for 8-10 minutes.
- In the finished dish, add salt and black pepper to taste.
Grilled salmon steak and asparagus
Ingredients:
- 4 stalks of asparagus;
- 200 g of salmon;
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
This simple dish contains 32 g of protein, 9 g of fat, 2 g of carbohydrates, 224 calories.
Cooking:
- Preheat the grill.
- Mix asparagus with half a tablespoon of oil and grill for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook another 2 minutes.
- Cook salmon in the same way to your desired cooking level.
- Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Summary
Low-carb or non-carbohydrate diets can be a good choice for healthy people who are actively training and want to stay healthy. However, there is currently no convincing evidence that they are more effective than higher carbohydrate diets. Ultimately, all power systems should be adjusted for themselves and focus on their own well-being.
In this article, we looked at the weekly diet for a weight-free diet, which you can use to draw up your nutrition plan.