Many people believe that the only way to lose weight is to reduce carbohydrate intake. That is why low carbohydrate diets are becoming more popular. But it means you have to stop eating the things that you like. Even when you eat carbohydrates in your diet, it is still possible to lose fat and weight. For that you need to understand how carbohydrate affect your weight loss journey.

Eat the right carbs

One example will help you to understand this better. Potato is a nutrition powerhouse and it's full of fibre, its filling and comes with a low energy density. On the other hand, if you take potato chips, they are deep fried in oil is with salt and pepper. This is a highly fattening food and there is possibility that you will over consume it. It is good if you eat potato but potato chips may not be so good for you when you're trying to lose weight. But if you want to eat potato, you can roast potato wedges with olive oil and rosemary and that will be a healthy alternative.

Low-carb and ketogenic are two different things

When you follow a keto diet, you need to consume less than 50 g of carbohydrate in the, which is a very tiny amount and along with that you need to consume high-fat. In ketosis your body starts to burn body fat instead of carbohydrates and it is a highly beneficial metabolic state. It is very good for people suffering from different problems like diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity or epilepsy. However it does not mean that low-carb is simply keto diet. Low-carb may mean consuming 100 to 150 g of carbohydrates every day. You can consume a few pieces of fruit a day and also little bit of whole starchy foods like potatoes.

Not all carbs are unhealthy

This is something which is very common but many people do not understand it. There are different types of sugars (carbs) – glucose, fructose and galactose. The sugar present in potato is not similar to the sugar present in a chocolate bar. Table sugar contains half glucose, half fructose but on the other hand starch is only glucose. Table sugar and starch do not have the same effect inside your body.

You need a balanced diet where you include complex carbohydrates and that will help you to lose weight. To lose weight you will also will need to exercise portion control especially in case of carbohydrate.

Gaining weight with a low-carb diet

It is also possible to gain weight even though you are consuming a low-carb diet. While following such a diet, many people consume foods that are high in fat and calories. Even though you consume a good fat source, too much of it can cause problem with weight gain. Portion sizes are very crucial in case of any type of diet even in case of a low-carb diet. There are many low-carb diet is available which can be fattening. It is more so in case of people who are prone to binge eating and will often follow fad diets.

Carbs make you happy

If you completely eliminate carbs from your diet it can make you unhappy. You must suffer from mood swings and struggle to concentrate. Carbs have an important role in your life. It also is important because it helps in creating serotonin, which is you're happy hormone.

References

1. The Half Day Diet
2. Low-carbohydrate diets: nutritional and physiological aspects
3. Low-carbohydrate diets