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Low carb diets are not something new and despite the fact that they have many critics, low carb diets are still very popular. Low carb diets are healthy and they help lose weight but for a diabetic, a low carb diet offers much more than that. Actually, low carb diets are beginning to replace the low fat, low calorie diets that have been prescribed to diabetics for ages because unlike low calorie diets, low carbs diets do not starve the body.
The main concept of a low carb diet is that carbohydrates mustn't constitute more than 5 to 10 percent of the daily intake. There are more liberal low carb diets, which allow up to 20-25 of the daily intake to be carbs but for a diabetic these diets are not applicable. Anyway, all low carb diets advice that the majority of our daily calories comes from fats and proteins. Low carb diets do not advocate hunger. On the contrary, they suggest that by eating fats and proteins, we have the feeling of being full and therefore there is no craving for sweets. What more can a diabetic want than no craving for sweets? However, it is important to note that for a diabetic, cutting all your carbs is not recommendable. Carbs are a vital source of energy and if you go below 130 grams of carbs a day, this could have an adverse affect on your health. Additionally, as a diabetic, you need to be aware not only of the calories and carbs in your dish but about its glycemic index as well. Also, you mustn't forget that a healthy diet can't go without minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants, so don't forget to include them in your menu. Maybe the best you can do is to consult your doctor and ask him or her to prescribe you a low carb diet. You can compile the diet on your own but it is always recommendable that a physician does it because he or she is more aware of which foods are good for diabetes and which aren't. Low carb diets are high fat. This could be an issue if you have other diseases besides diabetes, which require you to keep to a low fat diet. Low carb diets can be a bit of a problem for vegetarians as well because they include quite a lot of food from animal origin, such as meats, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese. But since low carb diets have many modifications and you can rest assured that there is a low carb diet, which is suitable for you. Low carb diets are especially effective if combined with physical exercise because this combination speeds metabolism even further. Exercise can vary from light physical activity to long jogs or rides but again, remember to consult your doctor and above all – do take all the precautions not to injure yourself because as you know, injuries can be fatal to a diabetic. |
