I keep hearing that it is best to eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, as proposed in diets such as the South Beach and Adkins Diet. Freshly milled flour is a carbohydrate, why would I want to start eating it when everyone is saying don’t eat carbs?
Carbohydrates are the main way that the body gets its energy for all muscular movements. This is why after being on a low carb diet for a sustained period of time one will feel lethargic. Basically, without energy the body will have no energy! The key is to eat complex carbohydrates that are nutrient dense and have a low glycemic index so that the body can burn them slowly. Some other effects of low carbohydrate diets:
- Because fiber often accompanies complex carbohydrates, low carb diets can result in digestive problems.
- Some people complain of headaches when they have denied their bodies, including the brain, the energy food.
- The initial results of this type of diet are usually profound. However, the quick weight drop is often mostly water weight. For every gram of carbohydrate consumed, about 3–5 grams of water accompany it. Naturally, when carbohydrate consumption goes down, so does water intake.
- After prolonged abstinence from carbohydrates, the body begins use ketones, which are the remnants of the broken down fats in the blood, as energy. Ketones are not used as effectively as carbohydrates. A condition called ketosis generally sets in. Long-term effects are controversial.
- If combined with exercise, there is the potential for the body to start using proteins for energy and the potential for altering the active thyroid molecule, both of which can cause the metabolic rate to slow.
If combined with exercise, it could make the body start hording the carbohydrates instead of using them for energy.
