Low carbohydrates does not mean little fun.
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When it comes to body shaping, don't just rely on your ambition in the studio , but instead actively support your body with the right nutrition . A low-carbohydrate diet is particularly suitable for this. We'll show you how to get started: Find out what low carb is all about , what foods you can enjoy and what you need to pay attention to.
What exactly does low carb mean?
First, let's take a comprehensive look at the different macronutrients we put in our bodies every day. With a normal diet we consume a balanced mix of protein, fat and carbohydrates. With low carb, however, the proportion of carbohydrates is reduced to a minimum.
Carbohydrates are the largest source of energy for our body. However, it is important to differentiate between short-chain and long-chain carbohydrates. Short-chain carbohydrates consist of one or two molecules and provide short-term energy. Long-chain carbohydrates, on the other hand, have several molecules that are utilized more slowly by the body and provide it with long-lasting energy.
There are different types of sugar – here is a brief overview:
Simple sugars . The simplest form of short-chain carbohydrates is simple sugar, which is contained in many types of fruit as fructose or glucose. Simple sugar consists of a single sugar molecule and can be absorbed particularly quickly by the body.
Disaccharide . Disaccharide is made up of two simple sugar molecules. In this group you will find common table sugar and milk sugar. The disaccharides are also quickly available to the body.
Multiple sugars . Finally, polysaccharide is composed of numerous sugar molecules linked together. Before the body can convert this sugar into energy, it must first break down the molecules. This takes time and therefore polysaccharides are absorbed more slowly by the body. These complex carbohydrates are considered particularly valuable and healthy for our diet.
With a low-carb diet it is not important to avoid all carbohydrates. Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates do not automatically make you fat. In addition to energy, consuming carbohydrates often provides you with many valuable micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals that your body cannot do without.
While complex carbohydrates are on the menu in reduced quantities, simple and disaccharides are reduced as much as possible. But how many carbohydrates per day are beneficial to a low-carb diet? The daily intake of carbohydrates can be up to 150 g for men , while the total amount for women is up to 115 g .
When calculating the carbohydrates consumed, it is important to pay attention to the drinks consumed in addition to the solid food. These partly contain carbohydrates and additional energy from protein and fat. We have put together some examples for you in the table below.
Sugar and energy content of various drinks
What is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet?
Our diet consists of three macronutrients - protein, fat and carbohydrates. Most diets fall into two camps: low-fat/high-carb and high-fat/low-carb. Low-carb diets tend to exclude refined carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, as well as starchy foods such as potatoes and rice. Carbohydrates on this diet come mostly from vegetables and limited fruits.
This diet is often associated with high protein intake. Many high-protein foods also contain fat. Protein is responsible for our lean muscle mass, metabolic rate, and hormone production.
There are many different forms of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets, including the ketogenic (ketogenic) diet, in which people on this diet are limited to a maximum of 30 grams of carbohydrates a day. Other more flexible options include as little as 50 grams or as much as 150 grams of carbs a day.
On a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, generally speaking, the daily nutritional intake can range from 50 to 150 grams of carbohydrates. This depends on your weight and activity level and should be adjusted accordingly.
Benefits of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet
Increase satiety
If you want to control your diet to lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit. One of the problems with being in a caloric deficit is increased hunger - which is where protein comes in.
High-protein diets are associated with increased satiety because it takes longer to break down and digest – making us feel full for longer.
Thermic effect of food
Compared to other macronutrients, protein has a relatively high thermic effect. This means that it takes more energy to break down and digest protein. Carbohydrates and fats require about 10% of a food's energy to be broken down, while protein requires up to 30% of a food's calories to be broken down.
When a food has a higher thermic effect, it means fewer calories can be stored in the body as body fat. This indirectly increases the caloric deficit and makes weight loss easier to achieve.
Less choice
The more choices we have in our diet, the greater the chance of being tempted by food. Diet control becomes easier when food options are limited. When you lower your carbohydrate intake, you are "removing" an entire group of food options from your diet. This will increase your caloric deficit and help you lose weight. Fewer choices also generally mean less chance of overeating.
Consuming more protein increases satiety, which means you feel fuller for longer. High protein also reduces the possibility of muscle loss and consumes more energy when broken down by the body; while following a low-carb diet means you are less likely to overeat and can keep your blood sugar more stable
Low carb – what is allowed?
If you want low carb to be on your table in the future, you don't have to go without a lot of things. You can find delicious low-carb products in abundance. Here is our list of the tastiest low-carb foods!
eggs . In addition to high-quality protein, eggs contain vitamins A, B and D. You can also find numerous minerals in eggs. But eggs are also high in fat, so you shouldn't overdo it with eating eggs.
Cow's milk products . Yoghurt, milk and quark are rich in protein and also contain the important vitamin D and calcium. But fat is also present in abundance in some products. If you want to consistently reduce the calorie content of your diet, the low-fat product variants are better.
Meat . If meat fits into your diet, you can count on it as a valuable source of protein. In addition to iron, zinc and selenium, meat also contains vitamins from the B group, such as vitamin B12. In addition, unwanted cholesterol and saturated fatty acids are also found in meat. It's best to make sure you find a healthy level for yourself.
Fish . Fish is rich in protein and provides your body with iodine and vitamin D. Some sea fish such as salmon and mackerel also provide your body with valuable omega-3 fatty acids. If you like fish, you can include it in your menu several times a week.
Vegetables . Vegetables are rich in fiber and also provide us with many vitamins, protein, trace elements, minerals and secondary plant substances. Mushrooms are particularly valuable for low carb. They contain many minerals such as iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. In addition, the fat and calorie content is pleasingly low. For a low-carbohydrate diet, you can boldly grab the vegetable aisle in the supermarket.
Legumes . Overall, the legume group is comparatively rich in carbohydrates. An exception is soy with only 6g of carbohydrates per 100g. Soy products are therefore well suited to enrich your selection of low-carb foods.
List: Low-carbohydrate foods
Which fruit can be on the table when eating low carb?
Many people find fruit extremely tasty and it's also a great snack to snack on during the day while at work. However, fruit often contains plenty of unwanted, simple carbohydrates in the form of fructose. Low-sugar varieties that contain less than 10g of carbohydrates per 100g include strawberries, red currants, rhubarb and apricots. But fruit also offers a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals. You should therefore not completely eliminate it from your diet.
Protein 15 – 25%
Fat 20 – 30%
No-carb diet Carbohydrates 5% maximum
Protein 40%
Fat 55%
With these foods you can completely ban carbohydrates from your diet
The goal of completely avoiding carbohydrates is quite ambitious and not easy to achieve. At the top of the list of carbohydrate-free diets, as with low carb, are vegetables . There is also a selection of legumes.
When preparing, make sure that you do not cook the food for too long , otherwise a large part of the valuable micronutrients will be lost. A suitable cooking method that preserves most of the vitamins and minerals is steaming. By the way: You can cook legumes particularly gently if you soak them overnight. In this way, peas, beans and lentils can absorb some water and the heat effect is reduced by shortening the cooking time.
Interesting for all no-carb fans are vegetables that contain less than 5 g of carbohydrates per 100 g . This includes:
Mushrooms
zucchini
Cucumberstomatoes
Leek
Cabbage
broccoli
cauliflower
celery
sauerkraut
asparagus
spinach
paprika
green beans
Bean sprouts
For a complete meal, the vegetables are complemented with grain products made from chia flour, konjac flour, chickpea flour, almond flour and coconut flour. There are also dairy products such as hard cheese and low-fat quark. For everyone who wants fish or meat - but definitely the protein pasta from foodspring!
Side effects of high protein low carb diet
For most people, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet does not have many adverse side effects. There are a few exceptions, such as those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with type 1 diabetes. These people should seek medical advice first.
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are well tolerated by most people, and the most common side effect is usually weight loss, which is generally associated with improved health.
Aside from weight loss, there are very few side effects associated with a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. We believe you should seek professional medical advice before embarking on this diet.
The best foods for a high-protein, low-carb diet
These three food groups can make up any diet. Protein, fat and carbohydrates (low-carb diet does not mean "zero-carb diet").
When you're deciding which protein is best, choose whole food sources because they provide essential amino acids. Bioavailability is also important. Meaning, you want your body to use the food you eat to burn fat, build muscle, and use it for good health. You don’t want to eat poor quality protein that can’t be broken down or used properly by your body.
Try choosing some of the following high-protein foods, like: Eggs and egg whites Chicken breast Lean beef Wild meat Turkey breast High-fat fish and shellfish White fish Whey protein Casein Soy protein Yogurt Cottage cheese
Try these healthy fats, like: Avocado Flaxseed Nuts (check its carb count) Olives Extra virgin olive oil Multi-nut butter (check its carb count) Chia seeds Fish oil Cheese A dash of dark chocolate
These healthy carbohydrates can be included in a low-carb diet: broccoli, asparagus , kale , carrots, cauliflower , spinach , tomatoes , cucumbers , watercress , onions , green peppers, mushrooms , beans , oats (according to total carbohydrate intake), berries
**Please remember that healthy foods are not limited to the above list, nor is this list a complete list of foods.
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