Why low carbohydrate diets are bad for you!

The human body was made to run best on a certain type of fuel. The problem is that low-carbohydrate diets are not the type of fuel that the human body has been designed to run on.

Over a period of time following any sort of low-carbohydrate diet there can be some serious health concerns that may affect you. Listed below are the top 7 reasons to avoid low-carbohydrate diets.

• Gout: This is a type of arthritis that occurs when excessive uric acid levels start to crystallise in the joints, leading to pain and inflammation. During the livers metabolism of protein, uric acid is produced as a waste product. By eating excessive amounts of protein you may be halting the body’s ability to eliminate uric acid successfully. We recommend that you should not eat more than 2g of protein per kg of body weight.
• Kidney Stones: Kidney stones are a hard mass that over time form when uric acid or calcium oxalate crystallises. To prevent kidney stones, insoluble fibre is needed to reduce the absorption of calcium, which will cause urinary calcium levels to drop; this will ultimately prevent the stones from forming. We recommend 30g or more of fibre daily. This cant be achieved on a low carbohydrate diet.
• Constipation and Poor Intestinal Health: Our bodies require a minimum of 30g of fibre per day to maintain good intestinal health. There are two types of fibre, insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibre is essential to form stools and decrease the time it takes to process and eliminate waste. A low carbohydrate diet is to low in insoluble fibre and will increase the chance of becoming constipated. Constipation over prolonged periods can lead to an increased risk of colon cancers. Insoluble fibre is used by the body to prevent the build-up of mucus on the intestinal walls which would then lead to a lowered absorption of nutrients into the body. A low carbohydrate diet will be inadequate to maintain good intestinal health. By adding more grains, beans, oats, vegetables and fruit which are all good sources of insoluble and soluble fibre you will lower the risk of constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, crohn’s disease, haemorrhoids and colon cancers.
• Increased risk of Heart Disease due to a rise in Cholesterol Levels: When using a low carbohydrate / low fibre diet, your risk of heart disease increases. These types of diets promote the use of excessive amounts of animal protein, cholesterol and saturated fat. Excessive amounts of protein will increase the homocysteine levels, which is a bi product of the amino acid methionine. A lot of experts believe that high homocysteine levels are potentially toxic and will lead to an increased risk of heart disease and a hardening of the arteries. A low carbohydrate/ low fibre diet will reduce the absorption and elimination of digestive bile in the intestines. Cholesterol in the liver, forces the liver to produce digestive bile. Through a decrease of digestive bile production you will increase the blood serum cholesterol levels which will increase the risk of heart disease.
• Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is caused by a reduction in the bone density, due to a loss of calcium over extended periods of time. There are several dietary factors which increases the risk of osteoporosis. Eating excessive amounts of protein will cause calcium to be excreted in the urine. Most studies show that life long high protein diets will result in the increased risk of osteoporosis. Intestinal health is poor when on a low fibre diet, which then causes an inadequate absorption of calcium into the intestines, thus contributing to poor bone formation. This would suggest that long term low carbohydrate diets will provide an unhealthy way to long term weight control. But also remember that a diet low in protein can also lead to osteoporosis. Try and find a healthy balance which is neither excessive nor too little.
• A loss of Muscle and Reduction of the Metabolism: Any type of diet that forces the restriction of calories less than the body’s daily requirements over a long period of time will eventually result in the loss of lean muscle and substantial decrease in the metabolism. All low carbohydrate diets are focused on weight loss rather than fat loss. This loss of weight comes at a high price as it will also result in a loss of lean muscle. When your lean muscle decreases you are reducing the basal metabolic rate (at rest), this leads to quite a frequent rebounding weight gain. Research has shown that 95% of all dieters will regain the weight they have lost. By lowering your basal metabolic rate you will be slowing down your ability to burn calories. The way to successful long term weight loss is to only reduce your calories by a small amount on a daily basis, which will lead to a slower weight loss but a far more sustainable way.

Poor Exercise Performance and Recovery: Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel that the body uses to sustain the muscles and brain. By eating a low carbohydrate diet you are preventing the proper maintenance of muscle and liver glycogen (storage form of carbohydrate and water), this decreases muscle performance resulting in increased levels of muscle fatigue. By getting around 50% of your daily calories from a high fibre, low glycemic carbohydrate you will give your muscles the best sort of energy, which will lead to an increase in your strength and muscle endurance.

Look for food sources like, fruits and vegetables, brown rice and quinoa, root vegetables like kumara, pumpkin, carrots and turnips, legumes, wholegrain breads.