The The SkinnySkinny on Low on Low Carbohydrate Carbohydrate

DietsDiets The University of Georgia The University of Georgia

Cooperative Extension Cooperative Extension ServiceService

Americans Are Gaining Too Americans Are Gaining Too Much Weight! Much Weight!

Overweight is a major Overweight is a major problem, not only in problem, not only in the U.S., but the U.S., but throughout the worldthroughout the world

The increase in weight The increase in weight causes an increase in causes an increase in many chronic diseasesmany chronic diseases diabetes diabetes heart diseaseheart disease cancercancer arthritisarthritis

Why Is America Gaining Why Is America Gaining Weight?Weight?

We’re eating We’re eating too muchtoo muchLarge portionsLarge portions““Empty” Empty”

caloriescalories

Why Is America Gaining Why Is America Gaining Weight?Weight?

We sit too We sit too muchmuch

We get too We get too little physical little physical activityactivity

Americans Are Turning To Americans Are Turning To Fad DietsFad Diets

Low Carbohydrate Diets Low Carbohydrate Diets RecycledRecycled

Low-carb diets are not new - many are Low-carb diets are not new - many are from the ’70s:from the ’70s:

The Stillman DietThe Stillman DietDr. Atkins Diet RevolutionDr. Atkins Diet RevolutionThe Scarsdale DietThe Scarsdale DietAirforce DietAirforce Diet

The Lure of Low-Carb Fad DietsThe Lure of Low-Carb Fad Diets

Lose weight Lose weight quickly quickly

Less hungerLess hungerUnlimited Unlimited

amounts of amounts of meat and fatmeat and fat

The Lure of Low- Carb Fad The Lure of Low- Carb Fad DietsDiets

““Low-carb” Low-carb” foods are foods are flooding the flooding the marketmarketin the grocery in the grocery

storestorein restaurantsin restaurants

Low-Carb Men

u

Low Carb Diet ClaimsLow Carb Diet Claims

Carbohydrate is the Carbohydrate is the cause of weight gaincause of weight gain too much insulin is too much insulin is

released, causing hunger, released, causing hunger, cravings and weight gaincravings and weight gain

Low-carb diets cause Low-carb diets cause weight lossweight loss

What is a Low Carbohydrate What is a Low Carbohydrate Diet?Diet?

Typical low-carb Typical low-carb diet:diet:

Initially severely Initially severely restricts foods with restricts foods with carbohydratecarbohydrate Fruits, vegetables, Fruits, vegetables,

milk, whole grainsmilk, whole grains Often allows Often allows

unlimited meats and unlimited meats and fatsfats

Low-Carb

Yogurt

Do You Need Carbohydrate?Do You Need Carbohydrate?

Your brain depends Your brain depends on carbohydrate for on carbohydrate for energyenergyA minimum of 130 A minimum of 130

grams per daygrams per dayLow carbohydrate Low carbohydrate

diets provide only diets provide only 20-90 grams 20-90 grams carbohydrate per carbohydrate per dayday

Importance of CarbohydratesImportance of Carbohydrates

Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods are an important part of any dietContain nutrients that are needed for good health

Be Carbohydrate ConsciousBe Carbohydrate Conscious

Limit portions of all carbohydrates to limit calories

Carbohydrates that are high in sugar or fat are less healthy

Do Low Carb Diets Work?Do Low Carb Diets Work?

Quick Weight LossQuick Weight Loss

Promises of Promises of quick weight quick weight loss?loss?Weight lost Weight lost

during first 7-14 during first 7-14 days is water days is water lossloss

Quick Weight LossQuick Weight Loss

Water Energy

Water loss, not fat loss

Carbohydrate stored in muscle

and liver

Do Low Carb Diets Work?Do Low Carb Diets Work?

You will lose weight if You will lose weight if you follow any dietyou follow any diet Due to fewer caloriesDue to fewer calories

Low carb dietsLow carb diets Severely limit food Severely limit food

choiceschoices Don’t allow foods that Don’t allow foods that

people often overeatpeople often overeat Studies show low carb Studies show low carb

diets do not work diets do not work better better

Are Low Carb Diets Harmful?Are Low Carb Diets Harmful?

Lack important Lack important nutrientsnutrientsfound in fruits, found in fruits,

vegetables, low-fat dairy vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole products and whole grainsgrains

High in cholesterol and High in cholesterol and saturated fatsaturated fatMay increase risk of May increase risk of

heart diseaseheart disease

Are Low Carb Diets Harmful?Are Low Carb Diets Harmful?

May increase the risk of:May increase the risk of:Bone lossBone lossKidney stonesKidney stonesGout (painful joint Gout (painful joint

disease)disease)Kidney diseaseKidney diseaseDehydration and Dehydration and

constipationconstipation

Are Low Carb Diets Harmful?Are Low Carb Diets Harmful?

Low carb diets may Low carb diets may hinder the hinder the performance of performance of athletesathletes May run out of energy May run out of energy

too quicklytoo quickly Carbohydrate needed to Carbohydrate needed to

replenish stored replenish stored carbohydrate in muscles carbohydrate in muscles (glycogen)(glycogen)

Low-carb diets may Low-carb diets may cause dehydrationcause dehydration

What About Low Carb What About Low Carb Products?Products?

Low carb

pastaLow carb bread

Low carb ice

cream

Low carb beer

Low carb cookies

Low carb candy Low carb

chips

How Do They Make a FoodHow Do They Make a Food “Low Carb” ? “Low Carb” ?

Low Carb French ToastLow Carb French Toast

½ 3-ounce bag ½ 3-ounce bag unflavored pork rindsunflavored pork rinds

2 eggs2 eggs ¼ cup heavy cream¼ cup heavy cream

3 packets 3 packets SplendaSplenda

½ tsp cinnamon½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp vanilla½ tsp vanilla

Crumble pork rinds. Beat eggs well, then mix with remaining ingredients and beat again. Add crushed pork rinds to the egg/cream mixture. Mix will thicken to a “gloppy” phase...Serve with lots of butter and low-carb syrup.Serves 2: 310 Calories; 25 grams fat; 1.5 grams CHO; 270 mg cholesterol

How Are Carbs Reduced?How Are Carbs Reduced?

Reduce or eliminate Reduce or eliminate flourflour Use proteins from soy Use proteins from soy

beans, wheat, oats, milk, beans, wheat, oats, milk, eggs eggs

Add fiber Add fiber Replace sugarReplace sugar

Sugar alcohols (maltitol) Sugar alcohols (maltitol) or sugar substitutesor sugar substitutes

Reduce the serving sizeReduce the serving size

Confusing Labeling LingoConfusing Labeling Lingo

New terms created New terms created as marketing ployas marketing ploy

Manufacturers Manufacturers subtract fiber and subtract fiber and sugar alcohols sugar alcohols from Total from Total Carbohydrate to Carbohydrate to get ‘‘net carbs”get ‘‘net carbs”

Net Carbs?Impact Carbs?

Effective Carbs?

““Net Carbs” or Total CarbsNet Carbs” or Total Carbs

ADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE 3g *

Net Carbs

Chocolate Mocha Crunch Bar

Atkins

Net wt 2.11 oz (60 g)

Nutrition FactsServing size: 1 bar (60 g) Calories: 220Total Carbohydrate: 22 g Dietary Fiber 10 g Sugars 0 g

Nutrition FactsServing size: 1 bar (60 g) Calories: 220Total Carbohydrate: 22 g Dietary Fiber 10 g Sugars 0 g

Advice: Ignore “net carbs” – look at the Nutrition Advice: Ignore “net carbs” – look at the Nutrition Facts labelFacts label

The Bottom Line on Low-Carb The Bottom Line on Low-Carb FoodsFoods

Have not been Have not been shown to help with shown to help with weight lossweight loss

Are not usually low Are not usually low in calories or fatin calories or fat

Poor tastePoor taste ExpensiveExpensive

Low-Carb

Low-CarbYogurt

Atkins Diet ExampleAtkins Diet Example

3-egg omelet3-egg omelet1 oz cheese1 oz cheese1 tsp. butter1 tsp. butter4 slices bacon4 slices bacon

6 oz grilled 6 oz grilled chickenchicken2 cups salad2 cups salad¼ cup almonds¼ cup almonds¼ cup oil & ¼ cup oil & vinegarvinegar

8 ounces steak8 ounces steak3/4 cup 3/4 cup broccolibroccoli2 tsp butter2 tsp butter

Evaluating a Low Carb DietEvaluating a Low Carb Diet

Low in:Low in: CalciumCalcium FiberFiber Antioxidants, Antioxidants,

phytonutrientsphytonutrients High in:High in:

Total fatTotal fat Saturated fatSaturated fat CholesterolCholesterol

Cholesterol and Fat Cholesterol and Fat ComparisonsComparisons

60%

<30%

1000 mg

AtkinsCurrent

Recommendations

Percent Calories from Fat

Cholesterol

1000

mg

<300 mg

AtkinsCurrent

Recommendations

Atkins Diet ExampleAtkins Diet Example(with “low-carb” foods)(with “low-carb” foods)

3-egg omelet3-egg omelet1 oz cheese1 oz cheese1 slice low-carb 1 slice low-carb toasttoast1 tsp. butter1 tsp. butter4 slices bacon4 slices bacon

6 oz grilled chicken6 oz grilled chicken2 cups salad2 cups salad1 oz. low carb tortilla 1 oz. low carb tortilla chipschips¼ cup almonds¼ cup almonds¼ cup oil & vinegar¼ cup oil & vinegar2 low-carb cookies2 low-carb cookies

8 ounces steak8 ounces steak3/4 cup broccoli3/4 cup broccoli2 tsp butter2 tsp butter1 cup low-carb ice-1 cup low-carb ice-creamcream

Atkins Diet Atkins Diet (traditiona(traditiona

l)l)

Atkins DietAtkins Diet

(with low-(with low-carb carb

products)products)

Low-fat Low-fat DietDiet

CaloriesCalories 16801680 24102410 15001500

FatFat 109g109g 160g160g 50g50g

How Low-Carb Diets Stack Up

Example of 1500 Calorie Example of 1500 Calorie Low-fat MenuLow-fat Menu

BreakfastBreakfast LunchLunch DinnerDinner ½ cup orange juice½ cup orange juice 6 carrot sticks 1 medium sweet 6 carrot sticks 1 medium sweet

potato potato 1 cup skim milk1 cup skim milk 2 slices ww bread 2 slices ww bread ¾ cup broccoli ¾ cup broccoli ¾ cup bran cereal¾ cup bran cereal 2 oz turkey 2 oz turkey 1 cup lettuce 1 cup lettuce

saladsalad 1 apple 3 oz baked salmon1 apple 3 oz baked salmon

1 cup skim milk1 cup skim milk 1 whole wheat roll 1 whole wheat roll 2 tsp. mayonnaise2 tsp. mayonnaise 2 Tbs. olive oil & 2 Tbs. olive oil &

vinegarvinegar 2 tsp. margarine2 tsp. margarine

Evening SnackEvening Snack6 oz low-fat yogurt6 oz low-fat yogurt½ cup blueberries½ cup blueberries

Hints for Weight Loss SuccessHints for Weight Loss Success

Follow a reduced Follow a reduced calorie, low-fat dietcalorie, low-fat diet

Exercise at least 30 Exercise at least 30 minutes most daysminutes most days

Keep a record of what Keep a record of what and how much is eatenand how much is eaten

Eat breakfast every Eat breakfast every dayday

Check weight weeklyCheck weight weekly

Food and exercise habits of successful weight losers: