http://www.carbcommando.com/carbohydrate/carbohydrate-diet/low-carbohydrate-diet/ Low carbohydrate diet: Do you know how a low carbohydrate diet works and what the risks are? This page will give you a quick explanation. en-us Tue, 05 Jul 2005 17:46:17 EDT Tue, 05 Jul 2005 17:46:17 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0 Low carbohydrate diets have been around for years, but it's only been in the last 10 years or so that they have gained in popularity, probably because you can lose weight quickly this way. Do you know how a low carbohydrate diet works? Let us explain. How A Low Carbohydrate Diet Leads to Extreme Weight Loss When you're on a low carbohydrate diet, most of the weight you lose is water weight. As the name implies, a low carbohydrate diet reduces the amount of carbohydrates you eat, so your body is forced to burn stored carbohydrates for energy instead of the carbohydrates you eat each day. When your body burns stored carbs for energy, you release water, which causes you to lose weight. On a low carbohydrate diet, you body also starts burning fat. Doing this without the presence of carbohydrates leads to a state called ketosis, which is the buildup of ketones in your bloodstream. Your kidneys remove these ketones from the bloodstream, and they are released in your urine. Low Carb Diet Risks Most low carb diets exclude simple carbohydrates, which include most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas and starchy vegetables, but allow a lot of beef, pork, chicken, eggs and butter. And with the low carb craze, finding low carbohydrate food easier than ever. But opponents of the diet say that a diet high in fat can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease, and they can lead to kidney damage. In addition, a low carbohydrate diet discourages drinking cow's milk, which is an excellent source of calcium for women. One cup of 1% milk has 12.2 carbs, and you should drink at least three cups a day. This discourages most women from drinking it who are on a low carbohydrate diet. So they resort to calcium supplements. But once your body is used to getting calcium from a supplement rather than a food source (like milk or dairy products) it will become resistant to food sources of calcium. That's fine if you intend to take calcium supplements the rest of your life. Whichever carbohydrate diet you choose, low or high, get your doctor's stamp of approval first. Then you won't run any risks. Tue, 05 Jul 2005 17:46:17 EDT