Low carb diet: Does it work and which low carb foods can I eat? ·

19 Feb 2024, 00:00

With a recent spike in awareness of what healthy looks like, be that curvy, muscular or slim, people are now searching for wellness plans that work from the inside out and can actually be maintained.

The low carb diet is something many of us have dabbled in, and according to GP reports on Pulse, there's been a significant increase in patients asking about this potato, pasta and pudding-free option. But is it something we could actually consider as a long-term option? Let's dig in.

What is it?

Generally a low carb diet plan means you should focus on protein, fat and vegetables whilst including a small amount of “good” carbs.

Health benefits of following it:

Low carb diets can reduce appetite meaning you’re less likely to reach for convenient, processed foods which are typically high in sugar, carbs and fat. Also, because carbs are broken down into sugar, eating fewer of them can really help to reduce blood sugar levels and in turn decrease risk of diabetes too.

Side effects:

There is a risk of bad breath when eating few carbs because as your body burns fat certain chemicals are released in the mouth - they’re known as Ketones. There’s also a risk of “low carb flu” which happens to some people dramatically reduce their carb intake. Symptoms are just like flu - headache, achiness and exhaustion - but it will pass.

Recommended timeframe:

A low carb lifestyle is to be adopted rather than followed strictly. After a few weeks it becomes easier to think of carb swapping alternatives; for example using cauliflower instead of potatoes Hemsley & Hemsley style or i cauliflower instead of rice and using broccoli as a base for spaghetti bolognese instead of pasta.

10 foods to avoid:

Fruit juices, agave and other sweeteners, chocolate with low cocoa percentage, hydrogenated oils, gluten grains, dairy, all white bread and pasta, processed foods and dietary meals/ailments (they are usually high in sodium and will make you bloat, that's a no-no!).

Celebrity followers:

Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian and Demi Moore.

Help:

BBC Good Food has an excellent index of low carb recipes that you can easily follow.

Low Carb diets are not easy to follow so we called in the professionals to get some help. GLAMOUR's Digital Assistant, Carolina Nicolao, tried Balance Box for a week:

"Low Carb sounds easy on paper, but girl don't full yourself, this one is harsh. I've tried low-carb diets before and they didn't work - basically because I had cheat meals every day (I love carbs). So Balance Box sounded like the perfect idea, with not much on my fridge other than their meals there was no way for me to cheat. The portions are not huge, so if you're aiming to shred some pounds this one is the real-deal to keep you on track. You get breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks, plus the food is super tasty, nothing like those dietary prepped meals you get in the supermarket, it tastes homely. Honestly, I tried as much as I could to not cheat, of course I slacked off sometimes but overall I was feeling lighter. The results on the scale? Two pounds in one week - going to the gym and sweating it out of course - there's no miracle-maker, although Balance Box is pretty close to it."