Thanks to Jennifer Aniston, Dr. Atkins low-carb diet is the latest craze among weight watchers. However, the furor it has caused in the medical circles is also due to the fact that it is steeped with immense benefits for diabetics. In fact, it is fast gaining precedence over the traditional low-calorie, low-fat diet once prescribed for diabeticsa diet that has now been conclusively proven to be detrimental to the diabetic patients health. This all-out attack on carbohydrates is understandable, as diabetes is a condition where sugar and starch are not properly absorbed from the bloodstream. And when the body is incapacitated in this way, an excess of carbohydrates can be harmful. Anything more than 5%-10% carbohydrates in your daily caloric intake is a taboo in all the low-carb diets. These place emphasis on consumption of protein and fats so that the body is full and doesnt experience hunger pangs. For it is only when the body feels that it is starving, that one tends to gorge on sugary foods. The feeling of fullness can be achieved with bulky fiber-rich food, too. In fact, low carb diets are unique in that you can have anything you desire, as long as it is not rich in carbohydrates. However, they all do fall short of recommending overstuffing oneself. In low-carb diets, the foods that are approved are meats, fish, poultry, eggs and cheese and certain vegetables like kidney beans, carrots, avocados. It is worth remembering that since carbohydrates are almost barred from the diet chart, low-carb diets profess a moderately high fat intake to obtain the necessary energy. As a result, obese diabetic patients do need to consult a physician and adopt a modified version of the diet. Low-carb diets are here to stay. Considering that carbohydrates are the bane of diabetes, it is definitely the most sensible diet plan for this particular group of individuals. |
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