The low carb diet is very popular. But what exactly is behind this diet? On this page we explain the concept and give tips for application in everyday life. In addition, we have created a free low carb nutritional plan in PDF format, which also includes a shopping list, with delicious recipes for an entire week.

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What does low carb mean?
The term low carb comes from the English (low carbohydrates) and in Italian means “few carbohydrates”. A diet of this type is therefore a low-carbohydrate diet that focuses primarily on fat and protein.

In this case, mainly foods such as fish, meat, vegetables, nuts and dairy products are consumed, while carbohydrate suppliers such as grain products or legumes are largely eliminated. There is no fixed amount of carbohydrates that should not be exceeded – each special low carb diet sets different values ​​which usually range between 50 and 150g of carbohydrates.

How does low carb help me lose weight?

Quick successes in the beginning
Low carb diets initially produce rapid weight loss, which is motivating for many people. However, it should be known that these early hits on the scale are largely based on the loss of water that is eliminated with carbohydrates stored in the muscles and liver and with fiber in the digestive tract. As soon as you leave the low-carb diet, this amount of water is quickly re-stored in the body. Of course until then you can only pay attention to the weight, but then you also want to enjoy a slim line.

Avoid hunger pangs
Carbohydrates raise insulin levels which then fall and cause appetite again and sometimes even hunger pangs. In low carb diets this problem generally does not exist, because they mainly eat fats and proteins. By consuming these two nutrients, blood sugar is less strong and therefore hunger pangs are increasingly rare.

You feel full for longer
The fact that low carb diets rely on protein-rich foods is also helpful for weight loss. Because protein is the most slowly digested nutrient. In other words: proteins make you full for a long time. And those who are full are not always looking for food or sweets.

Increase weight loss
The relatively low insulin level in the case of low carb has another advantage: when low insulin levels are released, fat loss can occur unhindered, because insulin is an anabolic hormone that causes the body to build tissue (fat and muscles). As long as it works in the body, fat stores cannot be exploited, because it is not possible to accumulate and reduce fat at the same time.

Save calories with protein-rich foods
Proteins cannot be metabolized as easily as fats or carbohydrates; this means that in addition to long-term saturation, they allow for an energy-consuming recycling process. 18-25% of protein calories are lost in “food induced thermogenesis”. So the protein ultimately has fewer calories than those indicated “on the package”, as in the case of protein powder, for example.

you cook
Finally, low carb diets must be evaluated positively because they are generally based on fresh and poorly processed products; this is important because with the degree of transformation of a food, the quantity of sugar and starch often increases. Those who opt for low carb also eat a relatively large amount of vegetables, which is very healthy because they contain vitamins, minerals and fiber.