Here are common questions and answers about low carb high fat (LCHF) nutrition and health:
Is saturated fat dangerous?
No. That is an old and disproven theory. It’s been a mistake from the beginning. More.
I started eating LCHF / very low carb and I feel dizzy / a headache / tired?
Dizziness / headaches and similar symtoms are common during the first week as your body adapt to a very low carb diet. These symptoms usually go away in a few days.
Adding a bit more carbs to the meals reduces the symptoms but can slow the adaptation (and weight loss).
Another possibility is that you are dehydrated / low on salt. When starting a very low carb there is extra loss of salt and fluids through the kidneys in the first weeks, until the body adapts. Drinking some extra fluid and putting some extra salt on your food during the first week can avoid this problem and often cures the symptoms. Alternatively you can drink some buillon a few times a day.
Do you use blood pressure medication? A very low carb diet can lower high blood pressure, and medication may need to be reduced in that case. Low blood pressure may result in dizziness.
Why are Asian rice eaters thin?
Probably because they do not eat a lot of sugar or refined starch. More.
What about gallstones and LCHF?
High fat food can give you short term trouble if you already have gallstones. Low fat food gives you gallstones in the long term. More.
Can you eat low carb cookies / bread / pasta and lose weight?
That is probably not a good idea:
Do you get cancer from eating red meat?
Highly unlikely, although favoring unprocessed meat is the healthiest choice. Replacing meat with processed carbs may be one of the worst things you can do for your health and weight. More.
Do you get hypothyroidism on a very low carb diet?
No, hardly on a well-formulated low carb diet, meaning you replace the energy from carbs by eating more fat. In scientific studies on LCHF there are no problems with the thyroid and I see no new thyroid issues in my patients going strictly low carb.
However, starvation can lead to hypothyroidism, and if you remove carbs AND fat from your diet you will be starving. So you do need to eat carbs or fat to fuel your body.
Bottom line: A LCHF diet is fine for your thyroid. More.
Is there scientific proof that LCHF is good for weight / blood sugar / cholesterol / blood pressure?
Are studies showing better weight loss on low carb diets sponsored by the meat industry or the Atkins foundation?
Yes, a few of them are. But repeated independent studies show the same results.
Does insulin play a role in weight gain / loss?
Yes, it’s absolutely crucial in most cases. Some bloggers have objections but they do not change biochemical facts. More.
Can you drink alcohol on LCHF?
Sure, in moderate amounts. But beer and sweet drinks need to be avoided. Choose wine or non-sweetened liquor. More.
Is salt dangerous?
No. At least not in moderate amounts. More.
What’s a good LCHF breakfast except for eggs?
Can you eat fruit on LCHF?
Only occasionally, as an exception, if you want to be strict and get the maximum effect. Fruit contains a lot of sugar. Fruit is candy from nature.
Why are Americans obese?
More knowledge
This talk by me from the Ancestral Health Symposium 2011 summarizes the history and science behind the ongoing revolution in diet and health.
More theory and practice
Here four of the world’s biggest experts on the subject explain the theory and practice of various kinds of carb restriction:
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205 Comments
Thanks
I have a question about Soya products. Are these good if you are on LCHF diet?
I'd say they're not good at all (except maybe for natto which is very fermented).
http://www.jacn.org/content/19/2/242.full.pdf
There's a lot of alarmism about soy, and I don't know exactly how much of it is legitimate. Personally, I stay away from it except for soy sauce on my sashimi. But if by "soya products" you mean heavily processed things like soy burgers and tofurkey, then no, absolutely not. The last thing you want is to go from a heavily processed Western diet to a heavily processed "health food" diet.
Those foods are all high carb!
I am not a vegetarian but I know there is a lot of information on the net.
I found one, but I dont know if this site have good advices.
http://www.immuneweb.org/lowcarb/
For luch i'm generally eating meat lettuce and tomatoes, but im not feeling very satisfied.
Shoud i eat more meat, or i am not eating enough fat?
Carbs or fats are almoste energy, and if one do eat lowcarbs then one must eat more fats.
About meat.. protein is not that much a energy source, its more of and boulding stone for a lot of thing in your body.
We do recomend about 1-2 grams protein/ kilo a day.. I think this gonna be 0,5 to 1 gram/ pound a day.
If you eat mixed animal meat/egg/chess/fish, then you can calculate 20 % protein in those over a longer time.
And there is some different outcomes from different persons in the beginning, some do lose there apitite, others never be satisfied!
And what we do know.. there is only one thing to do in the beinning to both situations.. eat more, preferbly more fat.
And if one do eats to little meat.. eat some more.. same with calories!
YES. People on low-carb diets attain lower blood pressure, reversal of symptoms of diabetes and better weight loss. And all of those things are going to help you in your fight with breast cancer.
Please read the articles under the "Knowledge" tab at the top of this page.
Good luck!
Everthing Alexandra M say is true but I would like to add . cancertumors thrive on glucose (bloodsugar).By keeping your glucose as low as possible you dont feed the tumors more than nessecary.
Avoid feeding the cancertumors by keeping your carbintake to a minimum.
Never forget - carbs/sugar - raises bloodsugar/glucose - wich feed the cancer.
Good luck!
I am starting this diet. I hate the taste of milk (am fine with cheese, cream etc) Can I use Kara instead? (its like a dairy free coconut based alternative).
Also, 1 thing I find very difficult is to have protein for breakfast. If I had porridge oats in the morning as my only carb for the day, would that make the diet pointless? Can you suggest something else?
thank you
Its just a part of some food cultures, not any obligated to eat LCHF.
I dont know any thing about Kara.
http://www.karadairyfree.com/product_specifications/original_calcium_...
Why juste not use coco nut milk insted?
One do not need to have proteins for breakfast, but its satisfieding.
Oat porridge is not that satisfieding, but if one is a healty person its probably do no harm?
I do suggest to eat som left owers from yesterdays dinner.
You know it about what medical condition you have, if you is a perfectly healty person you have more choises to eat anything.
The thing about LCHF is to eat less carbs and more fat.. for energy.. to lower glycemic load, if one need this!
And to eat real food.. all the time!
Home made oat porridge could be real food.. but not LCHF.
Another thing I'm not able to find a lot of information about is how to eat LCHF while pregnant or nursing, and lastly, LCHF for little kids (my daughter is a year and a half), is it safe? Thanks a bunch!!
And if one do wants to get any resluts, one do will use both beta oxidation and glycolysis.
The thing is that one dont need those amount of carbs as the old paradigm did propose.
If one is pregnant or nursing, one should always be careful, there is very little knowledge about ketogenic diets and pregancy.. but the old inuits did coop with that to.. but one should always be careful.
And, healty children can eat it to, but one shouldnt give theme a diet thats for wheigt lose and diabetics, and there is often more about giving them real food and to avoid junkfood!
They have probably aded som spinnach and/or tomatoes!
Look att the label!
There have to be some changes in your metabolism, and it can take months for some peopel.
And I refer to an uppregulated fat oxidation capacity.. how occurs mostly in your muscle cells.
In the begining of an ketogenic diet, one relays on ketosis and gluconeogenes.. i.e, your body is producing glucose in the liver becuse your cells is not that used to burn fat directly in that amounts now is required.
One tip is to use more coconut oil, its easy to use by muscle cells.
Where can I find more info about LCHF and palpitations? I heard it sometimes happens, but I have had a couple of episodes at night which lasted about an hour.
If you stop eating sugar and starch cold turkey (recommended) you may experience some side effects as your body gets used to it. For most people it is relatively mild and just lasts a few days. Also there are ways to minimize it.
Common during the first week:
•Headache
•Tiredness
•Dizziness
•Heart palpitations
•Irritability
The side effects rapidly subside as your body adapts and your fat burning increases. They can be minimized by drinking some extra fluid and temporarily increasing your salt intake somewhat. A good way can be some broth every few hours. Alternatively drink a few extra glasses of water and put some more salt on your food.
The reason is that carbohydrate rich foods may increase the water retention in your body. When you stop eating that food you will lose excess water through your kidneys. That may give dehydration and lack of salt in the first week before the body has had time to adapt.
Some prefer to decrease the intake of carbohydrates slowly, over a few weeks, to minimize side effects. But for most it is wise to take away most sugar and starch right away. A few extra pounds of fluids lost on the scale in the first days is great for the motivation."
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
Magnesium substitute can altso make some differents.
If you have had heart decease and had surgery ie: Triple Bypass and have been diagnoised type 2 diabetic, is a LCHF diet OK for weight loss and controlling blood sugars without adversely affecting your heart??
And with complications like heart problems its of major importans!!
"Conclusions— In humans, impaired glucose tolerance is accompanied by cardiac steatosis, which precedes the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Thus, lipid overstorage in human cardiac myocytes is an early manifestation in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and is evident in the absence of heart failure. "
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/116/10/1170.full?sid=4ee42c44-4ed...
You shuld read this book by L-E Litsfeldt, he is a diabetic typ 2 how got heart surgery and stents, he now is free from medications and manage his glucose levels by LCHF!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/182-7915336-2165039?url=search...
Anybody?
I have been doing this for a relatively short time but it seems on this website that milk should be used sparsely because of its carb contents, or milk sugar. Personally for coffee I have switched to ice with coffee and 10 % cream.
I would feel more concerned about the contents of your matcha powder. Does it contain sugars? Also lchf is not a protein based diet, so the protein powder could be replaced with a portion of eggs.
If you love the real taste of green tea (and often the commercial powder have nothing to do with real green tea) you could make real green tea? with cream? no idea what that would taste like but here on LCHF we are not fond of anything premade and love real food. I don't think matcha and protein powders would qualify
I recently switched my breakfast to bits of bacon on lettuce. Its unbelievably filling (you don't need a lot of bacon). Fat is a natural hunger suppressant.
LCHF for 6mths. Feeling good. Having a blood test next month.
What should I ask for info on? What about levels?
Any advice (or direction to somewhere with advice) would be much appreciated.
Great blog, btw!
Tom
Its another lipid test.
I think high carb is worse for kideys?
"Renal function following long-term weight loss in individuals with abdominal obesity on a very-low-carbohydrate diet vs high-carbohydrate diet."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20338292
There is seldom any idea to eat more protein then what one need, its expensive food.. meat and fish and such a thing.
And protein is not that good as energy, fat is better, and cheaper.
Were is this protein/kidney coming from?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_amino_acid
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are oxidised and lead to the formation of arterial plaque. This plaque can break off the artery walls and circulate in the blood stream until it forms into a clot which leads to a heart attack or stroke - both are an obstruction of blood flow yet one occurs in the heart (myocardial infarction) and the other prevents blood flow in the brain (ischemic stroke).
Fat provides 39kj/gram and carbohydrate and protein provide 17kj/gram. This means one gram of fat contains more energy (as measured in joules - a measure of heat) than two grams of carbohydrates or protein.
Without a doubt, this diet will reduce your life expectancy by 10 - 20 years (at a minimum). In the Western world your highest risks of not reaching your full life expectancy (say 76 years for males) is from cardiovascular disease or cancer.
This diet makes as much sense as blindfolding yourself and running in and out of a busy freeway - sure you will burn calories and maybe lose weight - but there are better ways to do it.
"but there are better ways to do it."
Hm... interesting indeed, If you know the secret to success and "the magic bullit" to loose weight - why don´t you share it with the rest of us?
Tell us about "the better ways".
Your body acts in a very similar fashion as a bank account, if you deposit more than you spend each day you will start to notice your account growing.
Fat is not satiating, by the term 'satiating' it means you do not feel full or complete immediately after ingestion. This leads to over-eating as it takes a while for the fat to travel to the small intestine and begin its breakdown via bile (stored in the gallbladder) which emulsifies fats into smaller 'droplets' so it is easier to absorb.
Protein is the most satiating food source. Over-eating protein will also lead to gaining fat, as will anything. The magic bullet is moderation, exercise and a diet low in refined sugar and saturated fat. I cant stress the years I have spent studying nutrition, biochemistry and physiology - all point to the fact that saturated fat is extremely bad for you.
Saturated fat intake is also linked to higher rates of breast, ovarian, prostate and colorectal cancer.
Why does the the World Health Organisation, FDA - (Food and Drug Administration), European Food Safety Authority, British National Health Science - the list goes on - all recommend that you should limit saturated fat?
Have a look at meta-analysis studies such as the Seven Countries Study (use Google Scholar as this, and PubMed only provide peer-review scientific journal articles). Studies such as these track individual for years and determine the rate of CVD (cardiovascular disease) compared with diet.
If a patient came to me and told me of a diet that may result in weight loss, but on the other hand drastically increased the risks of cardiovascular disease (a major killer) and cancer (another major reason people do not reach their life expectancy) then I would say "it is up to you". Smoking also results in weight loss and please dont say there are no links between smoking and cancer.
http://www.nutritionjrnl.com/article/S0899-9007(11)00314-5/abstract
Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0708681
Thank you for your answer. Obviously you belong to the fatscared old school....
But there is just one problem with your magic bullet - and I guess you aldready have notised it - It does not work!
So much for a bullit that hardly never hits the target. You said you know better ways to lose weight... I suggest a realitycheck between theori and practise.
the biggest problem for the "old school" is that it tries to change the reality to fit the map, while it should be the other way around - that is if you really want to make some changes in peoples lives and health - in staed of just moralising....
I have always been interested in nutrition and it makes me so mad that even in my higher education physiotherapy school, where nutrition is a very important part of treating people, I have been led astray concerning food. So THANK YOU for giving me the restful feeling that i now REALLY know what to eat!
However, I have a question(actually so many that I would like to spend an whole evening in a pub talking about these things with you but...). I love to play football, run, go to the gym etc. and I have been told that it is crucial to eat lots of carbs because it works as fuel in sports that require endurance and it helps me to recover more faster. Is this true or do you think my achievement level will stay the same when I change to LCHF?
Answer would be most appreciated, thanks
Thanks for your links and nicely sourced articles. There is a lot evidence about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, a diet which includes higher than normal levels of olive oil (high in monounsaturated fat) yet results in lower than normal incidence of CVD. The life expectancy of those eating a Mediterranean diet is about 10+ years more than others.
I apply the Mediterranean diet to my daily routine, making sure I have raw olive oil and raw canola oil as a component of salad dressing. Olive oil provides a good source of monounsaturated fat and canola a good source of polyunsaturated fat.
My only concern is that saturated fat is a carbon chain without any double bonds - double bonds are prime sites for the breakdown of the carbon backbone (lipolysis) - and without these bonds or sites saturated fats tend to be easily 'stacked' and stored as saturated fat.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have a 'kink' in the carbon chain as most bonds form in the cis formation. This means the fatty acid chain is not straight, it is more like a letter "c" than capital "I". Heard of trans fats, well trans is the other bond formation, so no 'kink' in the carbon chain. Trans fats occur when cis bonds are repetitively heated or heated at high temperatures and hydrogenation occurs. Both trans and saturated fats stack easily, are difficult to breakdown and are attributed to the formation of arterial plaque which causes narrowing of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) and heart attack and stroke.
Fat is not all bad, it is an excellent energy source and a wide range of fats are really good for you, take the omega-3 fatty acid for example. My only suggestion is to steer clear of saturated fat, replace it with mono or polyunsaturated fat.
Cheers.
I just watched your on-line lecture my the AHS 2011 Conference. At one point you referenced false advertising by some low-carb claiming products, including CarbSmart ice cream from Breyers. I have been using this product as my go-to sweet treat in the evening. Can you elaborate on the problems with this ice cream. Are the claims of 3-5 carbs/serving false?
Thanks,
Doug
If I recall correctly it's full of sugar alcohols and sweeteners. Those are close to no-nos.
I recommend a small piece of really dark chocolate (70%+) for a sweet treat. Or occasionally some berries in whipped cream (full fat).
It is a "beginners problem" and it will sort itself out if you just give it a little time,
SMC
beans contains to many carbs if you want to go LCHF. I suggest brassicas insted.
Its often worst in the begining, and after a wail its diminsh.
If its not Dragon breath?
http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/19063904.php
I use peanuts and peanut butter occasionaly.
All three is real food.. in some case even coincider as healty.. if one can stand higher carbload.
Use them sparsely.
Quinoa 63/100
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
Hummus 14/100
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummus
Peanut butter 5-20/100
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_butter
Onse again look at the lables. If you belive quoinoa, hummus and peanutbutter is a god resorce for carbs it is up to you and your owne choises. I would prefer fresh leafy greens with much less carbs but still full of vitamins and fibre... but we all make our owne decisions..
But i takes at least three weeks to adapt to an ketogenic diet, often more!
When you cut out the carbs, then you moste have some other fuel.. othervise you gonna burn your muscles as fuel.. eat more fat!
One dont need to eat al lot of fat.. one should eat fatty foods.. like pork!
But if one take all from sugar then one miss other foods with carbs that have som other nutrients that can benefit your healt.. like vegetabels that do have som vitamines and minerals.
You know.. it dosent matter that much wich name there is on thos carbs.. the major part gonnna be glucose in your blood anyway.. so take them from vegetabels or fruit if you have cravings for sweets.
Sweetners do upphold your preferences for sweet taste.. thats could be a problem.
But there is two seetners thats are sayd to be safe as food, Stevia and Eryhtritol.