Latest news with #lowcarbdiet
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
What eating bread every day actually does to your body and health
It is a household staple across Britain and is a fundamental part of many diets across the world. But in an increasingly 'low-carb diet' society and differing viewpoints about its health benefits, bread has become somewhat of a divisive topic - particularly on the topic of whether you should eat it every day. And with many different options available in supermarkets: white, wholemeal, sourdough, rye, but to name just a few, it can be overwhelming knowing which - if any - is the right one to choose. But amid this rise in options, experts have now explained exactly happens to your body and the health benefits when you consume the fibre-packed food every day, and their tailored recommendations for if doing so. Bread is full of nutrients like fibre, natural sugars, proteins, B vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and folate, as well as minerals like iron and zinc - but its high concentration of carbohydrates can sometimes leave you feeling hungry after eating a slice or two. To beat that hunger, dietitian Kristi Ruth recommends wholegrain bread to help you feel full for longer, as just one slice contains around 7 per cent of the recommended daily fibre intake. She told EatingWell: 'As dietitians, we often recommend whole-grain bread because it traditionally contains more fibre, which aids in digestion and will help you feel full longer.' If combined with high protein offerings such as sprouted grain breads, this is seen as the best way to stay full for longer and to stop reaching back into the bread bin. Multi-grain breads also contain even more fibre than standard wholemeal, offering between five to seven grams per slice, compared to wholemeal's two grams per slice. And with high fibre intake associated with lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, type two diabetes and bowel cancer, this is seen as an ideal way to improve your health. Elana Natker from the Grain Foods Foundation explained: '40 per cent of dietary fiber intake comes from grain foods. Cutting out grains [like bread] would take out fiber that people are needing and getting from grains.' Ms Natker also told the website how it may support healthy pregnancies, with folate seen as an essential vitamin when bearing a child - with women recommended to have at least 400 micrograms per day. She added: '[Child-bearing] women restricting carbohydrates are 30 per cent more likely to have babies with neural tube defects because they aren't getting enough folic aid.' For those looking to for energy if incorporating exercise in addition to their diets, official NHS guidance also recommends bread for those who don't have an intolerance or wheat allergies. The health service says bread is a 'healthy choice to eat as part of a balanced diet' and cites wholegrain, wholemeal and brown breads as the best sources of energy. An extract from their website reads: 'White bread also contains a range of vitamins and minerals, but it has less fibre than wholegrain, wholemeal or brown bread. If you prefer white bread, look for higher fibre options.' In their guidance for heart attack prevention, the NHS also recommends including bread in your diet. They say: 'You should aim to follow a Mediterranean-style diet. This means eating more wholegrain bread, rice and pasta, and fruit, vegetables and fish, and less meat. 'Eating a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre – such as wholegrain rice, bread, pasta and plenty of fruit and vegetables – has been proven to help lower blood pressure. Fruit and vegetables also contain vital vitamins and minerals and help keep your body healthy.' Despite these positives, nutritionists at EatingWell also warned of the risks of consuming bread as part of a daily diet, saying that many foods packed with fibre can cause uncomfortable pains such as bloating, passing wind and cramping. One recommendation to beat such issues is to try white or sourdough bread as a way to ease into a high-fibre diet as these typically contain less dietary fibres than the alternatives. It was also highlighted that high carbohydrate foods such as bread also cause spikes in blood sugar, which for those with diabetes, may need to be offset with synthetic insulin. Concluding her recommendations, Ms Ruth said she does not like labelling foods as 'good or bad' and encouraged consumers to read the nutrition labels to decide what works best for each individual person. It was also added on the healthy eating site that bread is not a food that should be seen as being 'bad for you'. Instead, it should be viewed as a vehicle to provide your body with essential nutrients and can be used as a base for healthy fats such as avocado, or for proteins such as lean turkey and eggs.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Do Low-Carb Diets Actually Help You Lose Weight? A Dietitian Reveals the Complicated Truth
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." If you want to lose weight fast, some experts will recommend cutting down on carbs—or eliminating them completely. 'Carbs have always been on the chopping block,' says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., dietitian and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table. 'But the truth is carbs aren't bad.' And not all carbs are equal. 'There's a big difference between having a slice of whole-grain toast with your eggs in the morning and a croissant with your eggs,' Taub-Dix explains. Unlike protein and fat, carbs are your body's go-to energy source. So if you lead an active lifestyle, you need carbs in your diet. 'Carbs are energy-giving and provide a wealth of vitamins and fiber, which most of us don't [get] enough of,' Taub-Dix says. 'It's time we change the conversation and start associating carbs with positive things.' That said, cutting your carb intake can help you lose weight quickly if you do it right. Here's everything you need to know about low-carb diets for weight loss—including their benefits, downsides, and limitations. We also break down the most popular low-carb diets for weight loss so you can decide which one is right for you. A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates, including those found in grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits. There are many different low-carb diets, and each has different restrictions on the amount of carbs you can eat each day. On the keto diet, for instance, only 5% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. This is in stark contrast to what the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend, which is that 45% to 65% of your daily calories should come from carbs. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that's around 225 to 325 grams of carbs each day. 'What the guidelines say is that we should [be] getting around 50% of our calories from carbs,' Taub-Dix says. But that doesn't mean you should overload on them. Portion control plays a huge role in losing and maintaining weight. For example, 2 cups of pasta can easily equate to five pieces of bread, and one 8-ounce New York bagel is comparable to eight pieces of bread. Low-carb diets work best for short-term weight loss because they restrict you from having simple carbohydrates, like sugar, white pasta, and white bread. These empty calories can add up, leading to weight gain over time. Instead, low-carb diets encourage you to eat more protein and fat, which tend to stabilize your blood sugar levels and make you feel fuller longer. By minimizing carbs, low-carb diets can help your body hit ketosis—a state where your body uses fat for fuel. Naturally, you'll lose more weight if you burn more fat. But the problem with low-carb diets is that they can be very restrictive, making them tough to follow long-term. 'If I don't have toast with my breakfast, I'm so going to feel like something is missing in my day,' says Taux-Dix. 'There's an 'ah' factor to eating carbs. It releases serotonin, which makes us feel comforted. It's like getting a hug from your food.' And science agrees: The long-term benefits of low-carb diets for weight loss are debatable. According to a 2023 study, low-carb diets often result in rapid weight loss. But since it's hard to stick to the diet long-term, those benefits level out. At the 1-year mark, low-carb diets aren't obviously better for weight loss than other nutritional approaches. The best approach to losing weight on a low-carb diet is to enjoy carbs in moderation. A 2018 study (updated in 2020) found that people who ate a low to moderate amount of carbs burned more calories than those who ate lots of carbs. The low-carb group also saw significantly lower levels of ghrelin (a hormone that increases appetite) and higher levels of leptin (a hormone that decreases appetite and tells your brain you're full). Some worry that following a low-carb diet can encourage unhealthy eating habits, like filling up on foods high in saturated fat. But researchers have found mixed results. While a 2019 review linked low-carb diets to higher all-cause mortality, a 2017 study found the opposite—linking high-carb diets to higher all-cause mortality. Another concern? Since low-carb diets encourage you to restrict all carbohydrates, you might end up cutting certain vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains from your diet. These can be major sources of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. And missing them may lead to nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and disease. Of course, if your goal is to lose weight, the biggest downside of low-carb diets is that they're hard to follow. While you might rapidly lose weight when you start the diet, you may see those weight loss benefits wane over time—especially if you start eating more carbs. As with anything, the key is balance. Cutting carbs can have downsides—if you don't have a balanced eating plan that includes a variety of foods. The good news? There are plenty of low-carb diets, and not all of them involve counting carbs or dramatically restricting them. Keto Diet: The keto diet—or the ketogenic diet—originally started in the 1920s as a way to help treat epilepsy. But since then, it's become one of the most popular low-carb diets for weight loss. On the keto diet, you limit your carb intake to 5% of your daily calories. This helps your body hit ketosis, prompting your body to use fat for fuel instead of carbs. While the keto diet has helped thousands lose weight, it's highly restrictive, so it can be hard to sustain long-term. Atkins Diet: The Atkins diet is a high-protein, high-fat diet that helps you lose weight by encouraging you to eat meat, dairy, and fats instead of carbs. Atkins has three different plans—Atkins 20, Atkins 40, and Atkins 100—and all three involve keeping your daily carb intake low. During the first phase of the Atkins 20, for example, you only have 20 to 25 grams of net carbs daily. Over time, you gradually increase the number of carbs you're eating. Paleo diet: The Paleo diet is another low-carb eating plan that focuses on eating lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. The Paleo diet is inspired by our Paleolithic ancestors, who ate only foods they hunted or gathered. This means you can eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean protein. But dairy products, grains, beans, legumes, and highly processed foods (like sugar and artificial sweeteners) are off-limits. Whole30: The Whole30 diet is a Paleo-inspired eating plan, where you cut out sugar, alcohol, dairy, grains, gluten, and legumes for 30 days. The goal is to help you combat your sugar addiction, focus on clean eating, and uncover food sensitivities. But many people try Whole30 as a way to detox after the holidays or lose weight before a big event. Because Whole30 promotes home cooking and encourages you to avoid highly processed foods, you might lose a significant amount of weight—depending on what your eating habits were like before. The verdict? Low-carb diets can help you lose weight quickly, but they're tough to follow long-term. And their benefits may only last as long as you stick to the diet. If you want to try a low-carb diet to lose weight, start by talking to a doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help you create a plan that aligns with your goals, suits your lifestyle, and offers enough balance to keep you satisfied and ensure you're getting the nutrients you need. 'When it comes to diets, it should be something you could live with forever,' Taub-Dix says. 'A lot of people say they cheated on their diet or fell off the bandwagon, but a diet you can keep for life shouldn't feel like you got off of something.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
