Low-Carb Mistakes
Reported January 10, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) — Whether it’s Atkins, The Zone, or your own version of low-carb dieting, you’ve likely dabbled in this latest diet fad. But many people may not be doing low-carb the right way. Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Forty million Americans count carbs to control their weight, and to dietician Molly Kimball, R.D., that’s good news.
“I like the fact that the lower-carb diets are getting people aware of these refined carbs that are in their diet,” Kimball, of the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, tells Ivanhoe.
But not all is well in the land of low-carb. Kimball says common mistakes ruin potential weight loss. Not counting sugar alcohols as carbs is a big one. “Sugar alcohols are basically a type of carbohydrate that is not completely broken down,” she says. “It’s not completely digested.” But they do affect insulin levels, so they should not be ignored.
More than 1,000 low-carb foods have hit the shelves in the last five years, which brings us to the next mistake — counting carbs but not calories.
Kimball says the calories that they had initially cut out are often just putting right back in with the low-carb versions of the traditional foods. Need proof? A serving of low-carb ice cream has twice the fat than many regular ice creams.
Author and researcher Dean Ornish, M.D., says another mistake is cutting out fiber and essential vitamins. “It’s not only what you exclude from your diet, but also what you include in your diet that’s important.” He says fruits, veggies, grains and beans are needed to fight cancer and heart disease.
Finally, the all-or-nothing mentality can curb any dieter’s success. Kimball says, “They’re either on a low-carb diet, or they’re completely devouring the bread basket, so finding that middle-ground is important for people to be able to stay with something long-term.”
So get savvy about the carbs in your cart and make weight loss an easier mission to accomplish.
Low-carb diets are not for everyone. Children, teens, pregnant women and people who are very active should avoid them.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Katherine Voss
Ochsner Clinic Foundation
1221 S. Clearview Parkway, 2nd Floor
Jefferson, LA 70121
(504) 842-2225
[email protected]
