No-Carb Diet

Carbs play an important role in maintaining a body's health. They provide energy to the body. They are of two types; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are also known as monosaccharides, and are easier to digest. They occur naturally in many fruits, dairy products, and processed refined foods products like bakery items, pastas, and white sugar. Complex carbohydrates are more difficult to digest in comparison to the simple ones. They are found in whole grain breads and pastas, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

No Carbohydrate Diet: Low Carb Diet

Carbohydrates are essential to the body's health. However, eating the right type of carbohydrates is more important, as it would provide the right amount of energy, rather than accumulate fat in the body. An inadequate intake of carbs drains the body of its health, causing muscle cramps and poor mental function. No carbohydrate diet basically means a low carb diet, which entails cutting down carbohydrates from our dietary intake. Following are a list of dietary foods that provide low carbohydrates.

Water: Water is 100% no carb or zero carb. Drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of water per day will help the body get properly hydrated. Coconut water also has no carbs.

Vegetables and Fruits: Most green-leafed vegetable like lettuce, spinach, bok choy, celery, etc., have very few carbs in them. Other vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and mushrooms have only 1 g of carbs. Many fruits except tangerines, cherries, grapes, mangoes and bananas are low in carbohydrates.

Meat: Meat in its natural state has almost nil amounts of carbohydrates, and carbs get added to them while its cooked, because of the way it's cooked. To keep its fat content at a minimal low, it is best to steam, boil, grill or bake the meat, rather than frying it.

Cheese: Many variety of cheeses have no carbohydrates or only 1 g of carbs, and are very high on protein. Cheddar, swiss, fontina, muenster, parmesan and blue cheese are some varieties that have low carbohydrates in them.

Dairy Products and Eggs: Eggs have low amounts of carbohydrates, and can be cooked in various ways like omelets, fried or hard-boiled. However, your medium of cooking should be also low in carbs. Other dairy products like margarine or butter and sour cream can also be consumed, as they too contain small amounts of carb.

Oils: The food cooked in oils or vegetable shortenings must be low in carbohydrates, as it would add the right nutrients and flavor, without adding excess carbs to the cooked foods. The US Department of Agriculture promotes the use of olive oil, corn oil and safflower oil, as they have have no carbohydrates and little fat in them.

A no carb diet will provide the body with the right mix of fat, energy, nutrients and proteins. However, one must consult a qualified doctor before switching to a low carb or no carb diet.