A number of popular diets are focused on carbohydrates. Some demonize them. Then warn you against eating any carbohydrates. Others in fact, emphasize a high carbohydrate intake. Here is how high-carbohydrate diet plans treat carbohydrates. (Such as Ornish, Pritikin, and Food for Life)

For years you've been hearing that eating a healthy diet. Means cutting back on the total amount of fat. While eating more complex carbohydrates. Thousands of "low-fat" alternatives now crowd your supermarket shelves.

But is simply cutting back on fat. Then loading up on carbohydrates a healthy way to eat or to lose weight? Current research suggests that it isn't. Just like researchers have learned that not all types of fat are bad. They have also discovered that not all types of carbohydrates are good for you.

It's easy for you to fall into a low-fat trap. Gram for gram. Fat has more than twice as many calories as either protein or carbohydrates. Then it seems logical that choosing low-fat products will help you with your weight loss. However, all too often the low-fat products on supermarket shelves are packed with sugar. And highly processed carbohydrates. Making up for the taste that's lost when fat is removed.

These low-fat alternatives often contain just as many calories as the full-fat versions. Some may even have more! Another problem is that you mistakenly think that because a food is low in fat. You can eat as much of it as you want without gaining any weight.

As far as your body is concerned. Calories are calories. No matter where they come from. Eat too many calories (whether from fat, carbohydrates or protein) and you'll gain weight period.

Aside from weight loss. The popularity of low-fat food has broader implications for your health. Commercially prepared low- fat foods tend to be rich in highly processed carbohydrates. Thus causing big spikes in your blood sugar level. Over time this can increase the chances of you developing heart disease and diabetes.

For example, in a study of 80,000 nurses. Harvard researchers calculated that replacing a given number of calories from polyunsaturated fat. With an equivalent number from easily digested carbohydrates. Increased the risk for heart disease by over 50 percent.

Some other studies have found that a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Particularly one high in sugars. Can worsen your blood cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Both of which are risk factors for heart disease.

You can minimize or avoid any diet deficiencies associated with high-carbohydrates diets. When you approach your high- carbohydrate diet as an integrated part of your *-lifestyle-*, not solely an ingredient focus.

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