To maintain a healthy weight, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends consuming 275 grams of carbohydrates per day. For some people, this amount works within a 2,000-calorie diet. However, if it doesn't work for you, consider following a diet lower in carbohydrates.
Introduction to Low-Carb Diets
In this article, we will explore four low-carb diet options: Carnivore, Ketovore, Keto, and Low-Carb. We will discuss what makes them different and provide food lists for each level.
How Carbohydrates Affect Your Body
Carbohydrates cause the body to store water. When you eat a high-carb diet, unused energy is stored as glycogen in a hydrated form, where each gram of glycogen retains about 3 grams or more of water. This can lead to water weight gain after a high-carb meal. Conversely, switching to a low-carb diet flushes out stored water, resulting in quick weight loss.
Carbs cause quick fluctuations in body weight, so it's important to avoid emotional attachment to the scale when changing your carb intake. However, weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing. Low-carb diets promote fat loss by keeping insulin levels low.
Insulin is a fat-storage hormone, and when it is low, your body can release fat and burn it for energy. Low insulin levels also signal your kidneys to flush out water and electrolytes, which need to be replenished.
Replenishing Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals essential for nerve impulses and muscle contractions. You can replenish them naturally by including foods high in potassium, magnesium, and sodium in your diet, such as avocados, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, bone broth, olives, and pickles, or by using an electrolyte supplement like LMNT.
Drink LMNT every day to replenish electrolytes. Add it to your post-workout drink and use it as a stopper after a meal. It tastes great and helps eliminate the desire to keep eating when you're full.
For a free Sample Pack with any drink mix purchase, visit drinklmnt.com. Recently, the company introduced LMNT Sparkling Water in 16-ounce cans. It's a great treat after working outside in the heat or when something to support low-carb diet without the extra calories.
Different Levels of Low-Carb Diets
Low-carb diets are not new, but some of the terminology is. Carnivore and Ketovore are relatively new variations of the ketogenic diet, tweaking macros and food choices enough to make them unique.
Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet aims for zero carbs per day, consisting solely of meat and other animal products. There are no plant foods, as all plants have carbohydrates. The food list is simple: meat, fish, eggs, lard, and bone broth. Some carnivores also allow small amounts of certain dairy products, like heavy cream, hard cheese, and butter.
Ketovore Diet
The Ketovore diet combines elements of the carnivore and ketogenic diets, allowing up to 10 grams of carbs per day. This offers more flexibility, permitting foods like cream in coffee, lemon in water, spices, and small servings of low-carb vegetables.
Keto Diet
The ketogenic (keto) diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates, allowing 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day. This diet includes meats, fish, eggs, cheeses, and a moderate amount of plant-based foods. Carbs are viewed as meal enhancers, allowing for more varied dishes, such as salads with greens, meat, and cheese.
Low-Carb Diet
A low-carb diet permits 50 to 125 grams of carbs per day, depending on your metabolism and goals. This diet allows for small amounts of moderately high-carb fruits, like apples, melons, and peaches, and occasional starchy foods, such as a small baked potato or a side of rice. However, these starches should be monitored for their effect on weight loss.
Comparison Table
| Diet | Carb Intake (grams/day) | Food Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Carnivore | 0 | Meat, fish, eggs, lard, bone broth, hard cheese |
| Ketovore | Up to 10 | Carnivore foods + small servings of low-carb veggies, cream, spices |
| Keto | 20-50 | Ketovore foods + more dairy, moderate plant-based foods |
| Low-Carb | 50-125 | Keto foods + high-carb fruits, occasional starchy foods |
Conclusion
Each level of the low-carb diet offers unique benefits and challenges. The choice of diet depends on your personal goals, dietary preferences, and health needs. The beauty of following a low-carb diet is that all you need to do is shop differently at your grocery store: skip the cereal, chip, cookie, and cracker aisles and spend more time in the meat, produce, and dairy sections.
I hope this article clarifies the different levels of low-carb diets. Download a free list of 100 low-carb foods.
Thanks for reading!