In today’s hectic world, the average individual’s time is consumed mostly by work, and/or school, and it is becoming increasingly harder and harder to find time for the things that matter, including ones health. We are constantly bombarded with ads for fast food, and other activities which promote unhealthy lifestyles. And lo and behold, with the combination of restricted time, and limited access to healthy food in restaurants, fast food chains and etc, a market for quick and easy diet fads is created! The bottom line remains the same, everyone wants to lost weight and/or become more healthy, and everyone wants it quick. With the rising levels of obesity in North America, losing weight has become the most targeted health goal for individuals and this gives corporations a larger clientele to whom they can sell their products. Yet, with each product comes a counter-argument. In every newspaper, magazine or publication relating to healthy lifestyle, a counter-argument is produced and these can be confusing for even the most educated professionals. Where one source promotes a certain diet and/or fad, another condemns it and brands it as unhealthy. A particular example of this which can be examined is the case of the “low-carb diet”. Possibly one of the most popular and well-known diets in the world, the low-carb diet has gained many supporters, and enemies through its time and is still practiced today. So what is the “low-carb diet” exactly? It is simply a diet which stresses low and/or no carbohydrates in ones diet. This rule is usually accompanied by supplementary dieting practices which are particular to each diet, such as the Atkins Diet, Zone Diet and South Beach Diet, all extremely popular amongst those living in the Hollywood hills. Yet with the increasing number of low-carb diets, an increasing number of warnings are put in place by those who oppose of it. Supporters of the diet claim that it cuts back rates of diabetes, stoke and/or heart disease related to those who have diets rich in carbohydrates[1]. They also suggest that low-carb diets promote healthier lifestyles by incorporating more plants and fruits into ones everyday regime, in turn effects are seen not only in dramatic weight loss but on the skin as well. While all of these may be true, those who have counter-arguments for the low-carb diet suggest that without the carbohydrates our bodies need to function, we begin to create ketones, which are the “leftovers from fats broken down in the body. With enough production of ketones the body starts to 'store' fat (a process called ketosis)”. [2] It also suggests that as soon one starts to stray from the low-carb diet they will see an increasingly faster amount of weight being gained than their body had previous to starting the diet. In my opinion, while there are aspects of the low carb diet which may promote a healthier lifestyle, such as incorporating more “real food” in our diets, such as plants and fruits, the notion of completely cutting off carbohydrates seems illogical. Carbohydrates provide important nutrients, and provide us with energy that cannot be supplemented by other means. A balance must be found between a diet which bans carbs and one which is rich in carbs, and an increasing number of health professionals are making a note of this. One should be educated about carbohydrates and resources such as http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/lowcarbmistakes.htm, provide any individual with the vital information they need to embark on what they presume to be healthier eating regimes. I am all for cutting back on the fast food and limiting ones bagel, sandwich and pastry intake, but why take out all the fun? So go ahead, have your weekly muffin, for living in this busy world, you deserve it!
Below is an example of a healthy food pyramid which can be a guide as to what to eat MORE of, while also not cutting out carbohydrates completely.
