Keto, Atkins, Zero Carb: Unveiling the Dark Side of Low Carb Diets

Keto, Atkins, Zero Carb: Unveiling the Dark Side of Low Carb Diets by: Arwa Nabil

If I asked you what is the first thing that pops up in your mind when hearing the word “diet”, it will probably be low carbs and low fats. Going to a nutritionist, you must have been advised to cut carbs and fats if you wish to lose weight. But is it really a good idea? Is eliminating carbs healthy? What if low carb diets have major effects on your health? And if they do, what are the alternatives for eliminating carbs or fats? Epicure explores the most prominent types of diets and their pros and cons to help you determine what type of diet to follow the next time you decide to lose weight.

Before going through different low carb diets, it is imperative to consider the 3 major types of nutrients; Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fats. Dr. Eman Hassan, a nutritionist in El-Demerdash hospital, elaborates that Carbohydrates is metabolized into glucose. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen or converted into fatty acids that, in turn, are stored as fat. Protein is metabolized into amino acids, which are also converted into fat when consumed in large amounts. Fats, which is metabolized into fatty acids, is used by the body as main source of energy production when carbs are not available.

1. A Typical Low-Carb Diet

“Going through low carb diet to lose weight has given me perfect results very quickly; though now, I suffer now from anemia,” said Habiba, an 18-year-old girl who thought she would be happy after reaching her target weight very quickly.

This restricted/low-carb diet does not have a definition. It is based on eliminating carbs as much

as possible and replacing them with proteins. So, for example, potatoes, sugary drinks, and high-sugar junk foods will be eliminated and replaced with a high intake of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.

The major advantage of this diet is losing weight very quickly and seeing satisfying results. Furthermore, proteins make you feel full, so you do not feel hungry very often. And as for diabetics, it enhances blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. However, you might face major health drawbacks going through this diet such as muscle and vitamin loss. Moreover, it might increase your risk of certain cancers, especially bowel cancer, and can cause kidneys and bone damage. Other side effects might also occur such as temporary hair loss, reduced physical endurance and performance, dizziness, and fatigue.

2. Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Its goal is to keep carbs so low that your body goes into a metabolic state called ketosis. in this state, insulin levels fall, and the body releases large amounts of fatty acids from its stores. Those fatty acids supply your body with energy instead of relying on carbs.

This type of diet might be very beneficial in treating several diseases, such as epilepsy, bipolar disorder, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, you can see weight loss very quickly and change in body shape.

“The common idea of diets is to decrease carbohydrates intake and increase dependency on the other two major nutrients.” Dr. Mohamed Ehab, a nutritionist in Al-Qasr Al-Einy Hospital said. “As for the keto diet, it is dependent mainly on using fat as a source of energy production, via degradation of fat lipolysis into ketones. I consider it a very bad regimen; it usually takes the form of voluntary starvation due to restricting carbs which is available in many forms including vegetables. Keto diet increases the risk of cardiac disease, it may exacerbate liver problems, and causes renal diseases,” He added.

Keto diet also has other unpleasant drawbacks such as fatigue, brain fog, bad breath, mood swings, dehydration, and headache. Moreover, it affects pregnant women and jeopardize their babies’ development due to the limited carbs intake.

“After going through the keto diet, my body became very sensitive to fats and carbs” Salma, a 30-years-old woman, said. She has gone through the keto diet in her twenties losing 20 kg in a month. Impressed by the weight loss, she never thought her body would be gain so much weight so fast, as well.

3. The Atkins Diet

Unlike the most common low carb diets, the Atkins diet involves cutting carbs through phases. It is split into four phases. Phase 1 is Induction. It lasts for 2 weeks where daily carb consumption is limited to less than 20 grams. Then comes phase 2 which is Balancing; it includes gradually introducing nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, and nuts back to the diet. Phase 3 is Fine-tuning. Once you approach your weight loss target, your carb intake increases to a point where you still see weight loss but at a slower pace. Finally, the last phase, phase 4 is Maintenance where your set carb limit is maintained by eating healthier choices of carbohydrates. This way, you get to enjoy carbs without gaining weight.

Similar to the previous diets, the advantage mainly is seeing quick weight loss results, especially within the first two weeks. “Atkins diet is based on lowcarbohydrates intake. It depends mainly on proteins and introduced into 4 phases starting with the restriction of carbohydrates in the first phase then gradually increases it in each phase,” Dr. Mohamed Abdel Moniem, a nutritionist in Ahmed Maher hospital, elaborates. “Atkins is not the perfect regimen; the first phase is the riskiest as it looks like Keto. I do not recommend any restriction of

carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, itself does not cause weight gain, rather, an excess amount of carbs, protein, or fat does.”

Furthermore, eliminating fibers from your diet for the first two weeks can lead to painful constipation and digestion problems. Also, it is not the optimum choice if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, strokes, or heart attacks.

4. Zero-Carb

All previous diets included a certain portion of carbs intake though low; yet, this diet eliminates carbs altogether. Also, it excludes vegetables and fruits; only meat, shellfish, eggs, and animal fats, such as lard and butter, are permitted in a Zero-carb diet. Although this diet is the quickest in losing weight, it causes the body to have a serious vitamin C deficiency unless supplements are taken to sustain the daily vitamin intake. Besides, for those who have a history of liver and/or kidney problems, this diet can create undesirable side effects.

“I have suffered from obesity for 20 years now, but the worst decision I have ever taken was starting a zero-carb diet”

Hana, a 40-years-old woman, tried to lose weight by eliminating all carbs in her diet. Unfortunately, after she lost about 20 kg in 4 months, she gained them

all back in one month. She also started to develop various health complications such as muscle pain and heart rate problems. Instead of getting healthier, she started a new journey with her doctors to recover from such drawbacks.

Undoubtedly, losing weight quickly seems very tempting, though it has major effects on your health such as cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney problems, fatigue, vitamin and muscle loss, and others. So, what are the alternatives? You have to start mentally. Consistent and slow is better than unsustainable and quick weight loss where you could lose all you have achieved. Replacing unhealthy carbs and fats with healthier alternatives such as nuts is good way to go. In addition, exercising is very essential to lose weight and to tone your body. Dr. Moaaz El Sharabassy, a nutritionist in Al-Qasr el-Einy hospital, says “If you really want to lose weight and maintain your health, you should avoid white flour and soda which are absorbed rapidly and cause insulin surge and fat formation. Instead, you should resort to complex carbohydrates that contains fibers and you should exercise.” Having a healthy diet is a lifestyle rather than a temporary choice, not only for losing weight but also for your health on the long run.