Good-carb/low-carb living

Once considered just a fad, low-carb diets have gone mainstream in the biggest possible way. Just about every major diet program now offers a low-carb slant; store shelves are lined with hundreds of new low-carb products; and restaurant menus nationwide are catering to low-carb devotees.

But as low-carb diets soar in popularity, so does the level of bewilderment about exactly how to implement a low-carb lifestyle. Questions arise such as: "Are low-carb diets safe?" "How low should you go?" "Where do good cards fit in?" and "Do fat and calories matter?" And then there's the issue of creating practical, enjoyable meal plans.

If you're one of many feeling overwhehrred by carb confusion, read on.

Why Cut Carbs?

If you're still reeling from the low-fat, high-carb craze of the 1990s, you may be wondering why you should trade in pasta and potatoes for rib-eyes and pork rinds. The short answer is you shouldn't--since either extreme can put you on the road to diet disaster. But in recent years, it has become abundantly clear that an overdose of the wrong kinds of carbohydrates is taking a huge toll on our health. Epidemics of obesity, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are just some of the outcomes of high-carb diets run amuck. It's clear that a new focus is needed.

How to Cut Carbs

Contrary to popular belief, cutting carbs doesn't have to be complicated. No magic numbers, fancy formulas or special percentages of carbs, fats and proteins are necessary to reap the benefits of a smart lower-carb diet.

Furthermore, cutting back on carbs doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. There's a whole continuum of possibilities to choose from. Let your personal health needs and preferences guide you in deciding how low you want to go.

What's the best way to begin your low-carb diet makeover? You'll get the most bang for your buck by zeroing in on--and avoiding--the following key foods:

* White bread and other baked goods made from white flour

* Processed, low-fiber breakfast cereals

* Processed snack foods such as chips, crackers and pretzels

* Sugar, sodas and sweets

* Baked, mashed and french fried potatoes

These foods are very concentrated sources of carbohydrates, and they tend to rank high on the glycemic index, which means they are quickly digested and absorbed, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar and insulin levels. By simply avoiding these foods, most people can dramatically lower their carbohydrate load and quickly bring down blood sugar and insulin levels.

So once you clear your kitchen of the biggest offenders, what should you replace them with? And what about nutritious foods such as whole grains and fruits, or starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash--how do they fit into a carb-conscious eating plan?

The table above lists the best choices for a smart carb-conscious diet and provides tips for putting them into perspective. And realize that when planning a healthful diet, it's important to think beyond just carbs. Good carbs, good fats and balance are all critical for long-term health.

Finding Your Low-Carb Lifestyle

When most people think of low-carb diets, images of bunless bacon cheeseburgers and piles of pork rinds come to mind. Indeed, in its most extreme form, a low-carb diet can consist primarily of meat, cheese, eggs, cream and fat with limited portions of low-carb vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower--not exactly a recipe for long-term good health.

Fortunately, there are smarter and more enjoyable means to losing weight the low-carb way. In recent years, the low-carb diet has evolved to encompass a much healthier and more realistic approach. And you don't have to eliminate all carbs--just target the "bad" ones. Moreover, one low-carb diet does not fit all, and it's crucial to create a carb-conscious eating plan that fits your personal goals and lifestyle.

People who want to jump-start their weight loss and health benefits can begin with a more restrictive plan based on lean proteins, low-fat dairy or soy products, moderate amounts of good fats and generous portions of low-carb vegetables. Healthful higher-carb foods such as fruits, whole grains and starchy vegetables can be temporarily omitted and reintroduced later in controlled amounts. This approach is less rigid and much healthier than more drastic low-carb diets, but I still recommend checking with your physician before making such dietary changes.

Alternatively, opt for a sure and steady reduced-carb plan that includes more good carbs such as whole grains, fruits and a wider assortment of vegetables (including sweet potatoes, new potatoes and winter squash). The following menus (p. 40) provide examples of these two approaches to a lower-carb diet. My book Secrets of Good-Garb Low-Garb Living provides many more sample menus, tips and recipes for transforming your diet.

Low-Garb Caveats

If reducing carbs can speed weight loss and improve insulin resistance, then why not just cut them all out? Drastic versions of low-carb diets have existed for decades, restricting carbohydrates to as little as 20 grams per day initially. For most people though, extreme measures do not necessarily translate into better results. For instance, clinical studies show that 3 months of very-low-carb dieting produces an average weight loss of about 16 pounds. This is no different than the results seen with a reduced-carb diet.