The Effect Of A Low Carb Diet On Your Insulin Level

The underlying principles of low carb diets are based on the
role of insulin in our body. There are three basic units the
body uses for energy: Fats, Proteins, and Carbohydrates.

All three can be converted to blood glucose. However, while fats
and proteins are converted slowly, carbohydrates are converted
quickly causing quick spikes in the body’s blood sugar levels.
These spikes in blood sugar levels cause the pancreas to create
and release insulin until the blood sugar level returns to
normal.

Meanwhile, insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas that
lowers our blood’s glucose levels is released into the blood as
soon as the body detects that blood sugar levels have risen
above its optimal level.

Insulin is a very efficient hormone that runs the body’s fuel
storage systems. If there is excess sugar or fat in the blood
insulin will signal the body to store it in the body’s fat
cells. Insulin also tells these cells not to release their
stored fat, making that fat unavailable for use by the body as
energy.

Since this stored fat cannot be released for use as energy,
insulin very effectively prevents weight loss. The higher the
body’s insulin levels, the more effectively it prevents fat
cells from releasing their stores, and the harder it becomes to
lose weight. According to many authorities, over the long term,
high insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance and cause
serious health problems like obesity, accelerated aging,
increased food allergies and intolerances, overworked immune
system, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

Carbohydrates, especially simple carbs like sugar and starch,
are quickly turned into sucrose by the body entering the blood
stream quicker thereby causing the release of large amounts of
insulin. The fewer carbs are eaten, the less insulin is produced
by the body, and the fewer calories are stored as fat. Less fat
storage equals less weight gain and fewer carbs eaten equals
less insulin in the blood and the body using its fat stores for
fuel.

The premise behind every low-carb diet plan is that a body that
produces less insulin burns more fat than a body that produces
lots of insulin. Some plans encourage a period of extremely low
carbohydrate intake so that the body will enter a state of
ketosis and more quickly burn fat stores.

These are usually called induction periods. The length of
extreme carb control varies from seven days to however long it
takes you to reach your ideal weight. After this period of
extremely low carb dieting, maintenance levels of carb
consumption are followed to prevent weight gain. The amount of
carb you can safely eat will depend on your unique body system.
And you will probably have to experiment to find out what level
of carb intake is best for you.

No matter what your carb intake, it will be lower than the norm
and you will still eliminate white flour and white flour
products and certain other sugary and starchy foods. This is why
these diet plans are known as low-carb lifestyles.

Low-carb success requires that you be willing to give up simple
carbs for the long-term.

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