What Does a "Very Low Carbohydrate Diet" Look Like?

Which way to go? Low Carb, Very-Low Carb,Carb-Cycling, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat?

Ever tried to follow a low-carb diet? Did it work for you or did you get too hungry or find that you weren’t getting enough fiber in your diet? Is being low-carb all the time sustainable for most of us?

Ultimately, everyone has a specific formula that will help them achieve a body weight (or body composition) that they are satisfied with. Some people can easily follow a diet that is practically absent in starches and grains (Paleo Diet or Atkins), others feel they need some carbs to help keep their blood sugar and energy balanced.

The Atkins diet has proved successful for weight loss for many people, but there have been doubts about its safety and health benefits in the long term. However, there is no doubt in the scientific literature that restricting carbohydrates in the diet, especially simple carbohydrates, has many health benefits; many of those associated with the lowering of insulin.  From weight loss to breast cancer prevention, keeping insulin in check has a host of positive benefits. Some of these studies indicate that restricting carbohydrates while eating proteins and fats in unmeasured amounts confers a  benefit and that this benefit is maximized when also eating fairly low fat.

Some people have seen success with low-carb diets but aren’t really able to follow them for very long and can end up regaining weight they had lost.  The success seen with restrictive diets can turn sour when weight lost (especially muscle) comes back with a vengeance as fat! The problem with many  restricted diets is that they lead to rebound eating and weight gain. What if there was a “diet” you had to follow only 2 days a week and you could lose more weight than the person sitting in the cubicle next to you who is diligently and joylessly  following a low- calorie, low-fat diet?

 I have found that going low carb suits me well, but there are some “carby” foods that I just really like (chocolate aside) such as fruits, beans, and oatmeal. These carbs are also healthy  (as long as you tolerate them without problems- but that is another blog post!) as they are high in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Also, not everyone in my household is interested in nor has any reason to follow a low-carb diet, so preparing meals to satisfy everyone can be tricky.

So what is the average person to do?

Recently, on my facebook page I posted a link to an article from a reasearch study done in the UK published in December of 2011 and presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (click here to see the study)

“Intermittent, Low-Carbohydrate Diets More Successful Than Standard Dieting”.

“ ‘It is interesting that the diet that only restricts carbohydrates but allows protein and fats is as effective as the calorie-restricted, low-carbohydrate diet,’ said Michelle Harvie, research dietician at the Genesis Prevention Centre.”

Related articles

• Low-carbohydrate diets better for easing weight: study (thehindu.com)

Wow! Could it really be true? I was fascinated with this article and wanted to explore exactly what a Very Low Carbodydrate Diet (VLCD) looks like. In reading a summary of the study, I saw that they defined the VLCD as containing 50 grams of carbs. Using that model, I experimented with eating a diet that consisted of 50 grams TOTAL of carbohydrates for a couple of days in the past weeks.

It is important to add that during the days I was not following the VLCD I was still eating my standard “low-ish” carb diet but enjoying fruit and some grains and sweets. Hedonism should not reign the other 5 days of the week!

I plugged my food items from 3 days into the USDA’s Super Tracker (which of course told me I was getting too much fat and not enough grain…) and compiled an average.

What I found out:

•  Hunger: I was not particularly more hungry than other days, some days less so
•  Fiber: Even though I was eating about 5 cups of veggies (some of these are surprisingly rich in carbs, such as broccoli) I still had to add some supplemental fiber to meet my daily goal of 25 grams
• Sodium: It was difficult not to get too much sodium and enough potassium. Sodium generally isn’t a worry for me as we use a high quality unrefined salt at home and I have absolutely no high blood pressure issues. Comparing what you actually eat compared to what is available on an online databases can be in-exact’ sometimes it is hard to find a match for the food you were actually eating, so you have to choose the next best thing.
• Potassium: Sodium needs to be in balance with potassium and it is a commonly deficient mineral. On my days off the VLCD I was eating enough fruits to supply precious potassium and found that I would need to add potassium from supplements, fresh vegetable juices,  or herbal infusions (nettle is my favorite) on VLCD days.
• Vitamin C: I thought my Vitamin C intake looked pretty low; it’s probably from not eating any fruits. I will take a vitamin C and bioflavonoid supplement on my VLCD days
• Folate, Iron, Vitamin D: I was not getting quite enough folate, iron, or vitamin D- all very essential nutrients! I do take a multivitamin with iron and extra vitamin D
• Selenium &  Zinc: Adequate selenium and zinc came from the protein foods such as meat, poultry, cheese, eggs, and nuts
• Calcium & Magnesium: Without dairy products,it would be hard to meet my calcium needs without a supplement or herbal infusions. I do take a daily magnesium supplement

First, I’ll show you what the average  nutrient breakdown looks like, then I’ll share the 3 days worth of diet diaries so you can see exactly what a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet looks like.

 *values in parentheses are recommended intake levels (based on a 2000 calorie diet)

• Calories: 1652 (2000 per SuperTracker, but I think my individual needs are more like 1600-1800)
• Protein: 116 grams
• Carbohydrate: 47 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 20 grams (25 grams)
• Total Fat:61% of calories (25-35%)- The average fat content was fairly high, though day 3 is actually a lower-fat day for those of you who have concerns about fat intake.
• Saturated Fat: 17% of calories (<10% )
• Calcium: 1094mg (1000mg)
• Potassium: 2840mg (4700mg)
• Sodium: 3132mg (<2300mg)
• Magnesium: 320mg (360mg)
• Iron: 14mg (18mg)
• Vitamin D: 7mcg (15mcg)
• Vitamin C: 82mg (75mg)
• Folate: 372mcg (400mcg)

 Diet Diaries- Very Low Carb Diet

Day 1

Breakfast

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 avocado
• 3 tablespoons salsa
• 1 egg scrambled in organic butter with 1 cup red chard

Snack

• 1 handful walnuts (about 15 halves)

Lunch

• 2 cups lettuce
• 4 ounces cooked chicken (leg and breast)
• 1 cup alfalfa sprouts
• 1 cup cooked asparagus
• Dressed with 2 tablespoons olive oil with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and fresh oregano

Snack

• 2 oz turkey
• 3, 1 oz slices of cheddar cheese
• 5 medium green olives

Dinner

• 3 oz chicken breast
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 1/2 cup lettuce
• Dressed with 2 tablespoons olive oil with ACV and fresh oregano

Day 2

Breakfast

• 1 egg fried in organic butter
• 2 turkey slices
• 1 slice cheddar cheese

Snack

• 2 slices cheddar cheese
• on 5 flax/parmesan crackers (click here for easy  recipe!)

Lunch

• 4 ounces grass-fed roast beef
• 1/2 cup green beans
• 1 cup beet greens
• Dressed with olive oil/ ACV/oregano

Snack

• 1/4 cup almonds

Dinner

Chilean-style hotdogs, “completos” without the buns

• 2 Organic all beef hotdogs from grass-fed beef                               
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1/4 avocado                                                                           

Day 3

Breakfast

• 3 oz egg whites cooked in organic butter
• 2 turkey slices
• 2 tomato slices
• 1/4 avocado

Snack

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup cucumber

Lunch

• 2 cups lettuce
• 4 oz chicken
• 1 cup steamed zucchini
• 1 cup raw spinach
• 2 tablesoons flaxseed
• 2 slices mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons olive oil/ACV/oregano dressing

Snack

My favorite low-sugar decadent chocolately snack!

• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 tablespoons organic pure cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon xylitol
• with enough hot water to mix well.

Dinner

• 6 ounces baked salmon
• 1 cup green kale cooked in coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
• 1 celery stalk
• 1/4 cup Roquefort cheese

In Summary:

Greatly restricting carbohydrate a couple of days a week can be a reasonable way to get the benefits of living “low-carb” without the difficulty of being overly restrictive every day.  While a very VLCD, if done right, can be rich in minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats, they are easily high in sodium and  often lacking in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and folate.  When following this sort of diet there are some important nutrition considerations.

 Much  of  the sodium in my diet was from cheese, sandwich meat, and some condiments such as olives and sauerkraut. To minimize salt intake, find low salt versions of your favorites, bake chicken or turkey at home to use as deli slices, and be careful with salty condiments.

Someone who does not eat dairy products would need to get calcium from other sources. Aside from non-dairy sources of calcium, one may also take supplements (avoid excessive calcium carbonate), or drink herbal tea infusions that are rich in minerals.

VLC dieters should include herbal infusions and/or  fresh vegetable juices to alkalize the effects of sodium and protein and provide valuable, well-absorbed minerals.

It is hard to know exactly how much calcium,potassium, and magnesium are in an herbal infusion. The estimates for one ounce of dried nettles, red clover, or oat straw range from 300-500gm of calcium, 400-600mg of potassium, and 100-400mg of magnesium!

The Mineral Content of Herbal Decoctions

VLC dieters are likely to benefit form a high quality multi-vitamin and  mineral.  The need for vitamin D supplementation is very common for people on all sorts of nutrition plans; be sure to get your vitamin D levels checked and supplement appropriately