Wait, just a moment, if you think that a low-carbohydrates diet is going to save you from getting fat, better think again.  

There is a misguided perception in the arena of dieting that one must get rid of the carbohydrates-rich food group. The sad thing is that the majority of foods included in the carbohydrates’ umbrella are the major source of energy that we need, in order to keep up with the hard work we do every day. 

A low-carbohydrate diet is only good for temporary, very short term, purposes if good at all? In fact low- carbohydrate diets can have long-term risks to your health. This should be ringing alarm bells to those on this sort of diet, but don’t panic this can be rectified by altering your diet and eating a balanced and healthy diet, with all of the main types of food included.

On a long term low-carbohydrate diet there is an increased risk of osteoporosis. Diets which are very high in protein, like animal protein from meat, heighten the risk of osteoporosis, in women especially, because the body takes necessary calcium from the bone to neutralize the acids that build up in the blood as a result of digesting large amounts of protein.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, any low-carb diet which is low in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but high in animal foods, increases the risk of acquiring certain types of cancers.

Low-carbohydrate diets encourage you to eat above average amounts of fats. An international studies show that countries with a low rate of breast cancer, are countries that have low fat intakes while those with a high fat consumption have much higher rates. Diets which include high-fibre foods are much healthier and would certainly decrease the risk of breast cancer.

More alarming still is the risk of heart disease caused by the over-consumption of saturated fat. This is also a cause for is a known risk factor for raised LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, heart disease and strokes.

This misguided perception that to lose weight we must go without essential nutrients that our bodies require in order to be healthy needs to be addressed. Please research your facts before starting any diets and in particular those diets which leave out an essential food group that the body needs to remain healthy, it needs to be questioned, those producing these diets do not always know better and are more often than not out to make money from you with these diets. So please be careful when considering your next diet.