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Low Carb, What Does That Mean?

Because the body needs carbohydrates, the advice is to get 40% of the energy from carbohydrates. If you eat low-carb, you eat less than the recommended amount of carbohydrates per day. But what does that actually mean?

When someone eats low-carb, the carbohydrate intake is between 50 and 130 grams per day, instead of around 200 grams per day (average for an adult woman). As a result, you mainly get energy from proteins and fat and less from carbohydrates. A low-carb diet can be aimed at losing weight or to improve blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.

There are carbohydrates that have a negative effect on the body and carbohydrates that have a positive effect on the body. While following a low-carb diet, you can still occasionally eat carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates: positive effect

Choose carbohydrates that have a positive effect on your health, such as:

  • whole-grain products, such as whole-wheat bread, low-carb bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and other whole-grain products
  • fruit (avoid dried fruit)
  • vegetables
  • legumes

Carbohydrates: negative effect

Carbohydrates with a negative effect on the body are better to avoid, such as:

  • fruit juices
  • cookies
  • sweets
  • soft drinks
  • potato chips

The pros and cons of a low-carb diet

Pros of a low-carb diet:

  • rich in proteins, which makes you feel full for longer
  • muscle mass is preserved during weight loss due to the amount of protein
  • positive effect on blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes

Cons of a low-carb diet:

  • low-carbohydrate diet is often richer in fat, so pay particular attention to the intake of saturated fat
  • deficiencies of certain B vitamins can arise
  • the intake of dietary fiber is often less
  • if you stop eating bread, you can get less iodine

A diet is often difficult to maintain. It is therefore important that a healthy diet is taught so that it is easy to maintain. A dietitian can provide helpful guidance.

Do you have diabetes and want to follow a low-carb diet? Then make sure you find guidance from a dietitian.

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