Limiting high carb foods and following a low-carb diet have long been debated whether or not it is beneficial for weight loss and overall health.

Involving more fat content, these diets have been thought to increase cholesterol and cause heart disease.

However, several scientific studies actually show the opposite. These diets have been proven to be beneficial for one’s health.

Here are 11 health benefits of low-carb diets

1.     Reduced appetite

Apparently, dieting causes hunger. This is actually one of the reasons why dieting can be unsustainable for some people in the long run.

Surprisingly, following a low-carb diet has been shown in studies to help reduce appetite.

For instance, people who limit carb intake and increase protein and fat intake have been found in studies to eat fewer calories.

2.     Increased fat loss

The location of your body fat determines how it can affect your health.

Fats that accumulate in your abdominal cavity and tend to lodge around your organs is called the visceral fat. This type of fat has been linked to insulin resistance and inflammation, which may both trigger metabolic dysfunction.

Fortunately, low-carb diets can potentially help reduce the fat coming from the abdominal cavity, and this can lead to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease over time.

3.     Weight Loss

Reducing carb intake is among the simplest and most effective strategies to shed off excess pounds.

In fact, people following low-carb diets have been shown in some studies to lose more weight faster as compared with those on a low-fat diet.

This is caused by low-carb diets’ ability to get rid of excess water from the body, which can help reduce the levels of insulin, thus causing rapid weight loss results.

Studies comparing low-fat diets and low-carb diets reported that those on a low-carb diet sometimes drop 2–3 times as much weight without being hungry, as compared with those on a low-fat diet.

A low-carb diet has been shown in one study in obese adults to be particularly effective for up to six months when compared to a conventional weight loss diet. However, no significant difference in weight loss was observed after the 6-month period.

4.     Increased HDL cholesterol levels

Often referred to as the “good” cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) can help protect heart health and reduce heart disease risk.

Eating more healthy fat and reducing carb intake is one of the best and simplest ways to increase HDL levels.

It is not a surprise that following healthy, low-carb diets can dramatically increase HDL levels, while low-fat diets cause it to decline.

5.     Insulin and blood sugar level management

Low-carb and ketogenic diets are particularly beneficial to people with insulin resistance and diabetes.

In fact, cutting carbs has been proven in studies to drastically reduce insulin and blood sugar levels.

A study in people with diabetes has shown that those who begin a low-carb diet were able to reduce their insulin dosage by almost 50%.

In addition, people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-carb diet have also been shown in one study to reduce or even stop their glucose-lowering medication within 6 months

Before making any changes to your carb intake, make sure to seek your doctor’s advice, especially if you are taking blood sugar medication as you may need to adjust your dosage to avoid hypoglycemia.

6.     Reduced triglyceride level

Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in your bloodstream.

Elevated levels of triglycerides is a strong risk factor for heart disease.

Increased carb consumption, especially in sedentary people, is one of the main drivers of increased triglyceride levels.

So limiting your consumption of high carb foods, especially the simple sugar fructose, can help reduce blood triglycerides. This makes low-carb diets an excellent solution to high triglyceride levels.

7.     Lower blood pressure

Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, can cause several health conditions, such as kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke.

It can be noted that low-carb diets may help improve insulin levels, which can promote the loss of sodium in the urine, thus enhancing blood pressure.

Limiting intake of high carb foods is an excellent way to lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of those diseases.

8.     Improved “Bad” LDL cholesterol

High “bad” LDL cholesterol levels have been linked to increased risk of heart attacks.

However, the effect depends on the particle sizes. For example, smaller particles are associated with increased heart disease risk, while larger particles are associated with a reduced risk.

Fortunately, low-carb diets can help reduce the number of total LDL particles in your bloodstream by increasing their particle sizes.

Low-carb diets are therefore beneficial for your heart health.

9.     Metabolic syndrome prevention

Metabolic syndrome is a group of symptoms that occur together; these symptoms include abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, increased blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low “good” HDL cholesterol levels.

Thus, metabolic syndrome is no doubt highly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

It turns out that a low-carb diet can help treat all these symptoms.

10.  Beneficial for certain brain disorders

The ketogenic diet, which is a low-carb diet, has been used to treat people with epilepsy for decades, especially those who don’t respond to drug treatment.

In fact, children on a ketogenic diet have been found in one study to reduce their number of seizures by more than 50%, and some even became seizure-free.

Researchers are now studying very low-carb diets and ketogenic diets for other brain conditions, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

11.  Less bloating

Interestingly, low-carb diets can also help you get rid of excess bloating within a few days.

Low-carb eating can cause your insulin levels to drop, allowing your body to shed excess sodium, as well as water – this can decrease bloating.

High carb foods to avoid

Healthy high carb foods are an essential component of the diet. Just make sure to limit consumption of those healthy high carb foods if you are on a low-carb diet.

There are high carb foods to avoid as well because they offer little to no nutritional content. High carb foods to avoid include the following:

• sugary breakfast cereals
• white rice
• white pasta
• white bread
• potato chips
• processed foods
• flavored and sweetened yogurt
• baked products like cookies and muffins
• foods and drinks high refined sugar and fructose corn syrup content
• candy
• sugary juices
• sodas

The Take-Home Message

Low-carb diets and ketogenic diets are beneficial to your weight and overall health.

These diets have been shown to suppress appetite and cause weight loss, as well as improve your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

Following these diets can be difficult at first, but it can be worth it when done properly.

However, keep in mind that the best diet for weight loss is the one that is sustainable for you – the one that works best for you. Just make sure to choose whole foods and avoid refined and processed carbohydrates.