Lately the masses have been raving about the effectiveness of “low carb” and “no carb” diets. The reason for this is likely because of the diets’ abilities to produce instant desirable results. However, the truth about these diets is rather unpleasant, and for many reasons.

Firstly, carbohydrates provide us with energy that our bodies need in order to function healthily. A lack of carbs in the diet is potentially dangerous, while complete removal of carbs can prove serious risks to long term health.  Following are some of the risks involved in such diets.

Many low carb diets contain foods that are high in protein. Too much protein creates an excess of acids in the blood, so the body tends to draw calcium from the bones in order to counteract these acids. This is especially common in women, and is also a cause of osteoporosis, a disease that slowly reduces bone tissue mass.

Cutting carbohydrates from the diet usually means also cutting out most fruits, whole grains and vegetables because of their high carb content. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, the risk of several forms of cancer increases when these foods are not present in the body, especially if protein is highly present.

Another characteristic of the low carb diet is lots of fatty foods. Modern research exposes a correlation between levels of fat intake and breast cancer rates, placing it among the biggest dangers behind removing carbohydrates from your diet, along with a significant risk of heart disease. Too much fat increases LDL cholesterol, which can cause stroke and heart attacks.

The main point is, cutting out carbs is not the solution to successful weight loss and can in fact cause more health problems than before. In fact, we need a sufficient amount of carbohydrates in our diets in order to maintain a healthy, balanced body.