Question

What might you tell a friend who is considering following a high fat, low CHO diet? Why is fad dieting detrimental and usually not successful?

Answer 1

High fat and low carb diets are popular among those who want to lose weight quickly. It helps in weight reduction in a matter of short span. Low carb diet has few advantages like reduced blood sugar levels and increased utilization of fat.

This diet otherwise known as fad diet has lot of disadvantages

Lethargy

Headache

Decreased concentration

Muscle fatigue

Irritation

Constipation or loose stools

But the serious side effects of restricting carb can cause extreme stress to the body as it can lead to the breakdown of fats for energy. Continued diet can cause fats to break down into ketones which leads to further lethargy, fatigue and other physical problems ultimately leading to kidney and brain damage.

It is also important to note that a diet should be balanced one containing carbohydrates, protein, fats and vitamins. If others are eliminated, it can have its own problems.