Have you been thinking of beginning a low carb diet? If so, you are not alone. Many people begin living the low carb lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Below are six of the main reasons to start a low carb diet today:
To Lose Weight
This is one of the most common reasons to begin a low carb diet, and there’s a reason. Low Carb/High Protein diets have been found time and time again to be a very efficient diet to help you lose weight and keep weight off, and many tests have proven low carb diets to have better results in weight loss than low calorie diets.
There are many different low carb diets that differ vastly in their strictness in carbs, from Atkins to Dukin, Low GI to South Beach. Before beginning a low carb diet, be sure to learn about the different types so you can pick a diet that will best suit your lifestyle and be easier to stick with long-term.
It’s Summer Time
Summer is the best time of year to start any diet plan and a low carb diet is no exception. This is a common reason to start a low carb diet, simply because the heat often lessens our appetite. High carbohydrate foods tend to make you feel really full, but for a short period of time. In addition, our bodies tend to naturally crave more water during the hottest months of the year. With such an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in water content during the summer, it makes it much easier to increase intake of healthy low carb foods.
Family History of Heart Disease
Low carb diets increase good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease triglyceride levels, essentials for heart health. A recently-disclosed ten year study has shown that glycemic load is the biggest factor in the effects of carbs on heart health- those with higher glycemic load diets had nearly twice the incidence of heart disease compared to those with the lowest glycemic load diets. Not only that, but low carb diets have also been found to lower the saturated fatty acids in blood.
You have a Family History of Type 2 Diabetes
There is an estimated chance of between 33% and 38% that if a close family member has type 2 diabetes that you could also develop the disease. A low carb diet helps to reduce blood sugars and therefore reduces the amount of insulin the body creates, which will help to reduce the risk of you potentially be diagnosed with diabetes.
You Want to Reduce the Risk of Developing Cancer
Recent laboratory studies have shown that a low carb diet is effective in reducing the risk of cancer and shrinking existing tumors in mice. High carbohydrate diets have been linked to prostate, esophageal and breast cancer.
You Will Eat More Fruit and Vegetables
A lot of people incorrectly think that a low carb diet seriously restricts the amount of fruit and vegetables that you can eat. Although some stricter forms of low carb diets, such as Atkins, will restrict the amount of starchy fruits and veggies in the beginning, you are able to consume a wide variety of fresh produce once you have passed this stage.
Research has proven that, despite common misconception, low carb dieters eat more fruit and vegetables as a result of their diet. This typically means that 
a low carb dieter will consume a wider variety of nutrients, minerals and vitamins that your body would have been lacking on a traditional western high-carb diet.
Ready to begin your low carb/high protein diet? Shop with us at Linda’s Diet Delites to find great-tasting foods that can help you stay on track!