Those of you who want to lose weight have probably heard of low-carb diets. This diet requires you to reduce your intake of carbohydrates. However, a body that lacks carbohydrates can cause various disease problems.
Signs the body is deficient in carbohydrates
Below are some signs that your body is deficient in carbohydrates that you need to watch out for.
- Weight loss
One of the goals of reducing carbohydrate intake is to lose weight. You did manage to make weight loss because of limiting carbohydrates. Unfortunately, this did not last long.
If this diet is carried out for several months, especially when you live an active lifestyle, it will certainly be dangerous. The body may store more fat, slow down the body’s metabolism, and be at risk of experiencing dehydration.
Therefore, reducing carbohydrate intake for those of you who do regular exercise is not recommended. The reason is, this method can actually damage muscle tissue and you don’t have enough energy to exercise.
Impact of long-term carbohydrate deficiency
The signs of carbohydrate deficiency mentioned are effects that occur in the short term. Reporting from the Better Health Channel, there are a number of long-term effects of carbohydrate deficiency that may occur, including:
weight gain after a normal diet is resumed,
intestinal problems due to limited intake of antioxidants and fiber,
unable to maintain weight loss
high cholesterol,
obesity,
kidney disease, to
osteoporosis.
Recommended intake of carbohydrates when dieting
Based on the Nutrition Adequacy Rate guidelines from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, healthy adults are recommended to consume around 300-400 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Keep in mind that everyone’s daily carbohydrate needs are different depending on their age, gender, and daily calorie needs. You can reduce your carbohydrate intake by half when on a diet, which is around 150-200 grams per day.
Generally, these numbers are fairly safe. However, it’s best to talk to a nutritionist before starting a low-carb diet. That way, you can lose weight safely without worrying about other nutritional deficiencies.