One of the most frequently asked questions that are often unanswered or doubtful is whether carbohydrate can be totally eliminated from the diet. The cause of this question is certainly the increasingly frequent use of low carbohydrate diets and ketogenic diets, particular regimes in which they are totally eliminated.
Before going into the explanation of this question, let’s try to understand the definition itself; a carbohydrate-free diet provides for a restriction of carbohydrate, meaning not only bread, pasta, pizza and various sweets, but including all forms of carbohydrates, therefore also legumes, fruit and vegetables.
Based on the carbohydrate content we distinguish:
- the Diete Low Carb (low in carbohydrates) containing less than 100g of carbohydrates per day, essentially one serving of fruit, two of vegetables and a 50g sandwich.
- the Very Low Carb Diet (very low in carbohydrates) containing between 20 and 70 g of carbohydrates per day, basically one fruit and one / two portions of vegetables;
- the Diet Chetogeniche, containing less than 20g of carbohydrates per day.
Although all types are used for slimming purposes, the first turns out to be the safest, while the remaining two need a professional figure prepared for their management.
What functions does carbohydrate have in the body?
The Mediterranean diet recommends 50 – 55% carbohydrates per day, which underlines how it is the most present macronutrient from a percentage point of view.
Carbohydrates have one energy function very important, in fact they represent the first energetically useful macronutrient. Suffice it to say that all tissues consume glucose, in particular the central nervous system alone needs about 180 grams of glucose per day to perform its functions optimally.
Some carbohydrates are important sources of nutrition for the intestinal microbiota which are fermented and processed by the latter.
They also have plastic function and they intervene in the formation of nucleic acids and nervous structures.
Can you live without carbohydrates?
Here we are at the fundamental point of the article; we have understood how our energetic and anabolic function is based on the use of carbohydrate, now we understand what advantages and disadvantages we get in its elimination / reduction.
The restriction of carbohydrate causes the body to affect the adipose tissue to meet the energy demands, this leads to weight loss. The ketone bodies (ketogenic diet in fact) derive from the catabolism of fatty acids, which allow to satisfy the energy metabolism.
If we stopped here, we could say “Yes, you can live without carbohydrates”, at least biochemically, but now let’s start talking about the but …
Eliminating carbohydrates involves:
- Migraine, general fatigue, nausea and difficulty concentrating;
- Constipation and disorders of the hive, precisely due to a decrease in fiber intake;
- Condition of acidosis due to the presence of ketone bodies;
- Alteration of the social sphere;
- Reduction of insulin sensitivity;
Therefore no, you can’t live without carbohydrates, but you can take advantage of a reduction in carbohydrate for short periods to optimize weight loss and in relation to some clinical conditions.