Why is a low carb diet unhealthy
for my body?
- Your brain needs carbs! Low carb diets don’t give you enough carbohydrates.
- Low carb diets don’t provide enough fiber.
- Low carb diets are usually higher in protein from animal sources. Too much of this kind of protein may increase your risk of heart disease. Why? A low carb diet has more fat than recommended.
- Are you concerned about your chances of getting cancer? Well, low carb diets don’t have enough fruits and vegetables which may help you ward off certain kinds of cancer.
To read more about why you should eat carbohydrates go to http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1975.pdf
If you are looking for more information about the health risks of low carb diets, go to http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut5.htm or http://missourifamilies.org and enter “low carb” in the search feature.
Ellen Schuster, Associate State Nutrition Specialist, University of Missouri Extension
Last update: Friday, December 12, 2008