Low-carb
Low-carb eating cuts back on carbohydrates in favour of protein and fat – it works through calories and satiety, not magic.
Ausführlich erklärt
Low-carb refers to ways of eating with significantly fewer carbohydrates than usual: generally under 130 grams a day or under 26% of energy intake; the ketogenic version goes below 50 grams. Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and sugar are cut back sharply, while vegetables, protein sources, nuts and fats take centre stage.
Why do so many people lose weight quickly on it? First, water disappears: every gram of stored glycogen binds around 3 grams of water, and the stores empty during the first few days – one to two kilograms are gone fast, but it isn't fat. After that, it's mainly the satiety from protein and cutting out lots of snacks that does the work: you eat fewer calories, often without noticing.
The science is now fairly clear: in Stanford University's DIETFITS study (2018, 609 participants), people on a healthy low-carb diet and people on a healthy low-fat diet lost practically the same amount of weight after a year – around 5 to 6 kilograms. Neither insulin levels nor genes predicted who would do better on which approach. What mattered was how well each person stuck to their way of eating.
So low-carb can be a good route for adults if it fits into everyday life and is done “well”: with plenty of vegetables, pulses, nuts, fish, olive and rapeseed oil rather than endless bacon, sausage and butter. With very few carbohydrates, fibre quickly runs short; constipation and tiredness in the first few weeks are typical.
Low-carb isn't suitable for children and teenagers – they need carbohydrates for growth, learning and sport – or for pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with eating disorders. If you have or suspect an eating disorder, you can get help from the helpline of the German Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG, formerly BZgA) on 0221 892031. If you take medication for diabetes or have kidney disease, get your doctor on board. And for everyone: wholegrain bread is not the enemy. The moderate version – less white flour and sugar, more protein and vegetables – is the better common denominator for most families.