Scientists have found that an Atkins-style diet could have an added benefit in winter – by keeping the flu at bay.

Sticking to a diet low in carbohydrates but high in fat appears to stimulate the immune system, helping ward off the viral infection.

The intriguing discovery comes from a study in which two groups of mice were put on different diets and then exposed to a virulent strain of flu.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/low-carb-diet-could-help-keep-the-flu-at-bay/

About 30% of Americans have insomnia, and a new study finds carb-heavy diets may share part of the blame.

A study looked at diet-linked fluctuations in blood sugar, said lead author James Gangwisch. He is assistant professor of clinical psychiatric social work at Columbia University in New York City.

“Highly refined sugars” — added sugars, sodas, white rice, refined wheat flour — have what’s known as a high glycemic index, which can trigger a sudden rise in blood sugar.

“When blood sugar is raised quickly, your body reacts by releasing insulin, and the resulting drop in blood sugar can lead to the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can interfere with sleep,” Gangwisch explained in a university news release.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/carb-heavy-meals-wards-off-a-good-sleep/

Portions and palette help explain why the keto diet has become so popular. While most diets have you cutting out high-fat foods, including meat, butter, and cheese, the keto diet and other low carb diets allow you to continue to eat your favorite fatty foods, so long as you keep the carbs low.

Large amounts of carbs are found in bread, pasta, and some fruits and vegetables. However, there’s nary a carb in a steak and other meats. For many dieters, it’s easier to give up the bun rather than the burger. Still, many people on low-carb diets often succumb to their urges as well. For those who can stick with it, the keto diet offers many benefits.

The body can only store about 2,000 kcal in glycogen stores. When your body goes into ketosis, it switches from burning glycogen stores to burning fat. This can lead to more consistent energy levels and focus, which in turn could have a big impact on your career and personal relationships.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/how-you-can-adhere-to-a-keto-diet/

A new study by Stony University published in journal PNAS finds that brain aging can be prevented or even reversed by taking a low-carb diet. The researchers advise people to replace simple and processed carbs with complex alternatives. The aging linked microbiological changes are also observed in younger people than previously thought.

The researchers conducted neuroimaging scans on nearly 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 88.

They then assessed participants’ brain responses after spending a week following either a standard diet or a low-carb diet, where meals might entail meat or fish with salad or leafy greens, but no grains, rice, sugar, or starchy vegetables like squash, sweetcorn, or parsnips.

By depriving the body of carbs, it’s forced to enter a state of ketosis, primarily burning ketones for energy rather than glucose.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/does-eating-low-carb-diet-prevent-brain-aging/

In this interview, Benjamin Bikman, Ph.D., an obesity and diabetes scientist and associate professor of physiology and developmental biology at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah, reveals how the ketogenic diet affects your physiology and supports optimal health.

Watch video here

Dairy is wiped out. There are two packages of chicken left. The vegetables are mostly gone.

These are the sights that have met Americans in grocery stores across the country as fears about the coronavirus pandemic have led to panic shopping. The absence of staple food products – like bread, eggs and chicken – is stressful for everyone, but particularly hard on those people who follow special diets for medical reasons or personal preferences.

When canned beans or pasta aren’t options for you, it may seem like getting through a long stretch of social distancing might be impossible.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/how-to-go-about-your-diet-during-the-covid-19-quarantine/

In addition to being a popular diet for weight loss, people follow the ketogenic diet for a number of medical conditions, including epilepsy, diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome. The extremely low-carbohydrate diet relies mostly on meat, dairy, non-root vegetables and some nuts and seeds. Dairy in particular has been hard to acquire in many stores. Here are a few tips – https://lowcarbmag.com/surviving-keto-in-quarantine/

In the U.S., three major commodity crops are raised predominantly from GMO seed:  field corn (92%*), soybeans (94%*), and cotton (94%*).  *percentages are based on U.S. acreage as of 2015 (USDA)

Almost 98% of Canadian grown Canola is genetically engineered for herbicide resistance. U.S. sugar beet production is estimated to be over 95% genetically modified for herbicide resistance. GMO sweet corn, papaya, zucchini, and yellow summer squash are also for sale in grocery stores, but in far lesser amounts. Genetically modified alfalfa is grown for use as hay and forage for animals.

‘White Russet’ brand potatoes, genetically modified to resist bruising were introduced to some grocery stores in 2015.  Genetically engineered non-browning ‘Arctic’ apples have been deregulated by the USDA and have been on the market since 2016.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/gmos-in-your-food/

Since fruits are packed with natural sugars (fructose and glucose), we have to carefully watch the amount of low carb fruit we eat each day. The best strategy to minimize fruit sugar intake is to stick with berries (notably raspberries and blackberries), avocados, olives, and tomatoes as our fruits of choice on the ketogenic diet. It is also a good idea to avoid any medium and large-sized fruits as they tend to have too many sugars for ketosis.

Read more here:: https://lowcarbmag.com/what-fruits-to-avoid-on-the-low-carb-diet/

“Besides having a slightly nutty, yet subtle flavor, almond flour is on fire because it’s gluten-free and contains more protein than regular flour,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, nutritionist and author of Read It Before You Eat It.

In addition to being a good-for-you option, almond flour is also super simple to use. “I love to bake with almond flour because it’s an easy one-for-one swap with flours of lesser nutritional value,” Taub-Dix says. “It also adds a richer flavor.” That’s why, when consulting with clients, Taub-Dix often recommends almond flour for baking, breading chicken or fish, or thickening soups.

Though almond flour doesn’t look too different than typical wheat flour, its nutrition couldn’t be farther from that of regular flour.

Here’s what you get in a quarter-cup serving of almond flour, according to the USDA – https://lowcarbmag.com/almond-flour-a-great-low-carb-flour-alternative-rds/