Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet: Pros & Cons

Key Takeaways

Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the three macronutrients in food.
There are many different types of low-carb diets, including the Ketogenic diet or keto diet, Atkins diet, South Beach diet, Paleo diet, and Dukan diet.
Eating high-protein, low carb foods can have health benefits, including weight loss, improved high blood pressure, and blood sugar control. It has even been tested for people with epilepsy, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.
The potential disadvantages of a low-carb, high-protein diet are hunger, fatigue, irritability, poor mood, headache, brain fog, and constipation.
Negative health effects of low-carb diets may include an increased risk of osteoporosis, kidney stones, gout, and nutrient deficiencies.

A low-carb, high-protein diet is one that limits carbohydrate intake (cereals, refined grains, bread, pasta, sugary foods) and encourages protein intake (lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats). Low carbohydrate diets can help with weight loss and weight loss maintenance. However, low-carb diets may not be right for everyone. Please continue reading to learn more.

What is considered a low carbohydrate diet?

There are three macronutrients in food—carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The Institute of Medicine recommends that healthy adults should obtain 45% to 65% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. Low-carb eating is anything below this level and can be categorized as follows:

No carb diet: Zero carb intake.
Very low-carbohydrate diet: Less than 10% carbohydrates (20-50 grams of carbs per day).
Low-carbohydrate diet: Less than 26% carbs (less than 130 grams of carbs per day).
Moderate-carbohydrate diet: 26%-44% carbs.
High-carbohydrate diet: 45% or more carbs.

Is 100 carbs a day low-carb?

Yes, 100 grams of carbohydrates a day is considered a low-carb diet for most healthy adults.

What are the different types of low-carbohydrate diets?

Low-carb diets go by many different names. Most low-carb diets place a limit on how many carbs you can eat in a day. Examples of low-carb dieting include:

Ketogenic diet or keto diet: In this eating pattern, less than 10% of your total calories come from carbohydrates, 10-20% from protein, and 70-80% from fat. For a 2,000-calorie per day diet, this translates to about 40 grams of carbs, 75 grams of protein, and 165 grams of fat.
Atkins diet: This is a very low-carb, high-protein diet that is done in phases. You typically limit net carbs to 20-40 grams per day in the first phase and gradually increase carbohydrate intake, but no more than 100 grams per day.
South Beach diet: This is not a strict low-carbohydrate diet, but it is lower in carbs than the typical diet and encourages a higher intake of protein (lean meats) and heart-healthy fats. About 45-65% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. For a 2,000-calorie per day diet, this amounts to around 225-325 grams of carbs per day.
Paleo diet: This diet is naturally low in carbohydrates. It mimics the eating patterns of our ancestors, who were hunter-gatherers. The paleo diet encourages the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and meats, and it naturally excludes carb-rich foods such as dairy, grains, and legumes.
Dukan diet: This is a restrictive low-carbohydrate diet that is done in four phases. It encourages dietary protein intake, specifically lean protein, for weight loss.

What are the pros and cons of high-protein, low-carb diets?

Eating high protein, low carb foods can have health benefits as well as side effects.

Advantages of low-carb, high-protein diets

Reduction in body weight.
Improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar control. Controlling these cardiometabolic risk factors can lower your risk of heart disease.
Some low-carb diets, such as the ketogenic diet, have been tested and used in medically monitored settings for people with epilepsy, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.

Disadvantages of low-carb, high-protein diets

Reducing carb intake can be difficult to implement. Getting the exact ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats right in order to eat a healthy, low-carb diet is challenging for most people.
Low-carb diets can cause unpleasant symptoms such as hunger, fatigue, irritability, poor mood, headache, brain fog, and constipation.
Eating more saturated fats and high-fat dairy products can counter the health benefits of low-carb diets. (The goal should be to eat healthy fats (foods low in saturated fat) such as fatty fish, olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds).
Negative health effects of low-carb diets may include an increased risk of osteoporosis, kidney stones, and gout.
Nutrient deficiencies can develop if a variety of low-carb foods are not included in the diet. A vegetarian or vegan diet that is low in carbs is even more restrictive and limits many nutrient-dense foods, further increasing the risk of nutritional deficiencies.

What foods to eat on a low-carb diet?

The goal of a low-carbohydrate diet is to limit carbs and eat foods high in protein and healthy fats. Examples of foods to include in a low-carb diet are:

Vegetables that grow above the ground (lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, cucumber, celery, tomato, eggplant, zucchini, and peppers)
Fruits like raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, peach, watermelon, cantaloupe
Lean meat (poultry, lean beef), fish, seafood, eggs
Cheese and plain Greek yogurt
Unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, fatty fish, plant oils
Nuts such as pecans, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, peanuts
Beverages such as water, tea, coffee, diet sodas, coconut water, and the occasional red wine, white wine, or champagne

What foods should you avoid on a low-carb diet?

Some high-carb foods to avoid include:

Starches from refined and whole grains, such as cereals, breads, pasta, rice
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes
Vegetables that grow below the ground, such as beetroot, parsnip, onion, celeriac
Beans and legumes
Fruits such as bananas, apples, mango, kiwis, pears, pineapples, grapes, cherries, blueberries, plums, clementine, oranges
Fatty meats and processed meats
Processed foods with trans fats, such as cakes and cookies
Saturated fats such as lard and butter
Milk, buttermilk, sweetened yogurt
Nuts such as cashews and pistachios
Beverages such as fruit juices, regular sodas, energy drinks, and beer

What can you eat on a low-fat diet?

Some foods that can be included in low-fat diets are fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.

What can you eat on a high-protein diet?

Some natural protein sources are eggs, lean meats like chicken breast or turkey breast, lentils, fish, shellfish, grains such as quinoa, nuts such as almonds and peanuts, seeds such as pumpkin seeds, peanut butter, plain Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese.

What is considered a very high-protein diet?

A very high-protein diet is one in which you eat more than 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. So, if you weigh 75 kilograms (165 pounds), anything above 150 grams of protein per day is considered a high-protein diet.

Experts recommend that 10% to 35% of your total daily calories should come from protein. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this means you should be getting 200-700 calories from protein or eating 50-175 grams of protein a day.

The recommended protein intake for an average healthy sedentary adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. If someone weighs 75 kilograms (165 pounds), they should consume 60 grams of protein every day.

In your 40s and 50s, sarcopenia or loss of muscle mass starts. To prevent this, you should increase your protein intake to about 1-1.2 grams per kilogram or 75-90 grams of protein per day if you weigh 75 kilograms (165 pounds).

People who engage in strenuous exercise, such as lifting weights, need extra protein to the tune of 1-2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Can you lose weight by eating high-protein foods?

Clinical trials have shown that eating high-protein foods (above the recommended dietary allowance) can help with losing weight. A high-protein diet can also enhance body composition by decreasing fat mass and preserving non-fat mass. Research has shown that a high-protein diet not only helps you lose weight but also helps in long-term weight management (weight loss maintenance). However, it is important to ensure that your energy expenditure exceeds your food intake. So, if you are eating high-protein foods but also high-fat foods, you may not lose weight. Also, exercise should be a part of any weight management plan. Always consult an expert in nutrition therapy before starting a diet plan.

How to get 150 g of protein a day?

A sample diet plan that will give you approximately 150 grams of protein a day is as follows:

Breakfast: 3 whole eggs (18 grams) and 1 cup 2% Milk (10 grams)
Lunch: 100 grams turkey (29 grams) and 1 cup cottage cheese (25 grams)
Evening: 2 tablespoons peanut butter (8 grams) and 1 scoop protein powder (25 grams)
Dinner: 100 grams of tuna (28 grams) and 1 cup of Greek yogurt (10 grams)

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