Health
Low carb diet can cause digestive problems: Experts
Los Angeles, Jan 24
Low carb diets may be used
as a weight loss tool by some people, but dieticians and nutritionists
warn that the tactic may be contributing to a reduction in fibre intake
and thus, helping in setting up health problems instead.
The
average fibre intake is already low and avoidance of foods like
potatoes, a surprisingly important fibre provider, according to the
latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey, is bad news for digestive
health, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Potatoes provide 12 percent of
the average adult intake of fibre, which is twice the amount we get
from breakfast cereals and 30 percent more than a person's intake from
brown bread, including wholemeal bread.
Potatoes are an even more
important source of fibre for teens, with 11 to 18-year-olds getting 15
percent, nearly one sixth of their daily intake, from these food items.
Fibre
is crucial for good health and long-term population studies suggest it
may help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. It
also aids digestion and supports weight control by promoting a sense of
fullness.
Dieters often wrongly believe potatoes are calorific
and fattening, yet they are naturally fat free, lower in calories than
most people think, and provide only 6 percent of the energy intake for
adults, less than white bread and the same contribution as alcohol.
But
fibre is not the only reason to tuck into more tubers. Potatoes are
also a useful source of potassium, which counters the effect of salt and
helps maintain healthy blood pressure.
Scientific Advisory
Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommends that half of a person's
calories come from carbohydrates, particularly starchy carbs such as
potatoes and whole grain cereals.
Latest SACN guidance advises:
“There needs to be a change in the population’s diet so that people
derive a greater proportion of dietary energy from carbohydrate-rich
foods that are low in free sugars and high in dietary fibre.
"Dietary
fibre intake should be largely achieved from a variety of foods, such
as whole grains, pulses, potatoes, vegetables and fruits.â€