When someone says he/she is on a low carb diet, it basically means that the person wants to lose weight by limiting daily carbohydrate intake. Also known as ‘reduced carbohydrate’, ‘controlled carbohydrate’, or ‘low glycemic’ diet, the low carb diet is based on the approach of ‘no white food’- meaning elimination of sugar, white flour, white rice and potatoes from meals. Proteins and fats replace these carbohydrates in a low carb diet. This forces the body to use fat as its main source of energy by reducing the body’s insulin production. 

There are several varieties of diet plans within the low carb diet – the Atkin’s, High Protein, Stillman, Scarsdale, Hollywood, Ketogenic and the Zone diet - amongst which the Atkin’s diet is the most popular. Coined by Dr. Robert Atkins, the Atkin’s diet allows a person to eat whatever they like, as long as it does not contain any trace of starch. This gives the person liberty to choose more to eat than they can under any other form of diet. The Atkin’s diet also results in fast weight loss in the short-run, but has been proven to be unhealthy and unsuccessful in the long run.

Nevertheless, people choose a low carb diet for the short-run advantages. But for someone truly conscious about good health, a low carb diet is perhaps not the best option.