Low-carb diets have been around for decades.
Even before Dr. Atkins created his revolutionary low-carb diet plan, people have been experimenting with different levels of carbohydrate restriction, and seeing positive results.
One of the ketogenic alternatives that became popular several years ago is the Zero-Carb Diet.
Zero Carb is similar to the Meat-and-Eggs or Meat-Eggs-and-Cheese Fasts that many low-carb dieters use to break a stall, but the principles of a Zero-Carb Diet are far more strict.
Many people who reduce their carb intake don't understand the differences between a low-carb diet and a no-carb diet plan. The confusion often results because bloggers, newspaper reporters, and weight-loss articles consistently call Atkins and other low-carb diets a no-carb diet – even though they aren't.
Today, I'm going to clear up the confusion.
Here's what you need to know about going Zero Carb.
No Carbs is not Always a Zero-Carb Diet
In 1972, Dr. Atkins called his Induction Diet a zero-gram diet, but quickly clarified that the idea he was trying to get across was to cut your carbohydrate level down to what he referred to as “biologically zero.”
In Dr. Atkins professional opinion, when you eat a small salad with oil-and-vinegar dressing, along with no-carb and almost no-carb foods, the body responds as if you hadn't eaten the salad at all.
However, those who popularized the Zero-Carb Diet do not eat any vegetables at all.
None!
In their personal experience, vegetables – and sometimes, dairy products – trigger too much insulin for good health.
For that reason, a Zero-Carb Diet comes with its own rules and standards, which are far more restrictive than Atkins or even Keto.
So What is a No-Carb Diet Plan?
Where Atkins or Keto starts you off with a small salad and a few vegetables to accompany your protein foods and dairy, a Zero-Carb Diet takes a very different approach.
Beginning with the principles taught by an online presence known as “The Bear,” the leader of the Zero-Carb movement, Charles Washington, took those basic teachings and molded them to fit his own experience and the experience of those who belonged to his forum: Zeroing in on Health.
While the official diet principles of this carb-free plan still come from the now-deceased Bear, the counsel offered at the forum when I was there generally differed substantially from Bear's rules. This caused some confusion at the time, but the carb-free movement was young back then, and today, they have a better idea of how the body responds to a Zero-Carb Diet.
The Bear was looked up to in the same way that low-carbers look up to Dr. Atkins, Eades, Phinney, or Westman. Bear claimed to have successfully followed his personal zero-carb rules for over 50 years, and many people who had permanently stalled on a standard low-carb diet wanted to imitate Bear's results.
However, many members of the quickly growing zero-carb movement discovered they could not eat the same way Bear could and began altering some of his principles and ideas.
The following concepts describe the basic rules for a Zero-Carb Diet that Washington and his followers adopted.
Foods with Zero Carbs and Other Protein Foods
A carb-free diet is a high-protein diet plan. Animal foods are the mainstay of your meals and snacks. Quantities of meat, fish, poultry, and wild game are unlimited because it's believed that the body will self-regulate itself once all sources of carbs are removed from the diet.
In addition to the no-carb meats, poultry, fish, and wild game, you can also have:
- eggs
- cheese
- unsalted butter
- and heavy cream
Most people who go Zero Carb do not eat eggs and dairy like Bear did. And if you are not losing weight on Zero Carb, eggs and dairy are the first foods that Washington and his followers will counsel you to eliminate.
This is because dairy can be inflammatory.
Dairy also causes your insulin level to spike even though it doesn't raise your blood sugar.
Since a large portion of the Zero-Carb community consisted of people who had reached equilibrium on the Atkins Diet, eliminating all potential sources of insulin resistance takes priority. Dairy provides a small amount of carbohydrate, which can trigger an insulin spike in those who over secret insulin in response to carbs.
Unlike Atkins and Keto, which do not specify how you cook your meat and protein foods, Bear advised people to barely cook their meat. The idea was to sear your meat on the outside for flavor but eat the meat while it was still plenty rare.
The purpose in doing that was because meat loses it's nutritive value the longer it cooks.
However, most people did not follow that advice.
Of the people I'm familiar with, most of them cook their meats medium to well done and are fine. Thoroughly cooking your meat allows you to enjoy additional meat products, such as bacon, ham, pork, and poultry.
Animal Fats
Another recommendation that Bear made was to eat plenty of fat at each meal. While fatty meats were highly encouraged, when you eat almost no carbohydrates, you have to get your calories for energy from a higher fat intake than you can get with just fatty meats.
To compensate, members of the Zero-Carb forum were encouraged to eat the fat off their meat first, and then have just enough of the lean portion to satisfy their appetite.
This was because fats are used for energy and because the number of calories you eat was thought to be unimportant.
Unfortunately, many older members quickly discovered this was not the case.
Calories do matter.
Today, people are cautioned to not go overboard with dietary fats, but you do need to eat enough fat to handle your every day activities. If you eat more lean protein than your body can use, it will be converted into glycogen and stored in the liver for glucose.
As a result, your blood glucose level might rise.
For more info, check out the following related blog post:
My experience with a zero-carb diet
Seasonings and Salt
During the time that I was participating at the Zeroing in on Health forum, members were counseled to avoid all herbs, spices, and seasonings – including salt.
Today, however, you can use salt-free seasonings, such as herbs, garlic, chilies, and other flavorings.
Keep in mind, that even though the rules for seasonings has changed, herbs and spices contain varying amounts of carbs, which can result in a rise in your basal insulin level.
In addition, Zero Carb is the low-carb extreme of the spectrum, so completely avoiding salt can result in severe muscle cramps and flu-like symptoms due to an electrolyte imbalance.
Vegetables
Unlike Atkins and Keto, a Zero-Carb Diet doesn't contain any vegetables.
NONE.
This is because vegetables contain carbohydrates and fiber, and a carb-free diet doesn't allow any fiber.
For those who choose to consume dairy products, you can consume up to 5 carbs per day.
The only foods that contain zero carbs are meats and pure water.
That's it!
Eliminating all vegetable matter allows those with severe intestinal issues and severe reactions to all forms of carbohydrate to begin to heal.
Diet Soda and Filtered Water
Eliminating diet soda, and all other beverages, including unsweetened tea, was a big thing when I was a member of the Zeroing in on Health forum. Although, a few people did drink club soda, the only liquid recommended at that time was pure, filtered water.
This was due to scientific research showing how some people release insulin from a sweet taste in the mouth, including sugar substitutes. Rising insulin levels adversely affects appetite, but they can also contribute to insulin resistance and make it more difficult to lose weight.
Since the mind interprets the sweet taste of sugar substitutes to be real sugar, the body prepares for the upswing in blood glucose, which never comes.
Part of the preparation is to secrete insulin into the bloodstream.
This is known as the cephalic phase insulin response (CPIR) and can bring on episodes of hypoglycemia or mask other blood glucose issues.
However, prior scientific studies showed the complete opposite, so how each person responds to sugar substitutes seems to be an individual matter.
Does a Zero-Carb Diet Work?
Can a Zero-Carb approach to weight loss live up to its claim of healing, health, and slimness?
That's a tricky question.
Metabolic issues seem to be a huge spectrum, even among hard-core carnivores, but many people who have tried and succeeded on a diet of no carbs firmly testify to the diet's benefits.
A diet of no carbs, or almost no carbs, might be the only alternative for someone who is super sensitive to carbohydrates, but if you are insulin sensitive, rather than insulin resistant, have problems with insulin secretion, or tend to produce too much cortisol due to the stress, the outcome might not be what you expected.
The Downside of a Zero-Carb Diet
Whenever the body experiences mental or physical stress, it releases stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. This stress response encourages the body to prepare to fight the perceived danger or give you enough energy to run away from trouble.
Cortisol encourages the liver to convert glycogen into glucose and then dump that glucose into the bloodstream to fuel the emergency. The higher glucose causes the body to release extra insulin to get that glucose into your body's cells faster.
When the stress is diet, mental, or emotional, instead of a physical threat, most of the extra glucose will not be used. Instead, the extra energy will find it's way into your fat cells.
In addition, the brain needs a certain amount of glucose, which can be manufactured by the liver through a lengthy process known as gluconeogenesis.
In some individuals, a carb-free diet results in overproducing the amount of glucose the body needs. When that happens, your blood glucose level can get quite high.
Although, levels in the 90s are typical for those eating only no-carb foods, some individuals have experienced bloods glucose levels as high as 180, or more.
Who Benefits From Zero-Carb Meals?
The key seems to be how your body individually reacts to a lack of carbs in the diet. Some people find Zero Carb to be less stressful on the body, rather than more.
Despite the dangers for some, if you still have a strong insulin response that reacts appropriately to the increased glucose level that a Zero-Carb approach provides, a Zero-Carb Diet can be a wonderful tool to reverse your metabolic problems and restore your health.
It's also a good choice for those who have reached equilibrium following a low-carb diet and have completely stalled.
It works nicely for those with intestinal issues, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or those who need a temporary diet intervention for autoimmune issues, such as celiac disease. If you're having trouble pinning down your specific food allergies and sensitivities, a no-carb diet makes an excellent elimination diet.
Just stay aware of the potential pitfalls that go along with a Zero Carb approach and discuss all of your dietary concerns and worries with a medical professional.
Related Article:
Does Zero Carb Work Better than Low Carb?
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