Slow Carb Diet: What It Is, Benefits, and How to Follow This Diet
You’ve heard of keto, but another way of eating has been gaining traction lately: the slow carb diet. A slow carb diet is a new twist on the keto lifestyle that shares some important features, including an emphasis on cutting out certain carbs. However, it can be a bit more complex to keep track of which foods are safe to consume on this type of diet.
To learn more about slow carb diets and whether they are right for you, here are the basic facts that you need to know.
What Are Slow Carbs?
To follow a slow carb diet, you need to know what types of food fall into the slow carb category. This is not information that you will easily find, as the term is still relatively new in our lexicon, but the actual research behind it is fairly solid. Slow carbohydrates are those that are harder for the body to digest and take a longer time to work through your system–moving slowly, as it were. These foods are also known as low-glycemic index (low GI) foods.
The term slow carb can include important categories of food such as vegetables, fruit, legumes, and beans. Whole grains, generally is not accepted as part of a keto diet, are also considered slow carbs. The basic idea behind including only slow carbs, and no processed carbs, in your diet is that you are consuming more whole foods that have not been subject to high degrees of processing and are therefore healthier.
Benefits of a Slow Carb Diet
While the research is not as extensive for a slow carb diet as for the ketogenic diet, there are still a few studies out there that prove that this diet has promise. One 2015 study demonstrated that there were tangible benefits to consuming what researchers deemed “slowly digestible starch.” These included a slower glucose release, lower postprandial insulinemia, and a stimulation of the gut hormones. [1]
To this end, the benefits of the slow carb diet also help lower your risk of cardiovascular events and even the development of type 2 diabetes.
For those who adhere to a slow carb diet, you might also find that you are less likely to develop adipose tissue–more commonly known as fat. A study in rats showed that those who were fed a diet of slow carbs had a decrease in fatty acid synthase expression in adipose tissue. [2]
The same research study in rats also concluded that there were other benefits to consuming more slow carbs versus “fast” ones that originate from highly-processed food. These benefits could include:
- Improvements in muscle performance
- Improved insulin sensitivity and better glucose uptake
- Increase metabolic flexibility
- Decrease in fat/lean ratio that could prevent conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, and more
Managing a Slow Carb Diet
If you think that a slow carb diet could be the right fit for you, then it is time to consider how you can manage this type of diet. You should be consuming mostly whole foods including vegetables, fruits, beans, and lentils alongside herbs and spices. One of the hallmarks of the slow carb diet is the consumption of more protein which allows you to feel fuller for longer even if you are also reducing your calorie consumption. [3]
Some proponents of the slow carb diet advocate that you should not adhere to the diet at all times. Rather, they argue that the best thing for your metabolism is to stick with the diet six days a week and eat however you choose on the seventh.
If you stick with this diet for the majority of the week, you’ll primarily want to avoid white carbohydrates that are made with refined flour (including white bread, white rice, and other foods that are often white). If you need to eat grains, it should be unrefined, like whole wheat flour, farro, or quinoa.
You should also keep your calories to a minimum, eschewing beverages that have a high calorie count. Drink as much water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee as you want but steer clear of the types of beverages that won’t adhere to your diet such as juices or soft drinks.
To this end, you will find that there are many similarities between the slow carb diet and the keto lifestyle. While slow carb is a little less restrictive when it comes to carb consumption, both diets will require you to think critically about what grains and carbs you consume.
Is a Slow Carb Diet Right for You?
Those who have been following the keto diet for some time may want to consider whether the slow carb diet is a good fit for them moving forward. As well as aiding weight loss, it has some great characteristics, including flexibility when it comes to eating foods you enjoy, along with many of the health benefits of keto. While this type of diet is not as heavily researched as the keto diet, the initial research seems to be mostly positive.
References
Vinoy, S., Laville, M., & Feskens, E. J. (2016). Slow-release carbohydrates: growing evidence on metabolic responses and public health interest. Summary of the symposium held at the 12th European Nutrition Conference (FENS 2015). Food & nutrition research, 60, 31662. https://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v60.31662
Salto, R., Girón, M. D., Ortiz-Moral, C., Manzano, M., Vílchez, J. D., Reche-Perez, F. J., Bueno-Vargas, P., Rueda, R., & Lopez-Pedrosa, J. M. (2020). Dietary Complex and Slow Digestive Carbohydrates Prevent Fat Deposits During Catch-Up Growth in Rats. Nutrients, 12(9), 2568. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092568
Dhillon, J., Craig, B. A., Leidy, H. J., Amankwaah, A. F., Osei-Boadi Anguah, K., Jacobs, A., Jones, B. L., Jones, J. B., Keeler, C. L., Keller, C. E., McCrory, M. A., Rivera, R. L., Slebodnik, M., Mattes, R. D., & Tucker, R. M. (2016). The Effects of Increased Protein Intake on Fullness: A Meta-Analysis and Its Limitations. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(6), 968–983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.01.003
