Low-carbohydrate LCHF diet: what is it, menu for the week, reviews

There are a large number of nutrition systems that promise rapid weight loss. Basically, we are accustomed to nutritionists urging us to stop eating fat. However, Swiss experts have refuted the myth that it is impossible to lose weight by eating them. A good example is the keto diet. But this type of nutrition is not the only one that allows you not to give up your favorite dishes for the sake of a beautiful figure. The strict LCHF diet allows you to eat fatty foods but requires moderate carbohydrate intake.

General rules and principles of the LCHF diet: do not limit yourself

Only the increasingly popular LCHF diet promises all its adherents emergency weight loss. The term itself can be literally translated into Russian as “low carb high fat”. Followers of this nutrition system claim that they do not have the eternal “companions” of conventional diets: lethargy, irritability, weakness, a constant desire to chew something or take a nap at the most inopportune moment. But they receive rapid loss of excess kilograms, increased concentration, efficiency, and bursting energy in abundance.

The true ancestors of this type of nutrition are considered to be two William. The first bore the surname Banting and tried to lose weight in various ways. He was the first to try a version of the diet in 1863, saturated with fats while limiting carbohydrates, and published his results - losing several tens of kilograms. The second name is Ebstein, he was a Swedish progressive doctor. In his country, a similar traditional diet has long been established, which is followed today by about a quarter of the population.

Some historical information

A little later, at the very beginning of the 20th century, a nutritional system based on fats without carbohydrates, the keto diet, was used by American doctors. With its help, they learned to stop seizures and symptoms of drug-resistant epilepsy. Experiments have shown that, having gotten rid of carbohydrates, the body, in the desire to survive at any cost, completely changes its metabolism, extracting useful substances from what it is given.

The liver begins to produce ketones (a form of acetone), using fats as fuel. These substances nourish the brain and the entire body. However, unlike the modern LCHF diet, the keto diet was far from ideal. I had to spend time reading the BJU, strictly monitoring the indicators and body signals during application.

Another Swedish nutritionist named Andreas Enfeldt went further. He carefully changed the ratio of nutrients in the diet so that mathematical calculations were superfluous. All information about his invention is provided in the book entitled “Food Revolution! LCHF. Diet without hunger." Followers of his teachings claim that this is not just nutrition for losing excess weight, but a completely new look at nutrition in general.

13 principles and rules of “low carb”

There are not very many basic recommendations that you will have to follow strictly. You also won’t have to painfully count calories or force yourself to choke on unsalted oatmeal or rice. By enjoying your favorite dishes, you can get an enviable result in a fairly short time.

We don't count calories.

The quantity and weight of food should no longer worry you. The point is not at all in dosed portions, but in the correct ratio. The correct diet is seventy percent fat, twenty percent protein and only ten carbohydrates.

We eat when we are hungry.

You should not force yourself to eat food - from now on you will only eat when you yourself want to refresh yourself.

No junk or fast food.

You will have to give up fast food, quick snacks at a nearby diner, stunningly sweet pastries, sweets, cakes and pastries. Let those who do not care about their health eat shawarma, hot dogs and other kebabs. They not only harm the body, but also pump out the remaining “reserves” from our wallets. Now you will eat only natural, high-quality food.

It's better to boil than to fry.

Minimal heat treatment is another basic principle of LCHF nutrition. Less fried, give preference to steamed and boiled dishes, but if desired, you can fry foods in Ghee, olive or coconut oil.

Reading the composition.

You cannot blindly believe everything that is written in capital letters on the packaging of products, and especially semi-finished products. Often, the manufacturer disguises the presence of fast carbohydrates, preservatives, dyes, and emulsifiers behind a beautiful label.

Not a scale, but a centimeter.

Forget about weighing yourself every day. You need to sensibly evaluate the results of any diet. All the excess fat that has accumulated over the years cannot disappear overnight without leaving a trace. Therefore, it would be better to start a tape measure and measure volumes than to stare at the needle of the scale, not understanding why it stubbornly stands still for three days in a row.

Plateau effect.

Many people who lose weight experience a plateau effect; you shouldn’t be afraid of it. You need to stubbornly continue to follow the chosen method, while it is quite acceptable to increase physical activity in order to reverse the “stagnation” in losing weight.

Alcohol occasionally, beer - never.

If possible, you will need to give up alcohol, but it is not necessary to follow the “prohibition” law. Occasionally you can drink a little whiskey, brut champagne, dry wine or rum. But you’ll have to forget about beer, it will immediately knock you out of ketosis, and it’s not for nothing that it’s called liquid bread.

Fruit = delicacy.

You will only have to eat fruits and berries occasionally. They contain a lot of carbohydrates, and the diet should contain only ten percent of these substances.

Sports and physical education come first.

Exercising is a prerequisite for maintaining this type of diet. The only exception can be those who physically work hard every day. For such people, physical education is not necessary, but for others, the gym should become a second home.

Healthy sleep.

An important principle is to get enough sleep. It’s better to go to bed early so you can get the required seven to eight hours of sleep. Sleep is the best cure for the stress that fills the lives of modern people.

There is no such thing as too much fiber.

Another principle, and at the same time a difference from keto nutrition, is the attitude towards fiber. Typically, fatty foods lead to intestinal problems. When following the LCHF diet, it is recommended to pay attention to foods and supplements rich in it. Although you shouldn't overdo it either.

Vitamins, minerals, macro- and microelements for the body.

A sharp transition from a regular diet to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet can cause a lack of certain elements in the body, loss of sodium and water. Therefore, you need to take vitamin complexes and also drink more water. But forcing yourself to absorb liters of water is the best solution. It is optimal to drink half a glass an hour before meals, and the rest of the time drink as desired.

What is LCHF nutrition?

LCHF (Low Carbohydrate High Fat) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet based on moderate consumption of protein foods, limiting carbohydrates (but not eliminating them) and increasing the proportion of fats. Followers of the LCHF diet exclude from their diet foods containing refined carbohydrates: semolina, couscous, sugar, premium flour, and limit unrefined cereals, legumes, starchy vegetables, and fruits.

LCHF nutrition has gained popularity and is still gaining momentum as an effective method of weight loss. In addition, the direction can be used as a method of correcting carbohydrate metabolism and in some neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, as well as to improve physical fitness.

The peculiarity of this program is that it does not have clear standards for the distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet. Thus, according to the Dietary guidelines for Americans 2015–2020, the rate of fat consumption is from 20 to 35%, and carbohydrates from 45 to 65% of the daily calorie intake. When it comes to LCHF, it means using less than 45% carbohydrates of daily calories and more than 35% fat. In practical terms, depending on the caloric content of the diet, daily carbohydrate intake can vary from 20 to 150 g.

The principles of LCHF are much more important than the precise distribution of dietary fat, so this program is easily adapted to an individual diet, and it is much easier to adhere to than, for example, a keto diet.

How the food system works: who can eat it and what exactly to eat

The main goal of maintaining such a diet is to transfer the body from one type of metabolism to another. It's actually quite simple. Normally, our body and brain feed on carbohydrates. Our main task is to “extinguish” glycolysis (the breakdown of carbohydrates with the formation of glucose), but at the same time start lipolysis (the breakdown of fats by the liver with the formation of fatty acids and glycerol). This process is called ketogenesis, because during the breakdown process ketones are formed - bodies that we use as an alternative to sugars.

Indications for this type of nutrition system can only be determined by a doctor. You should not start a diet if you have any disorders or diseases in your body. First you need to visit a therapist, take all the necessary tests and tests, go to an endocrinologist, and, if possible, also a nutritionist. Only then can you be sure that LCHF, like any other diet, will not cause harm.

Recommended LCHF Products

• Any red meat and meat products to choose from: pork, beef, poultry, lamb, smoked meats, bacon, jamon, sausage (only if you are sure there are no carbohydrates in the composition). Fatty meat broths are the basis for many delicious dishes in this diet.
• Domestic or wild poultry, including skin (chicken, turkey, goose, duck, partridge).
• Fatty varieties of sea, river and captive-bred fish (chum salmon, salmon, tuna, hake, flounder, herring, catfish, crucian carp, carp, cod, trout, salmon).
• Chicken, turkey, quail, duck, goose eggs.
• Dairy and lactic acid products with a high level of fat (sour cream, cream, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir, butter, hard and soft cheeses).
• Minimally processed vegetable oils (unrefined, not frozen, preferably first pressed).
• Vegetables growing above the ground (cabbage, eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, celery stalks, onions, garlic, zucchini, greens, green beans).
• Nuts (sesame, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, hazelnuts).
• Olives, black olives, and peanuts.

Fully or partially limited products

Prohibited

• Chocolate and chocolate candies.
• Sugar.
• Honey.
• Bread and any pastries.
• Vermicelli, pasta and other flour products, with the exception of special ones that do not contain gluten and carbohydrates.
• Rice (white, brown, wild, steamed).
• Cereals, cereal flakes, muesli, snacks.
• Fast food and junk food.
• Low-fat products, including dairy.
• Fruit juice, lemonade, soda, energy drinks.
• Bananas, grapes.

Conditionally permitted

This set of products can be consumed occasionally, as a delicacy, without going beyond the ten percent carbohydrate limit.

• Milk.
• Berries and fruits, except those prohibited.
• Pumpkin.
• Vegetables growing under the surface of the earth (potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, garlic).
• Baked goods made from alternative flours (almond, sesame, coconut).

Keto diet: list of allowed and prohibited foods

When creating a keto diet, you need to exclude (exclude, not just limit):

• Sweet products: sugar and fructose-based sweeteners (jerusalem artichoke syrup, agave syrup, etc.), fruit juices, smoothies, cakes with added sugars, as well as ice cream, candies, etc.
• Cereals and legumes
• Starchy and sweet vegetables: sweet potatoes, potatoes, beets, carrots
• All fruits except small portions of berries or citrus fruits
• Legumes: peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• Products containing trans fats

The restrictions do not apply to protein products. Any products of animal origin are allowed. Any vegetables are also allowed, with the exception of those listed above, nuts and seeds, coconuts, vegetable oils, ghee and high-fat cheeses, avocados, olives, as well as a small portion of unsweetened fruits or berries.

As we can see, the nutrition program is quite bold. In a 2004 study, it was shown to have significant weight loss benefits over a high-carb, low-fat program, but was only effective as a short-term program. There is currently insufficient evidence regarding the health effects of long-term adherence to the keto diet.

Another pitfall is the high risk of breakdowns, since for many, following such a diet is emotionally difficult and the desire to eat sweets increases significantly. In this regard, it is not recommended to abruptly, at one point, switch to a keto diet with the thought “Should I try keto?” If the desire remains, an easier and more correct option for switching to a high-fat diet would be a gradual reduction in carbohydrates, primarily sweets and refined cereals, with an increase in the amount of fat in the diet, primarily of plant origin and fish.

Several LCHF recipes

Avocado and zucchini cream soup

This soup looks amazing, and it tastes rich, but at the same time soft. Choosing garlic for its preparation is fragrant, but not very hot, otherwise the dish will turn out spicy, which is not for everyone.

Components

• Avocado – 1 piece.
• Small young zucchini - 2 pieces.
• Garlic – 1.5-2 heads.
• High fat processed cheese – 1 piece.
• Pine nuts – for decoration and serving.
• Vegetable oil – 2-3 teaspoons.

Preparation

Peel the garlic, diligently chop finely. If that doesn’t work, you can put it through a garlic press. You should take a deep frying pan. Fry in preheated oil for several minutes. Wash the zucchini, cut off the tails, finely cut into cubes, and place in a frying pan.

Pour boiling water over the entire resulting mass until it covers the food completely. Grate the cheese on a fine grater and add to the zucchini. Bring everything to a boil, cook for one or two minutes, remove from heat.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and peel. Cut into slices or cubes. Add them to the rest of the soup. Gently beat it all with a blender or rub through a sieve. You can serve by garnishing the cream soup with parsley and a handful of ground pine nuts.

Salmon steak with vegetables and mushrooms

This steak is perfect for a holiday table for the whole family, as well as for those who simply decide to stick to a high-fat diet.

Components

• Frozen or fresh salmon steaks – 4 pieces.
• Fresh champignons or oyster mushrooms – 0.5 kilograms.
• Onion – 1 piece.
• Hard cheese 250 grams.
• Lemon juice – 2-4 tablespoons.
• Ghee oil – 1 tablespoon.
• Fresh greens.
• Seasonings and spices to taste.

Preparation

Steaks need to be defrosted if necessary, this should be done slowly. After they are completely gone, pour in lemon juice, rub with salt, pepper and selected spices. Leave for half an hour to an hour for the fish to marinate.

Peel the onion, chop into small cubes, fry in ghee until golden brown. Peel the mushrooms, wash them, cut them into cubes and add them to the onions. Next, lightly salt the mixture and fry for a few more minutes.

Line a baking dish with foil and place half of the onion and mushroom mixture on it. Next are pieces of salmon, and then mushrooms again. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater and sprinkle it throughout the dish. Tuck the edges of the foil. Bake in the oven at 170-180 degrees for 25-30 minutes. When serving, you can additionally pour cream or sprinkle with lemon juice, add fresh herbs.

Zucchini pancakes

Such small pancakes can be prepared not only on a diet. They turn out to be very nutritious and tasty, and children especially love them as a replacement for standard potato pancakes.

Components

• Young zucchini 3-4 pieces.
• Eggs – 2-3 pieces.
• Psyllum – 2 tablespoons.
• Salt, spices to taste.
• Coconut oil or ghee for frying.

Preparation

Wash the zucchini, grate on a medium grater and add salt. Leave for a few minutes and then squeeze out excess liquid. Pepper and add spices to taste. Add eggs and psyllium into the resulting mass and mix well. You need to fry the pancakes on both sides until golden brown. This dish is best served with rich sour cream and fresh herbs.

“Armour-piercing” LCHF coffee

Even drinks for this food system must be special. This one is so named because it is capable of providing a “bomb” charge of energy for a long time. It is also designed to satiate and eliminate even the slightest desire to snack.

Components

• A cup of usually prepared coffee is 100-150 milliliters.
• Coconut oil – 1 level tablespoon.
• Ghee – 1 level tablespoon.
• Cream – 1-2 tablespoons.

Preparation

Place everything in a shaker or blender cup and beat at high speed until the consistency is completely homogeneous. This coffee will not only help you wake up in the morning, but also forget about hunger until lunchtime.

Menu

Here is an approximate menu of the lchf diet for the week:

As can be seen from this table, a variety of heat treatment methods can be used when cooking. However, you need to reduce the amount of pan-fried food.

Pros and cons of high-fat diets: comments and reviews

There is nothing tricky about this system; anyone can figure it out. You won’t need to count calories or spend a lot of time thinking about what is possible and what is not – everything is very clear and understandable. However, you must first evaluate all the pros and cons of such a diet, and at the same time also the contraindications that should not be forgotten.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of LCHF nutrition is rapid, high-quality weight loss. If there are no hormonal imbalances or chronic diseases, then the results can last a long time, and most likely will last forever.

• Natural foods are healthy by default. By eliminating street food and processed foods, you will know exactly what you ate and what it contains.
• The diet makes it possible not to constantly feel hungry, since there are no restrictions on the amount of food eaten, there are only complaints about quality.
• Minimal heat treatment implies preservation of beneficial substances in the composition.

However, there are also disadvantages to such a diet. The main disadvantage is considered to be an unbalanced diet, a lack of vitamins, macro- and microelements, and minerals received by the body. Therefore, it won’t hurt to simultaneously take a course of complex vitamin and mineral supplements, or use dietary supplements on the recommendation of a doctor.

Contraindications

• Disorders of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract in general (including ulcers, gastritis).
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system and the heart itself.
• Diabetes mellitus type 1.
• Excessively elevated blood cholesterol levels.
• Constant stress, depression, nervous diseases and mental disorders.
• The period of pregnancy and feeding the baby.

Nutritionist comments, reviews and results

Nutritionist, Sergey Stavrov, Moscow:

“I am regularly criticized by my colleagues, but I still remain a supporter of the keto diet and LCHF nutrition. However, I believe that it is not worth engaging in “amateur activities” without medical supervision. This diet requires complex calculations, understanding of the basics, and constant adjustments. An improperly organized process can lead to hypoglycemia and also cause many other side effects.”

Evgenia Klinchik, endocrinologist, nutritionist, Vyatka:

“The large amount of fat a person absorbs during this diet can cause significant acidification in the body. Patients often experience the formation of stones and sand in the kidneys, cholecystitis. In addition, many experience intoxication of the body. It appears because we often do not know what kind of meat we consume, how the animals were kept, what they were fed. Therefore, I always recommend starting with a visit to a doctor who will conduct the necessary research. He will help with advice and recommendations on the proper organization of the diet, daily routine, and prescribe vitamin complexes. Then everything will go smoothly, and dieting will become the path to a happy life, and not to a hospital bed.”

Tatyana Moseychik, St. Petersburg:

“The problem of excess weight, regular headaches, shortness of breath, high blood pressure has always been relevant for me. All this became especially evident after the second birth. By the age of thirty, I already weighed more than a hundred kilograms and was 1.64 meters tall. What saved me was finding a job at a medical center, where the endocrinologist himself drew attention to my problems and recommended the LCHF diet. This is not to say that everything went smoothly, for the first two weeks I felt bad, I constantly wanted candy or a pie, sugar beckoned at every corner. However, then I got used to it, began to lose weight and lost 39 kilograms of fat that I constantly carried with me. My blood pressure has normalized, I start every day with exercise, I don’t do much sports, but I have enough vigor and energy for the whole day.”

Alexey Rastishin, Moscow:

“From early childhood I suffered from excess weight, which is why I was constantly bullied at school. With a height of 1.72 meters, by the age of eighteen I weighed 107 kilograms, and this was far from muscle mass. When I wasn’t accepted into the army, I decided to take myself seriously. I tried everything possible. I suffered through nasty, unsalted cereals, tried to count calories, and took up sports. The result was mediocre, and did not last long. With grief, I managed to lose 8 kilograms, which I successfully gained with additional ones during the next breakdown. I decided not to tempt fate and went to a nutritionist. During the tests, an allergy to gluten was discovered. At first, the idea of ​​a high-fat diet seemed crazy, but in the first month I managed to lose fifteen kilograms without a trace and I believed in success. Now I am 28 years old, I weigh 78 kilograms, I have been following the LCHF diet for two years, I run and wrestle. At the same time, I eat tasty and varied food.”

Rules

The principle of this unusual technique is simple: you need to significantly reduce the consumption of foods containing large amounts of carbohydrates and replace them with foods rich in natural fats. In such a situation, the body will not feel a lack of energy. He will be able to extract it from incoming fats.

This diet does not imply the need for grueling exercise, eating food you don’t like, or reducing the amount of salt and spices when cooking. You can eat fatty foods and still lose 2 kilograms per week. However, like any other technique, lchf has some rules:

1. It must be remembered that the daily diet during this diet should be based on the following proportions: 10% complex carbohydrates, 20% proteins and 70% fats. The most important thing is to stick to these indicators.
2. You should only eat when you feel hungry. Many people are reluctant to eat in the morning, but most methods force them to have one, and sometimes two breakfasts. The lchf diet does not force you to do this. If you don't feel like eating in the morning, you can skip breakfast.
3. Although the diet is rich in fats, they should be obtained from high-quality foods. Because of this, you should refuse any fast food.
4. You can prepare dishes using any heat treatment method. To achieve the desired result, it is better to reduce the amount of fried foods.
5. With such a diet, healthy sleep is a prerequisite. You need to go to bed no later than 12 o'clock and sleep at least 8 hours.
6. We must not forget about vitamins and minerals. If you don't have enough of them, you need to take them in the form of tablets and granules.
7. Fiber should occupy a significant place in the diet. Thanks to plant fibers, you can normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the effect of fatty foods on the stomach.
8. During the procedure, it is necessary to refrain from various stressful situations. This also applies to constant weighing. There is no need to do this. The lack of results within two to three days can provide you with unnecessary reason for reflection and, in the future, for worry.
9. You should give up alcohol. However, dry wines, whiskey and rum are acceptable for consumption. You cannot mix them with anything.
10. There is no need to train fiercely. It’s enough to do a light jog in the morning and don’t forget about exercise.
11. There is no need to drink huge amounts of water. You need to drink whenever you want, plus drink a cup of water half an hour before each meal.

Quitting the diet

To get out of this diet, you need to follow some rules. First of all, don’t forget about physical exercise. They will keep you in shape. Secondly, reduce the amount of fatty foods and fill the available space with complex carbohydrates. Thirdly, limit yourself from overeating.

The lchf method does not guarantee rapid weight loss. To achieve the desired result, you need to understand the difference between high-quality and low-quality fats. Also follow the basic rules, do not skip main meals and be less lazy.

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Side effects and contraindications

This high-fat diet is not suitable for all groups of people. For many it is contraindicated:

1. For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, acid-base balance disorders.
2. Pregnant and lactating woman. For children.
3. People with high cholesterol levels.
4. For various chronic diseases.
5. High or low blood pressure.

In case of abuse of fatty foods or exceeding the permissible diet limits, the following side effects may be observed:

• elevated cholesterol levels;
• impaired kidney or liver function;
• avitaminosis;
• hair loss;
• skin diseases;
• osteoporosis;
• joint pain.