There are so many different diets out there, and we hear about them all the time. We see the success stories on TV commercials, we hear the statistics and we see them competing with one another, for the top spot. The one thing that we don’t hear about, are the side effects of all of these diets. Every significant change in our lifestyles is bound to bring about some side effects, and diets are not exempt from that!

Low carb diets are the most popular out of all the diets out there, so I will focus on this type of diet in this article. These diets are so popular because people usually see fast and effective results when they consume fewer carbohydrates each day. However, many people also experience some side effects from changing their eating plan in this way, but you don’t hear so much about that; instead, they promote the weight loss, which is good, but the public should know everything before they begin the diet.

When you hear the words “side effects,” you probably automatically think about bad side effects. However, not all side effects are bad, and low carb diets have a few good ones along with the bad. Some of these good side effects include:

• Weight loss: This one is a no-brainer. Carbs convert into sugar in your body, and when you cut back on them, you will lose weight.
• More energy: You generally have to wait a while for this one, but it is well worth the wait! How does it work? When you are eating a lot of carbs, they give you energy, but it only lasts a short time, then they leave you feeling more tired than before. When your body gets used to less carbs, it gets its energy from other, more efficient foods, and your energy lasts longer.
• Less cravings: When you are eating less of the bad foods, your body will get used to your lifestyle change and eventually you will stop craving those sugary sweets.

Low carb diets can have some bad side effects as well, although not many are actually serious; most are just uncomfortable at most. Some of the bad side effects of low carb diets include:

• Headaches: These are brought on by your body’s withdrawal from carbs and caffeine. They usually appear during the first couple of days, but they only last a week at most.
• Dizziness and Nausea: These 2 are not so common together. At the most, you may experience some dizziness later on in the day, but this is just a reaction to the reduced amount of carbs in your diet.
• Sugar cravings and Irritability: It’s no surprise that these 2 go together! Cravings usually only last for one week or two weeks at the most. If you can stick it out, your diet will turn things around for you and eliminate all of your sugar cravings.
• Low energy: This is caused by your body’s attempt to get used to your lifestyle change. Much like the cravings, if you give it a few days, it will turn around for the good.