What are slow carbs and how does the slow carbs diet work?

The low-carb diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. Besides the low-carbohydrate diet, there are also other forms or further developments, such as the slow-carb diet.

In this article we clarify the different types, the advantages and possible disadvantages. In addition, you will learn which foods can be used for breakfast to follow the low-carb approach.

What is low carb?

Before we delve into the exact aspects of this diet, it is first important to clarify what exactly is meant by it!

Low carb is an abbreviation for “low carbohydrates” and refers to a diet that focuses on a low consumption of carbohydrates.

While carbohydrates should generally account for 50-60% of the calories gained, this proportion is reduced by quite a bit with low-carb. It is estimated that – depending on the strictness of the diet – between 10%-40% of the total calories per day are carbohydrates. In order to ensure that enough calories are consumed, fat is used as an energy source.

At this point you may be asking yourself, “What are carbohydrates anyway?” They are carbon compounds that consist of so-called chains. These chains can be of different lengths and carbohydrates are classified according to their length. Basically, carbohydrates are made of sugar, but that doesn’t automatically mean that foods containing carbohydrates have to taste sweet – it depends on the type.

The following table gives you an overview of the different types and their chain length.

By the way, low carb should not be confused with low calorie. A low-carb diet is not about saving calories, but simply about cutting down on carbohydrates.

These are the advantages of a low-carb diet

But what are the benefits of the low-carb diet? Proponents swear by the diet for weight loss. But also in the longer term, the diet is said to offer certain benefits:

One of the theories why a low-carb diet is to be preferred is based on the so-called “Stone Age diet”. At that time, people ate few short-chain carbohydrates but a lot of fat and proteins to have enough energy for hunting or gathering. It was not until many years later, with the advent of agriculture, that the diet changed. So it is assumed that today’s people are still physically better adapted to the Stone Age diet.

The increase in short-chain carbohydrates also causes the blood sugar level to rise sharply after a meal. This leads to energy fluctuations and is especially dangerous for diabetics.

In addition, the increased intake of proteins and fats provides a long-lasting feeling of satiety.

It is also assumed that the body forms fewer fat reserves when carbohydrate intake is reduced. This is because when the carbohydrate store is full, the body stores the excess energy in the form of fat.

Is a low carb diet bad?

Now that you know about the benefits, you may be wondering if there are any disadvantages at all. And the answer is yes.

Carbohydrates are valuable sources of dietary fibre. It aids digestion by feeding your intestinal bacteria, and it also makes you feel fuller.

So if you cut out a large proportion of carbohydrates, you may be eating too little fibre and not reaping the benefits.

Because the low-carb approach involves replacing carbohydrates with fat, it is also important to pay attention to the source of fat! If too much animal fat is consumed in the long term, this can lead to a higher mortality rate.

In addition, a permanent low-carb diet, like all one-sided diets, can lead to malnutrition.

Slow carb – the further development

Slow carb could be directly translated as “slow” carbohydrates, but what is meant are the long-chain carbohydrates, i.e. the multiple sugars. In contrast to low-carbs and in keeping with the adage “quality before quantity“, carbohydrates are not generally avoided or a low intake is aimed for. Rather, attention is paid to the type of carbohydrates.

Long-chain carbohydrates are allowed here. Therefore, foods such as pulses are particularly recommended.

In its original form, slow-carb is a diet to be followed over a period of time with the clear goal of weight loss, rather than a general diet. Only a very limited number of foods may be eaten, and the body does not get all the nutrients it needs.

For this reason, this strict form of the slow carb diet is not recommended, or if it is, then only after consulting your doctor.

However, in the “milder” form, where long-chain carbohydrates are preferred, it does have its advantages.

The advantages of Slow carbs

To understand the beneficial properties of slow carbs, we first need to look at what happens to them in the body:

Once they are absorbed into the body, they are broken down and then absorbed into the bloodstream. Depending on the length of the chains, this process takes different amounts of time. With long-chain carbohydrates, the body needs time to break them down. Consequently, the individual sugar particles are absorbed into the blood in smaller quantities and not as quickly. Therefore, the blood sugar level rises more slowly with foods that have a high fibre content and you stay full longer.

The glycaemic index provides an overview of how carbohydrates affect the blood sugar level. The lower the glycaemic index for a food, the slower the blood sugar level will rise.

If you follow a slow-carb diet, you will also feel full sooner. The fibre contained in oats, and thus the long carbohydrates, begin to swell and dissolve in the body. This enlarges your stomach in a positive sense and you feel full.

Low-carb breakfast – how to make it work

Breakfast is the first and most important meal of the day for most people. A healthy, balanced breakfast supplies you with nutrients and gives you enough energy for the day!

So what would an ideal low carb breakfast look like? Ideally, your breakfast should provide you with lots of vegetable fats, such as those found in linseed, nuts, chia seeds or avocados.

Verival has three products for you if you’re following a low-carb diet! The oat-based Lower Carb Granola contains 60% less carbohydrates than comparable alternatives – and almonds and sesame seeds.

Our Grain Free products give your breakfast an extra kick of protein and healthy fatty acids thanks to their high content of valuable seeds and grains! In addition, the coconut flakes and figs contained in the products provide that little bit extra.

Start the day with healthy carbohydrates

If you follow the slow-carb diet, oats are especially recommended. Due to the high fibre content, you are quickly and sustainably full and have time to concentrate on your work.

Verival offers the right breakfast with oats for every taste: whether creamy porridge with fruit, muesli with ancient grain cereals or crunchy granola – there is something for everyone! You will also find gluten-free products or breakfast products without added sugar in our range. This is the ideal way to follow the slow-carb approach.

A healthy slow carb recipe

Cooking with few carbohydrates doesn’t have to be boring and difficult! You can make our low carb pizza recipe yourself in just a few steps. And oats also contain long-chain fibre, so this recipe is also great for those following a slow carb diet.

Enjoy cooking it yourself!

Print Recipe

5 from 160 votes

Sweet low carb breakfast-pizza

Sweet low carb breakfast pizza with Verival Strawberry-Chia Porridge, Good Morning Organic Seed Mix and Grain Free Sport Muesli.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 30 g Verival Strawberry-Chia Porridge (optional: oat flakes)
• 30 g Verival Seed Mix (optional: 20g linseeds + 10g chia seeds)
• 30 g coconut oil or butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp psyllium

Topping:

• 200 g greek yoghurt (optional: 100g curd + 100g plain oghurt)
• 200 g berries of your choise
• 30 g Verival Sport Muesli

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 250° bottom heat? and put in your pizzastone? Melt the coconut oil or butter in the oven.
• Put the Strawberry Chia Porridge and seed mix in a bowl and put the melted coconut oil or butter over it. Mix it and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.
• Next add the eggs, mix everything and fold in the psyllium.
• Put baking paper on a pizza shovel and grease it/Grease a baking paper. Put the thin layer of dough on it. Bake the pizza crust for 15 minutes at 230° bottom heat, until the dough is golden brown and crispy.
• Let the dough cool completely. Meanwhile wash the berries and cut them in pieces. When the dough is ready, put the yoghurt, berries and muesli on top.