Low Carb DietsWhat is a carbohydrate?A carbohydrate is one of a large class of natural organic substances. Carbohydrates are present in almost everything we eat, sometimes in very small amounts, but often in substantial amounts. Some examples of common carbohydrates are sugars, starch and cellulose. Carbohydrates are important because they provide energy storage in our body that is quickly accessible. In fact, carbohydrates are the primary source of dietary energy worldwide (Stephen 1995). Additionally, consuming carbohydrates increases levels of a substance called tryptophan in the body, which releases serotonin in the brain. It is still unclear whether this phenomenon affects our hunger and eating habits (Fairburn 1993). Carbohydrates are found in almost everything we eat, such as sugars, starches and cellulose. What you'll find on the web about low-carb diets... Almost all the information you'll find on the web about low-carb diets is basically the same. There are thousands of documents, so rather than reading each one, just look at this brief summary of the information available. Following the web summary is a literature summary of information contained in professional and scientific journals published on the topic of low-carb diets. What is a low-carb diet? What is the purpose of a low-carb diet? are essentially very simple. The idea is that by limiting daily carbohydrate intake, carbohydrate cravings will eventually subside, leading to decreased food intake and weight loss. Low-carb diets are intended for use as general weight loss plans, especially for people who are middle of paper......, 1995.Peterson, C.M. and L. Jovanic-Peterson. “Randomized Crossover Study of 40% versus 55% Carbohydrate Weight Loss Strategies in Women” Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 14(4):369-75, August 1995. Racette, S., et al. "Effects of aerobic exercise and dietary carbohydrates on energy expenditure and body composition during weight loss in obese women". American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 61(3):486-94, March 1995. Stephen, AM, G. Seiber, Y. Gerster, and D. Morgan. "Carbohydrate intake and its components – international comparisons, trends over time and the effects of switching to low-fat diets". American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 62(4):851S-867S, October 1995. Wing, RR, J. Vazquez and C. Ryan. “Cognitive effects of ketogenic weight loss diets” International Journal of Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders. 19(11):811-6, November 1995.