Find out about the health risks of low-carbohydrate diets.
Low-carbohydrate diets have had a lot of publicity recently. These diets usually involve cutting out most starchy foods.
Cutting out starchy foods, or any food group, can be bad for your health because you could be missing out on a range of nutrients. Find out more in this section.
Low-carbohydrate diets tend to be high in fat, and eating a diet that is high in fat (especially saturated fat from foods such as meat, cheese, butter and cakes) could increase your chances of developing coronary heart disease.
These diets may also restrict the amount of fruit, vegetables and fibre you eat, all of which are vital for good health.
So, rather than avoiding starchy foods, it is better to try and base your meals on them, so they make up about a third of your diet. Find out more on the Eatwell website.
