Friends. We’ve talked about how to start your low carb transformation, and covered how to sustain your low carb lifestyle. For the last part of our three-part series, we will focus on low carb myths.
With so much information readily available at our fingertips, it’s understandable how we can get easily confused about food. At Carbonaut, our goal is to educate and empower those who are hungrily searching for answers (and astronomically yummy bagels!) about the advantages of adopting a low carb diet.
Let’s begin by debunking some common myths surrounding the low carb lifestyle.
The internet can be confusing. While one Instagram user advises to avoid tofu, another insists that the estrogenic properties of fermented soy are great for hormone balance. Someone might blog about the dangers of consuming nightshades, while a raw chef on TikTok wants you to try a new tomato salad that will change your life.
Navigating what’s real and what’s fake is hard—which is why we want to address the misinformation that orbits the topic of low carb diets.
Let’s launch.
#1 Low Carb Means No Wheat
This is simply not true. Carbohydrates are present in a universe of foods, not just grains. Following a low carb diet does not mean you have to leave wheat—or any grains—off your plate.
It simply means you must pay attention to the carb vs fiber ratio in those foods.
Knowing how to calculate net carbs is easy, but crucial. When you’re following a low carb diet, doing some simple math can help determine your success.
#2 Low Carb Equals High Fat
Actually, low carb equals low carb. Reducing the amount of carbohydrates you eat may lead to consuming foods that are naturally higher in fat, but that’s not necessarily the case. Alternatively, a high fat, low carb diet is more indicative of a keto diet1, which brings us to:
#3 Low Carb and Keto are the Same Thing
No, they’re not—and the difference lies in macronutrients.
On a low carb diet, you typically eat more carbs that you would on the keto diet, which is commonly restricted to fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day. (This is very low.)
Another main difference is protein intake.
Your protein intake while living the low carb life is usually higher, but with keto diets, protein intake remains moderate (around 20% of total calories), because very high protein intake can prevent ketosis2.
Fat intake also tends to be significantly higher on the keto diet, as fats replace carbs and protein.
Because of these differences, the keto diet may be too restrictive for most people, leading to poor sustainability and burnout. Therefore, a low carb diet is likely a more realistic and sustainable option for most people.
Which leads us to…
#4 Low Carb Isn’t Sustainable
A low carb lifestyle is very sustainable when you are practicing it correctly. Your body thrives on quality food, so if you feed yourself what your body needs, you’ll be fine. Sometimes it takes some tweaking (especially at the beginning), but once you find that sweet spot, a low carb diet can be easy, sustainable, and enjoyable.
#5 All Calories are Created Equal
Any dietician or nutritionist will tell you this is simply not true3. If you eat an ice cream cone containing 300 calories, or a piece of tofu, a cup of broccoli, a side salad containing a total of 300 calories, which meal do you think might serve your body better?
The goal is to consume foods that contain nutrients that your body can process and use to function optimally. Our body will respond to foods it doesn’t recognize (like candy or a bag of highly processed potato chips) by creating an inflammatory response. Since chronic inflammation leads to chronic disease4, your body will be much better off if you choose to consume whole foods or foods with wholesome ingredients that it both recognizes and uses for growth and repair.
Bottom line?
All calories are most definitely NOT created equal, and you can better manage your health and wellbeing by choosing your calories carefully.
Carbonaut is a keto certified brand, but what does that even mean? And what on Earth is the Paleo Foundation?
The Paleo Foundation is the leading governing body that certifies products that qualify as paleo, grain-free, or keto. To be certified, a brand must launch an application and prepare to be heavily audited. Products are approved only if they meet the quality standards set by the foundation.
Why does this mean for you?
It means that every Carbonaut product you eat has been certified as keto by meeting the Paleo Foundation’s keto standards. Other products can claim to be low carb or keto, but unless they’re displaying the keto certified label from the Paleo Foundation, they’re not actually certified as such.
To find Carbonaut products listed on the Paleo Foundation’s website, click here.
Most low carb bread is about as appealing as a piece of spacecraft insulation, so we set out to make bakery-quality low carb products that satisfy your cravings for oven-baked goodness, while keeping your body on the right track. Carbonaut is not just about low carb—it’s about healthy ingredients that are thoughtfully procured by a family who has been in the bread industry for over 30 years.
With Carbonaut, you get zero artificial ingredients, fillers, preservatives, GMOs, or sugar. And since everything is plant-based, we’re totally vegan-friendly.
Our sky-high standards—the same ones that result in our health certifications—offer low carb solutions that promote genuine wellness by offering our consumers products that are made with intent, and it shows in the reviews we receive from our customers every single day.
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m so grateful for your products!! I have had to eat keto for 30yrs due to a metabolic disease. Keto is a challenge and missing bread and crackers and cereal is so hard. My hubby bought a loaf of your bread and I am so excited!! It is delicious, the texture is great and it did not increase my blood sugar. Thank you thank you thank you!! Please never stop!” –Sam
Living the low carb life can be both healthy and sustainable when you intentionally choose quality low carb foods to consume. The key is to continue educating yourself, choose your food wisely, and remember that Carbonaut has your back.
Interested in try a new low carb recipe? Try our (gluten-free) bagel + (mock) lox!
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