A lot of the talks you hear about these days concerning carbs are mainly about what having too much of them can do to your health.

For instance having too many of them can make you fat or bring on some disease such as diabetes.

But what many people do not realize, is that having too little carbohydrates in your diet can also bring about some dramatic changes to your body and also your lifestyle.

Low carbohydrate diets like the Paleo diet and the Atkins diet have become really popular in recent years.

But, although low carb diets can be quite beneficial to your health, many people cut their carbs consumption to really low levels when they start to follow these diets.

I am going to give you a brief insight into what the risks can be, in following a diet that limits the amount of carbs you eat in your diet.

Your Energy Levels Will be Lowered

Carbohydrates are what your body prefers to use as its main energy source.

Although it’s possible for your body to get energy from the fat or protein that you eat, it can’t extract this energy with the same speed and efficiency that it does when it gets its energy from consuming carbs.

So, if you reduce your carbohydrate intake too much, you’ll find that your energy levels suffer and you’ll constantly feel exhaustion or fatigued, sluggish, drowsy and most probably irritable.

You Can Become Nutrient Deficient

The healthy carbs, like fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Fiber helps you to promote good digestive health, it protects against bowel disease, can reduce your risk of getting certain cancers and much more.

While the vitamins and minerals support all the cells and vital organs in your body and help you to maintain optimal health.

The antioxidants help by neutralizing the free radicals that are trying to damage you cells.

If you follow a really low carbohydrate eating plan, you’ll miss out on all the benefits that you can obtain by getting these natural nutrients.

Plus on top of that, you’ll probably end up being subjected to a number of unpleasant deficiency symptoms which can include: anemia, brittle bones, skin problems, fatigue, hair loss and loads more.

It Can Stunt Your Growth

When you supply your body with an optimal amount of carbs, it uses them to fuel your cells and vital organs.

On the other hand, if you drastically reduce your intake of carbs, your body starts to use the fat and protein you have stored to get this energy instead.

The main function of Protein in the body is to build, maintain and repair all your body’s cells.

If your body is using the stored protein for energy, it can’t build, maintain and repair your cells at the same rate.

This has a negative effect on your growth levels and in effect could result in stunted growth.

In Summary

In order for you to avoid a carb deficiency, ensure that any low carbohydrate diet you follow recommends that a minimum of 20% of the calories that you are going to eat comes from quality carbohydrates.

By eating less than that you could find yourself becoming susceptible to the carbohydrate deficiency symptoms discussed above.

But, by making sure that at least 20% of the calories you eat come from high quality carbohydrate sources, you can avoid these risks and enjoy the many benefits healthy carbohydrates have got.