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There is no established definition of what constitutes a low carbohydrate diet beyond the idea that they all have some type of restriction on carbohydrate intake. Therefore I will classify low carbohydrate diets as "Carbohydrate Optimization Diets", "Non-Ketogenic Low Carbohydrate Diets", "Ketogenic Diets", and "Extreme Calorie Restriction Diets", as well as the baseline "Standard American Diet". The specific diets can then be mapped into these categories.
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=The Diet Low Carbohydrate Classifications=
* '''Standard American Diet (SAD)'''. This is the baseline from which the diets can generally be compared. The SAD is generally high in carbohydrates, and includes carbohydrate sources such as refined sugars and refined grains.
* '''Carbohydrate Optimization Diets'''. This is a broad category of diets that don't restrict the overall quantity of carbohydrate, but do restrict particular types of carbohydrate. Examples would be Paloelithic Paleolithic diets, and nutrient timing.
* '''Non-Ketogenic Low Carbohydrate Diets (NKLCD)'''. A NKLC diet restricts overall carbohydrate level, typically to around 50-150g of net carbohydrate, but does not elevate ketone levels sufficiently to be considered a Ketogenic Diet. A diet that restricts net carbohydrate intake to below 50g may still be Non Ketogenic if protein intake is not also sufficiently restricted.
* '''Ketogenic Low Carbohydrate Diets (KLCD)'''. A ketogenic diet restricts both carbohydrate and protein intake so that the body metabolizes fat to produce ketones. There is no established definition of what level of ketones are required for a diet to be considered ketogenic. (Fasting ketone levels are typically ~0.3 on the SAD [Effects of a high-protein ketogenic diet on hunger, appetite, and weight loss in obese men feeding ad libitum].) Also, because it takes time to adjust to a ketogenic diet, I do not consider a diet to be a 'ketogenic diet' even if it elevates ketone levels for less than two weeks. A ketogenic diet should only be started under medical supervision. A Ketogenic diet is sometimes referred to as a Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet or LCKD.
* '''Extreme Calorie Restriction Diets'''. These diets are intended to treat severe obesity by dramatically reducing calorie intake.
==Low Carbohydrate Diets==The table below maps some specific diets into the classifications described above.
{| class="wikitable"
! Diet
! KLCD
! ECR
|-
| Food Avoidance
|-
| High Protein
| Possible| Possible
| Yes
|
|
| Yes
| Possible
|
|-
| Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD).
|
|
| Possible
| Possible
|
|-
|}
* '''Standard American Diet (SAD)'''. This is the baseline from which the diets can generally be compared. The SAD is generally high in carbohydrates, and includes carbohydrate sources such as refined sugars and refined grains.
* '''Food Avoidance Diets'''. There are a number of dietary modifications that avoid the specific types of food. Examples would be a gluten-free diet, or diet that avoids sugars such as fructose. These specific Food Avoidance Diets can be combined with other types of diet. For instance, a Low Glycemic Index Diet could also be gluten-free.
* '''Paleolithic Diets'''. There are a number of diets that aim to re-create the food intake of our caveman ancestors, whose food sources predate the birth of agriculture. Because our ancestors lived in many different geographical areas that provided radically different food sources, there is some variation in what is considered a Paleolithic diet. However, Paleolithic diets always avoid cereals and grains, as well as refined sugars, dairy products<ref name="LindebergCordain2003"/>. Some studies have estimated the modern hunter gatherer societies get 22–40% of their energy from carbohydrate sources<ref name="Cordain-2000"/><ref name="Cordain-2002"/>. However, modern interpretations of the Paleolithic diet can vary widely in their carbohydrate intake, and some can be ketogenic (see below for details.)
* '''Atkins Diet'''. The Atkins diet is probably the best-known low carbohydrate diet. This diet has four phases, and the initial "induction phase" can be a [[Ketogenic Diet]], but overall the Atkins diet does not maintain elevated blood [[Ketones]].
* '''High Protein Diet'''. A high protein diet is one where the protein intake is significantly above the common or recommended levels. A high protein diet could include either a high or a low carbohydrate intake, but even with carbohydrate restriction a high protein diet will not be ketogenic as some of the excess protein will be converted to glucose.* '''Cyclic Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)'''. This is a variant of the ketogenic diets (and others from diet that includes carbohydrates before, during, or immediately after exercise. It is described in Lyle McDonald's book"The Ketogenic Diet"<ref name="McDonald1998-P124"/>, but I am not aware of any scientific studies that evaluate it. The goal of the TKD is to take carbohydrates to support effective training, but without interrupting ketosis. There is one study that has shown that 50g of glucose immediately before or after a 13 mile/20 Km run in 90 minutes did not change subsequent ketosis<ref name="Koeslag-1985"/>.* '''?Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD)'''. Like the Targeted Ketogenic Diet, this diet also comes from Lyle McDonald's book. As the name suggests, this TKD cycles between periods of a ketogenic diet with periods of high carbohydrate intake<ref name="McDonald1998-P128"/>. McDonald suggests 5-6 days of the ketogenic diet and 1-2 days of a high carbohydrate diet, although he indicates that other periods could be used. As McDonald acknowledges, there is no evidence to indicate how this cycling between ketogenic and non-ketogenic will affect [[Ketoadaptation]]. More importantly, it is unclear how the CKD might change the [[Health Risks of the Ketogenic Diet]].
* '''[[MCT Diet]].''' This is a variant of the traditional diet that uses Medium Chain Triglycerides ([[MCT]]) that produces more ketones than other oils. The MCD Diet is typically only used for the treatment of epilepsy.
* '''[[Modified Adkins Diet]] (MAD).''' The MAD started by accident, when a child was put onto the Adkins diet prior to starting the traditional [[Ketogenic Ratio Diet]], and their seizures stopped<ref name="Kossoff-2011-2926"/>. The MAD is similar to the induction phase of the Adkins diet, though children are allowed only 10 grams/day of carbohydrate rather than the 20 grams/day allowed for adults.
<ref name="Cordain-2000"> L. Cordain, JB. Miller, SB. Eaton, N. Mann, SH. Holt, JD. Speth, Plant-animal subsistence ratios and macronutrient energy estimations in worldwide hunter-gatherer diets., Am J Clin Nutr, volume 71, issue 3, pages 682-92, Mar 2000, PMID [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10702160 10702160]</ref>
<ref name="Cordain-2002">L. Cordain, SB. Eaton, JB. Miller, N. Mann, K. Hill, The paradoxical nature of hunter-gatherer diets: meat-based, yet non-atherogenic., Eur J Clin Nutr, volume 56 Suppl 1, pages S42-52, Mar 2002, doi [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601353 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601353], PMID [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11965522 11965522]</ref>
<ref name="McDonald1998-P124">Lyle McDonald, The Ketogenic Diet: A Complete Guide for the Dieter and Practitioner, date 1 January 1998, publisher Lyle McDonald, isbn 978-0-9671456-0-0, pages 124</ref>
<ref name="Koeslag-1985"> JH. Koeslag, LI. Levinrad, JD. Lochner, AA. Sive, Post-exercise ketosis in post-prandial exercise: effect of glucose and alanine ingestion in humans., J Physiol, volume 358, pages 395-403, Jan 1985, PMID [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3884775 3884775]</ref>
<ref name="McDonald1998-P128">Lyle McDonald, The Ketogenic Diet: A Complete Guide for the Dieter and Practitioner, date 1 January 1998, publisher Lyle McDonald, isbn 978-0-9671456-0-0, pages 128</ref>
<ref name="Kossoff-2011-3230">Eric. Kossoff, [http://www.amazon.com/Ketogenic-Diets-Eric-H-Kossoff/dp/1936303108 Ketogenic diets : treatments for epilepsy and other disorders], date 2011, publisher Demos Health, location New York, isbn 1-936303-10-8, Kindle Offset 3230</ref>
<ref name="Kossoff-2011-2926">Eric. Kossoff, [http://www.amazon.com/Ketogenic-Diets-Eric-H-Kossoff/dp/1936303108 Ketogenic diets : treatments for epilepsy and other disorders], date 2011, publisher Demos Health, location New York, isbn 1-936303-10-8, Kindle Offset 2926</ref>
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