Amidst the constant stream of diet trends, it's really important to prioritize health over quick fixes. Many people will follow diet trends they find on social media and follow it, ignoring how it may affect their health later in life. While eliminating sugary drinks and processed foods can be beneficial, you must remember that you are cutting out a big chunk of macronutrient groups, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and health problems. Then we have the carnivore diet, an extreme version of the ketogenic diet, which eliminates carbohydrates entirely, relying solely on animal products for sustenance. This approach raises significant concerns regarding heart health.

Dangers of Zero Carbs

Having a carnivore diet means complete elimination of carbohydrates, even the ones that have proven health benefits. Many animal products consumed on this diet are high in saturated fat and cholesterol and eliminating plant-based foods which are the primary source of fiber, you are hindering the body's ability to regulate cholesterol and blood pressure. This lack of fiber can also negatively impact gut health, which has broader implications for overall well-being.

Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Issues

We all know that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity are known risk factors for heart disease. While the carnivore diet's restriction of sugar and refined carbohydrates may initially prevent blood sugar spikes, the potential for increased saturated fat and cholesterol intake poses a significant threat. Studies show that increased consumption of red meat and poultry can elevate the risk of high blood pressure in people. Similarly, diets high in saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol levels, further increasing the risk of heart disease. Therefore, the carnivore diet, while potentially leading to short-term weight loss, may significantly compromise long-term cardiovascular health.

Protecting Your Heart Through Dietary Choices

Maintaining heart health doesn't necessitate eliminating meat entirely, but it does require mindful consumption of saturated fat, you must remember that indulging once in a while does not mean you are no longer taking care of yourself, but the end must justify the process, so try eating a controlled amount. Health organizations recommend limiting saturated fat intake to a small percentage of daily calories. This basically translates to a relatively small amount for most individuals.

Beyond Saturated Fat: Other Dietary Considerations

While saturated fat is a cause of concern, there are other dietary factors that play a crucial role in heart health. Added sugar and sodium can also negatively impact cardiovascular well-being, doctors often discourage people from consuming too much of both as they aid in unhealthy weight gain or high blood pressure. Limiting added sugar intake to a small percentage of daily calories is recommended. Similarly, reducing sodium consumption by substituting processed foods with natural alternatives can contribute significantly to heart health.

Embracing a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle

From the research and studies, we understand that having a more balanced diet, which includes fiber-rich foods like nuts, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is essential for maintaining heart health. Try aiming for a daily intake of at least 30 grams of fiber and you will see how it can significantly benefit cardiovascular function. Another thing that is equally important is incorporating regular physical activity. Finding enjoyable forms of movement, whether it is a social sports or activities you find pleasurable like dancing, can make exercise a sustainable and positive part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, people often find that dragging yourself to places you do not like does not work long term. With this holistic approach of combining a balanced diet with regular exercise, you will get the best protection for long-term cardiovascular well-being.

Ever wondered why a food you have eaten comfortably for years suddenly starts causing bloating, abdominal discomfort or bowel changes? The food may not have changed — your gut may have.

Food intolerance can develop in adulthood as the gut microbiome, digestive enzymes, intestinal lining and gut-brain interactions change with age, illness, medications, diet, stress and other factors.

What Changes Inside The Gut?

“The intestine is a dynamic ecosystem. Its microbiome, immune system, intestinal lining and digestive enzymes are constantly changing and adapting to factors such as age, infections, antibiotics, medications, diet, stress and hormonal changes,” Dr. Amit Maydeo, Chairman, Institute of Gastrosciences, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, told HealthandMe.

Dr. Geeta Malkan-Billa, Director of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, highlighted several changes that can affect food tolerance:

• Digestive enzymes: Lactase levels decline after childhood. For some, lactose intolerance can appear in their 20s–40s. Diamine oxidase, which helps break down histamine, can also decrease.
• Gut microbiome: Antibiotics, infections, illness and major diet changes can alter gut bacteria, changing how foods are fermented and potentially causing more gas or bloating.
• Past infections: Gastroenteritis can affect the gut lining, digestive enzymes and gut nerves for months, making certain foods harder to tolerate.
• Gut lining: NSAIDs, tobacco, heavy alcohol use and chronic stress can increase intestinal permeability and trigger low-grade immune activity.
• Gut movement: Ageing, surgery, diabetes, thyroid problems and GLP-1 medications can alter how quickly food moves through the gut, affecting fermentation and potentially contributing to bacterial overgrowth.

Why Does A Familiar Food Suddenly Cause Problems?

Dr Amit said that changes in gut bacteria can alter how carbohydrates and fibers are fermented, while a more sensitive gut lining can make previously tolerated foods feel uncomfortable.

A previous gut infection can also leave the gut more sensitive. After gastroenteritis, some people develop post-infectious IBS, which can make certain foods trigger symptoms.

Stress can further amplify these sensations through the gut-brain axis. As the nervous system becomes more sensitive, normal amounts of gas or intestinal distension may feel uncomfortable, Dr. Amit said.

It May Not Be Food Intolerance

Not every reaction to food is an intolerance. Some conditions can look similar but are actually different:

• Celiac disease: An autoimmune condition that can develop at any age, rather than simply an inability to digest gluten or wheat.
• Food allergy: True IgE-mediated food allergies can also develop during adulthood.

So, a new reaction to a familiar food should not automatically be labelled as food intolerance.

What Should You Do?

Before cutting gluten from your diet, get celiac serology testing, as going gluten-free beforehand can affect the results.

A two-week food and symptom diary can also help identify patterns. Note:

• What you ate
• How much you ate
• When symptoms appeared

The key is to remember that the food itself may not have suddenly become “bad” for you. Your gut’s ability to process and tolerate it may have changed.

Sometimes, however, a new food allergy or another gastrointestinal disorder may need to be ruled out.

When Should You See A Doctor?

Certain symptoms should not simply be blamed on food intolerance. See a doctor if you experience:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Blood in the stool
• Anaemia
• Symptoms that wake you at night
• Swelling
• Difficulty breathing

These symptoms need medical evaluation rather than simply eliminating foods from your diet.

Sorbitol is often seen as a healthier alternative to sugar. The sugar alcohol is widely used in sugar-free chewing gum, candies and other low-calorie foods, offering sweetness with fewer calories than regular sugar.

But new research suggests that sorbitol may not just pass through the digestive system as it was previously assumed.

Scientists have found that after reaching the liver, sorbitol may be converted into a compound related to fructose, where it could trigger metabolic changes associated with fatty liver disease.

How Sorbitol Interacts With The Body?

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis used zebrafish models to analyse what happens to sorbitol after it enters the body.

They found that after eating a meal, sorbitol can be produced naturally in the intestine from the glucose. What happens next depends partly on the bacteria residing in the gut.

Certain bacteria, including Aeromonas strains that degrades sorbitol, can consume sorbitol and convert it into a harmless bacterial byproduct. This may act as a protective filter, preventing the compound from reaching the liver.

But when those bacteria are absent, more sorbitol may pass through to the liver. Researchers found sorbitol can be converted into a derivative of fructose.

The researchers describe sorbitol as being “one transformation away from fructose”, because of how closely the two compounds are connected through metabolism.

Also read: Should You Really Cut Out Rice And Roti To Lose Weight? Expert Explains The Truth About Carbs

Could Sorbitol Affect Liver Health?

The metabolism of fructose in the liver has been linked to steatotic liver disease, a condition in which excess fat accumulates in liver cells. The new findings suggest that sorbitol may have some of the same metabolic effects.

The researchers found that sorbitol could contribute to processes linked with liver fat accumulation when the gut's ability to break it down was impaired.

However, this does not mean that eating sugar-free gum or food containing sorbitol will automatically and mandatorily cause fatty liver disease.

The research was conducted in zebrafish, and the study is exploring a biological mechanism rather than demonstrating that ordinary dietary sorbitol causes liver disease in humans.

Also read: Bill Ackman’s Daughter Gets Experimental Treatment For Vision Loss: When Can Mitochondrial Transplants Help?

Gut Bacteria May Make A Difference

One of the more unexpected findings was the potential role of the gut microbiome in preventing this scenario. At relatively low levels, including amounts naturally obtained from fruit, researchers found that bacteria appeared capable of breaking down sorbitol.

Problems may surface when the amount of sorbitol becomes too high for these microbes to process efficiently. That could happen through consuming large quantities of products that contain sorbitol. High glucose intake may also increase the amount of sorbitol produced inside the intestine.

The researchers therefore suggest that how much sorbitol is consumed and the composition of an individual's gut bacteria could influence what happens to the compound and thus shape the risk of liver disease.

The study does not establish that sorbitol is harmful for humans even when consumed in moderate amounts. In fact, sorbitol occurs naturally in fruits such as stone fruits, and the researchers noted that relatively low amounts are generally handled effectively by gut bacteria.

The findings challenge the assumption that sugar substitutes are automatically metabolically healthy simply because they contain less sugar or fewer calories.

Carbohydrates have unfortunately become one of the most misunderstood parts of the diet, particularly when it comes to weight loss.

Cutting out rice, roti or other carbohydrate-rich foods completely is not necessarily the answer. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy, and the issue is more about the quality, quantity and overall balance of the diet than the nutrient itself.

Why Cutting Carbs Completely May Not Be The Answer

For Indians, this becomes particularly relevant because staples such as rice, roti, poha, idli and other grain-based foods are an integral part of our traditional diets.

Removing them completely can sometimes make a diet unnecessarily restrictive and difficult to sustain. It may also mean missing out on foods that provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, particularly when whole grains and minimally processed sources are chosen.

Also read: The New Nutrition Gap: Why Knowing What To Eat Doesn't Mean We Actually Eat It

Not All Carbohydrates Are Created Equal

What matters is understanding the difference between refined and high-quality carbohydrate sources. A diet dominated by refined flour, sugary foods, sweetened beverages and highly processed snacks is very different from one that includes whole grains, millets, legumes, vegetables and appropriately portioned rice or roti.

The Bigger Picture Behind Weight Loss

Another common mistake is replacing carbohydrates with excessive amounts of protein or fat without considering the overall nutritional balance.

Weight loss ultimately depends on overall energy intake, dietary quality, physical activity, sleep and several other factors—not simply whether carbohydrates are present on the plate.

Also read: Protein Is In Everything, But Is Every Source Actually Healthy? Experts Explain

How To Build A More Balanced Indian Plate

A practical approach is to focus on portions and pair carbohydrates with protein, vegetables and healthy fats. For example, roti with dal and vegetables or rice with dal, vegetables and curd can form a balanced meal. Choosing less-refined carbohydrate sources and paying attention to portion sizes can make the diet both nutritious and sustainable.

Carbohydrates do not need to be feared or completely eliminated. The goal should be to eat the right kind, in appropriate portions, as part of a balanced diet rather than following the latest anti-carb trend.