A low-carb diet is also called a reduced carbohydrate or controlled carbohydrate diet. It is a broad term, encompassing many popular diet books as well as eating plans. A low-carb diet does not require you to follow a rigid diet format, but advise limiting the consumption of foods with fats and carbohydrates. Some diets limit the amount of overall carbohydrates, while others focus on certain types of foods, generally ones high in starch and sugars. Any diet whose primary focus is the reduction of carbohydrates in any way is low carb. Generally, a diet with 40% or less energy from carbohydrates is considered a low-carb diet, though people also measure it in different ways.

Low-carb diets help reduce blood sugar and insulin production, which enables the body to utilize stored fat for energy more easily, as well as providing other health benefits and better control over eating. Starch or sugar is highest in carbohydrates. Other food items include anything made with flour, grains, added sugar, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn. Most processed foods are also high in carbohydrates. Examples of low-carb foods are proteins such as meat and eggs, most vegetables, low-sugar fruits (such as strawberries), soybeans, and some dairy products.

Erythritol has the least impact on blood sugar and almost no calories. This white powdery sweetener is very useful and versatile, and can be easily used as an alternative to sugar in cakes and chocolates. There are many people who could benefit from reducing their intake of sugar and refined grains. Individuals vary in their tolerance for carbohydrates. Various studies tells us that people with insulin resistance had better results in terms of weight loss and improvement in health factors such as triglyceride levels on a low-carb diet, while the insulin-sensitive group had better results on a high carb/low fat diet.