Are you confused about weight loss diets? Depending on the source, low-carb is best one moment and low-fat is better the next. Which should we be most concerned about? Carbs or fat?
A recent study from Tulane University published it findings in 2014, revealing that people who went on a low-carbohydrate diet shed significantly more weight in one year than members of a group who followed a low-fat diet for the same 12-month time period. More importantly, the low-carbohydrate group walked away lighter with fewer cardiovascular risk factors.
Study particulars included the following:
o The study participants were a racially diverse group of 148 men and women (unusual in clinical nutrition studies).
o The participants were not limited in the amount of calories they could consume.
o The low-carb group was told to eat mostly protein, fat, and foods with unsaturated fats. They were still allowed to eat red meat and cheese.
o Previous concerns that low-carb diets lead to increases in cholesterol did not materialize in this study.
The researchers found that low-carb group participants lost about eight pounds more the low-fat diet participants. The low-carb participants also lost more body fat, and gained lean muscle mass without amending their exercise patterns. Those in the low-fat diet group did lose weight, and unfortunately, muscle too.
At the close of this research study, the low-carb group generally experienced the following:
· Less inflammation
· Lower triglycerides and higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol
· No change in blood pressure
· No change in total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
For the most part, this study provides reasonable evidence for considering a low-carbohydrate diet. The best approach is probably to indulge in less of foods ranked high on the glycemic index, containing refined carbohydrates. Make that change in your diet, and you’ll eat your way to better health.
Read the full article here: Low Carb or Low Fat Diet? – Ask Dr. Weil
