A long-standing debate continues over which diet plans are most effective for losing weight: low-carb diets or low-fat diets. The results from a recent study about weight loss from low-carb vs low-fat dieting were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in September 2014. What the researchers discovered turns out to be good news for low-carb dieters.
The conclusion from the year-long trial states the following:
"The low-carbohydrate diet was more effective for weight loss and cardiovascular risk factor reduction than the low-fat diet. Restricting carbohydrate may be an option for persons seeking to lose weight and reduce cardiovascular risk factors."
The low-carb participants were advised to eat foods with protein (red meat, chicken, fish, pork, and tofu) and unsaturated fats (fish, olive oil, and nuts), and to cook with olive and canola oils. Low amounts of saturated fats were allowed. These dieters also ate vegetables and some fresh fruits. Interestingly enough, the low-carb group raised the number of daily calories from saturated fats that they ate to a little more than 13% – which is more than double the 5-6% limit recommended by the American Heart Association.
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The low-fat participants ate foods with higher levels of carbs, such as those made from grains. They also ate cereals and other processed, starchy foods. However, they reduced their total fat intake to less than 30% of the number of calories they ate each day.
The study participants following both diet plans had no calorie restrictions. One of the most interesting findings showed that those eating more fats while eating fewer carbs lost more body fat and experienced more overall weight loss. These low-carb dieters also showed improvement in lean muscle mass. The low-fat dieters did lose weight, but actually lost lean muscle mass.
Another very interesting – and extremely important – finding was this: the low-carb dieters, even after eating more calories and more unsaturated fats, ended up with much lower levels of triglycerides and much higher levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol). In other words, the low-carb diet with fat improved the dieters' cardiovascular health as well as helped them lose weight.
Wouldn’t you agree these are good reasons to follow a low-carb diet plan as part of a healthy lifestyle?
Related Resources:
Annals of Internal Medicine Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets: A Randomized Trial
New York Times A Call for a Low-Carb Diet That Embraces Fat
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