Specific low-carbohydrate diets – even those high in saturated fats – might improve cardiovascular risk factors and insulin resistance, say findings from a major new study.
The study observed 163 obese or overweight adults placed on a low-calorie weight loss diet and then randomised to follow either a high-carb, low-carb, and medium-carb diet.
Participants were all given conventionally healthy foods, such as vegetables, olive oil and seafood. Low-carb eaters were not over-indulging on bacon and cheese, and high-carb eaters focused on whole grains and less processed starches.
After five months, low-carb dieters saw improvements in lipoprotein insulin resistance, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Notably, there was no increase in LDL cholesterol, a signal to measure cardiovascular risk. Those on the medium-carb diet also saw modest improvements; however, people following the high-carb diet experienced declines in their numbers.
Read the study here from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
