demonstrates that low-carb diets—even though higher in saturated fat—produce better cardiovascular and metabolic profiles than low-fat, higher-carb diets
Medical Xpress: Low-carb diet shown to improve cardiometabolic risk profile.
A clinical trial led by Boston Children's Hospital, one of the largest and most rigorous study of its kind, now challenges that thinking. It demonstrates that low-carb diets—even though higher in saturated fat—produce better cardiovascular and metabolic profiles than low-fat, higher-carb diets. The findings were published online September 28 by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Surprisingly, the low-carb diet did not adversely affect LDL ("bad") cholesterol, despite having saturated fat levels far in excess of current recommendations," says David Ludwig, MD, Ph.D., who led the study together with first author Cara Ebbeling, Ph.D..
Carbohydrates, insulin resistance, and disease
While high LDL cholesterol is the traditional risk factor for heart disease, a group of other risk factors is increasingly being tied to both heart disease and diabetes: high triglycerides, low HDL ("good") cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, chronic inflammation, a tendency toward blood clotting, and fatty liver.
These factors are hallmarks of metabolic syndrome, also known as insulin resistance syndrome because the body's cells lose their sensitivity to signals from insulin to take up sugars from the blood. Mounting evidence implicates increased consumption of carbohydrates, especially highly processed carbs like refined grains and added sugars.
As people switch to low-fat diets, carbohydrates make up more and more of what we eat. This is one reason why metabolic syndrome is rising—while obesity remains an epidemic
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