Low-Carb Diet Beats Low-Fat for Weight Loss While Improving Cardiovascular Risk Factors

…according to an article at MedPageToday.

Many physicians have been reluctant to recommend low-carb diets out of fear that they increase cardiovascular risk. How could that happen? By replacing carbohydrates with fats, especially saturated fats, leading to atherosclerosis. I don’t buy that theory (here’s why).

This treadmill stress test is looking for atherosclerotic heart disease, aka coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease

A recent study compared low-carb to low-fat dieting over 12 months and actually found better improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors on the low-carb diet (max of 40 grams a day).

After 12 months, folks on a low-carbohydrate diet had lost 5.3 kg (11.7 lb), while those on a low-fat diet with similar caloric value had lost 1.8 kg (3.9 lb). Both groups showed lowering of LDL cholesterol, while the low-carbers had better improvements in HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

DietDoctor Andreas Eenfeldt can add this study to his list of others that show better weight loss with low-carb diets compared to low-fat.

Steve Parker, M.D.