The controversy seems to be on. Those who advocate low-fat diets for heart health tell us low-carb, high-fat diets are harmful to heart health. On the surface, it makes sense that this would be true. But is it?
A recently published clinical trial by a doctor and researcher who is well versed in cardiovascular and metabolic health has come to some very interesting and surprising conclusions. The way this test was done was that the participants were divided into one of 3 groups. They followed the diet assigned to them for 20 weeks. Each of the 3 diets contained 20% protein but varying amounts of carbs and fat.
Study participants received fully prepared, customized meals that they could either eat in at the cafeteria or take away. So there was no estimate of whether they actually consumed the prescribed amount of macronutrients.
Here’s how the diet broke down:
Low-Carb: 20% Carbohydrates, 21% Fat
Moderate-carb: 40% carbohydrates, 14% fat
High Carb: 60% Carbohydrates, 7% Fat
The surprising results came out at the end of 20 weeks:
“A low-carbohydrate diet, high in saturated fat, improves insulin-resistant dyslipoproteinemia and lipoprotein(a) without adverse effects on LDL cholesterol. Carbohydrate restriction may reduce CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk independently of body weight, There is a possibility that warrants study in major multi-centred trials powered on difficult outcomes.”
So, in plain English, what the researchers found was that people eating a low-carb, high-fat diet had lower levels of triglycerides, adiponectin (a fat-derived hormone that appears to play a key role in protecting against insulin resistance/diabetes) There was a better improvement. and atherosclerosis), blood pressure and lipoprotein (a) compared to a moderate or high-carb diet. Lipoprotein (a) is a type of protein that transports cholesterol in the blood and can cause LDL cholesterol to form plaques on blood vessel walls, causing the blood vessels to narrow or block and cause the arteries to harden. can be done. High saturated fat had no negative effect on cholesterol or cardiovascular markers.
Goes against what we’ve been told for years. In my opinion, it always depends on the quality of the food and where the fat comes from. Saturated fat is not the dangerous substance we have long been told about it. My personal feeling is that it depends on the source of that fat and how your unique metabolic makeup reacts to saturated fat.
How do you feel about considering a low-carb, high-saturated fat diet?
Source by Ann Musico
