Health-conscious consumers often shy away from low-carb diets which have been linked to increased levels of artery-clogging LDL-cholesterol. But a growing body of research shows that the source of the carbohydrates, fat and protein in your diet may matter more than the amounts.
In 2009, the Eco-Atkins diet, a low-carbohydrate plan containing protein and fat derived exclusively from plant foods, was shown to be more beneficial for blood cholesterol levels compared to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat program. This week, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and National University of Singapore reported that low-carbohydrate diets that are higher in plant foods are associated with reduced overall mortality risk, especially from cardiovascular disease. The results were published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The subjects included 85,168 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study and 44,548 men enrolled in the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study. The women were followed from 1980 to 2006 and the men from 1986 to 2006.
Among those eating a low-carbohydrate diet that was higher in animal foods, there was a slightly higher risk of death from all diseases including cancer. In contrast, low-carb diets that were higher in fat and protein from plant sources seemed to be protective.
The authors explained that “Low-carbohydrate diets from animal and vegetable sources [...] can result in large differences in dietary components that may affect mortality such as specific fatty acids, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals.”
They suggested that protective effects of plant food-rich low-carbohydrate plans could be due to:
• Higher levels of unsaturated fats
• A greater volume of dietary fiber
• The presence of phytochemicals, protective compounds found only in plants
Healthful low-carbohydrate diets based on plant foods derive fats from nuts, vegetable oils, avocados, and olives. Protein is more likely to come from choices like legumes, nuts, grains and soyfoods, all of which have been linked to reduced risk for chronic disease.
The diets observed in this study are better described as “moderate” carbohydrate intakes since, as the authors noted, none restricted carbohydrates to the extremes seen in many of the low-carb diets that are currently popular. Therefore the results don’t provide support for those fad diet approaches.
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