Simple carbs increase risk for heart disease

June 29, 9:13 AMSt. Louis Low-Carb ExaminerAmy Dungan

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Avoid high-glycemic carbs to keep your heart healthy!
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Many people spend a good part of their days counting calories, limiting fat intake and exercising until they collapse from exhaustion. The reason for all this torture is to prevent heart disease and live a long, happy, healthy life.  For most though, just putting yourself through all that nonsense is enough to make you wish yourself into an early grave. The saddest part is that studies are consistently showing that it’s not only unnecessary, but probably counterproductive. The standard American diet (SAD) is high-carb and low-fat in nature and has yet to be proven the most effective or the healthiest option.

A study conducted by Dr. Michael Shechter and colleagues, of the Leviev Heart Center in Israel, set out to learn the effects of a glycemic- index dietary carbohydrates on the arteries. To accomplish this they assessed 56 men on four separate mornings, one to two weeks apart. After an overnight fast, each subject was examined and then fed one four meals to gauge the effect of said meals to the arteries.

The meals consisted of cornflakes, glucose, high-fiber cereal and a placebo (water) and were served in a rotating randomized fashion so that the subjects received all four meal types. They found that fasting blood glucose levels were the same in all patients, but rose significantly after the glucose and cornflake meals compared to the high-fiber and placebo meal. The result shows that high-gylcemic carbohydrate consumption (AKA sugar, starches and other junk low-carbers avoid) may enhance the risk for cardiovascular disease.