Low Carb vs. Low Fat DietA controlled trial of the efficacy of low carb vs. low fat diet -s for weight loss in obese adolescents was conducted at the Center for Atherosclerosis Prevention at Schneider's Children's Hospital in Hyde Park, New York. The low carb vs. low-fat diet study, which involved teens between the ages of 12 and 18, who were between 20 and 100 pounds overweight. The result was that the teens that ate a low carbohydrate diet lost an average of 19 pounds in 12 weeks, while those on a low-fat diet lost an average of only 8.5 pounds. This, despite the fact that the low carb-ers were eating considerably more calories than the low fat dieters. The low carb teens ate an average of 1830 calories a day, as compared to an average of 1100 for the low fat dieters. That's quite a difference! So far we can see that in comparing low carb vs. low fat diet that the weight loss is greater on a low carb diet. The researchers apparently weren't surprised at the greater weight loss in the low carb group; it seems that the fact that a low carbohydrate diet does, indeed, work for weight loss is starting to sink in. What did surprise them a great deal in this battle of low carb vs. low fat diets was that the teens on the low carbohydrate diet showed a greater improvement in blood work. Total cholesterol fell in both groups, but triglycerides fell 33% in the low carb group, as compared to 17% in the low fat group. Further, HDL (good cholesterol) increased more in the low carb group. So there you have it in the battle of low carb vs. low fat diet, the winner is... ........The Low Carb Diet........ Sadly even with compelling low carb vs. low fat diet research like this, the mainstream view is still: "Everybody knows that a low fat, high carbohydrate diet is the most healthy." My reply? "In my experience, something that is known by everybody is almost invariably wrong". Sadly - no, tragically - this is the situation we find ourselves in today. The Low fat myth.... The low fat myth has become so accepted by western society that the majority of health professionals, personal trainers, government agencies, societies supporting those with serious illnesses and the general public believe that lowering your fat intake and increasing your carbs, especially grains, is the healthy way to eat. But it is simply not true. It was never proven - it was a hypothesis that someone came up with about 25 years ago, and it was repeated so many times that everybody came to believe it. The tragic part is that the last 25 or so years, while people have been leaping on the low-fat bandwagon, have seen an increase in obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and many other illnesses. This is not a coincidence. The only studies that show an improvement in health from this kind of diet are short term. There are no long term studies that support this theory. So while doctors go on about not knowing the long terms effects of a low carb vs. low fat diet, do they really know what the true long term effects of a low fat diet are? Firstly, let's look at why a low fat diet might show a short term improvement in health. The quality of food available to us in modern times is shocking. With our busy lifestyles, we rely heavily on processed foods for quick meals. Takeaways are eaten much more frequently than previously, and our children and teenagers breakfast on potato chips and chocolate while waiting for the school bus. So, many people have a poor diet. When you go into your doctor with a health problem, he or she may put you on a low fat diet, with an emphasis on fruit, vegetable and grains. You stop eating takeaways and eat more natural foods. You get an improvement in health from the extra nutrients in the fruit and veggies, but more importantly from the decrease in overly processed foods. Unfortunately, this often doesn't last. After a while, the lack of essential fatty acids and inadequate protein start to catch up with you. Without enough building blocks, your body's processes start to slow down. At the same time, the higher intake of carbohydrate raises your insulin levels, which eventually leads to other health problems, including Syndrome X. The imbalance in your macronutrient intake also causes an imbalance in your micronutrient (vitamins & minerals) intake. This leads to a whole host more problems. To cater for the demand for low fat foods, manufacturers are now producing many items that can be advertised as low fat. Trouble is, when you look at the label, the high carb content is often comprised of sugars of one kind or another. Even some of the more conservative health "experts" agree that a diet high in sugar is unhealthy. Manufactured foods often contain high fructose corn syrup as the main sweetener. This is one of the most dangerous sweeteners around. As if this wasn't enough, a diet high in grains causes a further set of problems. Grains are a comparatively new food to humans. Until we learned to grind and cook them, we couldn't eat them at all, due to their anti-nutrient content. After we began to cultivate grains, our health deteriorated. This is because they were simply not a suitable food, despite us learning how to process them so that they could be tolerated. Eating grains can lead to leaky gut, food intolerances and autoimmune disease. The Protein Power Lifeplan has a very good explanation of this process. Some people tolerate a diet lower in fat and higher in carbohydrates than others, and still keep good health. This may be one of the reasons that the myth has been accepted for so long. We see people who have success with a low fat diet, and think it's our own fault we have failed on it. But the people who do well on a lower fat diet still have to be careful to get enough fat and protein, or health problems are likely to develop further down the track. Another group of people who may find a higher carb diet suitable is endurance athletes. As they need a huge amount of fuel, they can eat more carbohydrate without the health problems caused by eating more fuel than you can burn. But they also have higher fat and protein requirements, as their bodies have more regenerating to do. So in this case, higher carb still doesn't mean low fat. Some short term benefits from a low fat diet have been documented, but none have held up long term. The reasons for failure of low fat diet include: • Inadequate protein and fat in the diet mean our bodies can't rebuild properly • Too high a carb intake leads to high levels of insulin in the blood, which causes many diseases • Eating foods advertised as low fat usually means a diet high in sugar • Reliance on grains as a dietary staple leads to many chronic health problems • Deviating from the diet of our ancestors means that we don't get all the vitamins and minerals we need, resulting in dangerous imbalances • But the most convincing argument against a low fat diet is simply that it has failed. We eat less fat than ever before and our health is much, much worse. So in this closer look at low fat vs. low carb you can see that there are many important health issues with a low fat diet. So what about the danger of low carb dieting? Are there any of those? Any diet taken to an extreme can be unhealthy. But the reaction that greets anyone suggesting a low carb diet is often a knee-jerk one, without an examination of the facts. Even with clearly documented evidence in favor of a low carb vs. low fat diet. People are still blinded with tradition. They still think that a diet high in saturated fat has been proved to cause high cholesterol and heart disease. Actually, no it hasn't. Low carb vs. low fat diet research shows that a diet higher in saturated fat correlates to better health. I've noticed that many low carb diet plans have been produced by medical doctors, who have been using these principles with their patients. They see an increase in health in the vast majority of their patients, on a long term basis. While this cannot be held up as proof that the principles are right, it seems to be a good indicator that a low carb vs. low fat diet is more successful than for many people. The basics of a low carb diet usually consist of: • Protein - meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and soy. • Carbohydrates - These are usually limited to a certain threshold each day, which varies from plan to plan. Fruit and vegetables with a high level of nutrients and a low carb count are encouraged. • No grains or legumes, starchy vegetables or fruit high in sugar. And definitely no sugars of any kind. • Fats - a good plan may recommend extra virgin olive oil, a little butter, coconut fat, small quantities of nuts and supplementation with fish and/or flaxseed oils. Many people need to initially eat a diet that seems extremely low in carbs to bring their bodies back into balance. They can then gradually increase their carbs till they find a suitable maintenance level. Staying in the extreme stage for too long is probably not advisable, though as long as you are getting enough calories it shouldn't be dangerous. (Incidentally, this also applies to people who initially have success with a low fat diet. Be aware that you might need to get your body back into balance, and then move onto a less extreme diet). Limiting carb may lead to shortages in micronutrients, especially in the early stages. If you are getting a variety of low carb fruit and veggies, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. But is advisable to take a broad spectrum multi-vitamin/mineral supplement (without iron) to be on the safe side. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In summary of a low fat vs. low carb diet: We all have different dietary requirements and the correct balance between protein, carbohydrate and fat can vary between people. But protein and fat are vital building blocks for our body. So we must all be careful to get enough, whereas carbs are only used for fuel. Studies, and the experience of doctors treating patients with a low carb diet, both indicate that these seem to be far more successful. For both plans, you should make sensible choices within the scope of the plan. Avoid junk food, processed foods, margarine, cheap vegetable oils, fried foods and sugars. As always, monitor how you are feeling, and don't continue with any plan that makes you feel unwell (beyond a settling-in period).
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