Low Fat vs. Low Carb Which Is Better?

-

Which Is Better for Weight Loss?

By Yasmine Ali, MD

There are so many diets out there for weight loss, it is hard to know where to start and which to choose. Some recent research helps shed light on the long-running low-fat vs. low-carb debate.

Rethinking Low-Fat

A number of studies have now shown that low-fat diets may not be the best choice when it comes to weight loss, or even when it comes to preventing cardiovascular disease.

One study that looked at weight-loss results in individuals following either a low-fat or low-carb diet for a year found that those who followed the low-carb diet lost nearly 8 pounds more than those who followed the low-fat diet.

Importantly, those on a low-carb diet also saw a greater reduction in cholesterol-based cardiovascular risk factors.

In a review of over 50 clinical trials that have examined the low-fat vs. low-carb question, researchers concluded that evidence from randomized controlled trials“does not support low-fat diets over other dietary interventions for long-term weight loss.”

Just a Minute, I want to put in my two cents. Am I sure that they have a valid point? You need some fat for your joints and for your heart. But my point is that you don’t need animal fats. Seafood provides “good fats” nuts prove “good fats” and there are several more plants like avocados that have good fats. That’s why I like the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss and good health.

This food pyramid shows you everything you can eat on the Mediterranean diet and how often.

But Better Than Nothing

However, when compared to no diet at all, the low-fat diet did turn out to be more effective for weight loss. The lesson here seems to be that any dietary change aimed toward weight loss is a better step to take than doing nothing at all. Yes, in a short time period, like three months, I lost about 10 pounds of pure fat.

Yes, in a short time period, like three months, I lost about 10 pounds of pure fat. A low-fat is restrictive. My theory is if you don’t eat animal products you won’t consume any animal fat and your body will have to burn your body fat. So I was basically on a seafood diet for a few months. No meat, and only non-fat dairy, I didn’t drink any calories, and I was eating 6 small (300 calories) meals every day. Sounds crazy, right? It’s the best way not to get hungry.

If you’re going to change your diet, though, why not get the “biggest bang for your buck” and go for the most effective dietary plan?

Higher-Fat Diets With Added Health Benefits

Higher-fat diets that focus on good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), like the Mediterranean diet, have been found to prevent cardiovascular disease and breast cancer as well as slow cognitive decline, all while resulting in modest weight loss.

In the latest results released from the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial at the 2015 American Heart Association meeting in Orlando, Florida, the higher-fat Mediterranean diet actually showed more weight loss (a little over 2 lbs.) than the low-fat control diet.

Researchers believe that this may be due to the nature of the fats inherent in the Mediterranean diet. Yes, and I’ll explain, animal fats from dairy and meat will cause you to add body fat and if you look over the food pyramid you’ll notice there is fish and poultry but very little meat. There is dairy, but you should restrict dairy to low-fat or non-fat. This is not a quick weight-loss diet. Most people like this diet because if they stick to the food pyramid they don’t have to count calories and they do lose weight over time. The more you increase your activity, the faster the weight will come off but it will take your body a little time to adjust to this new diet.

Olive oil and nuts fall into the category of “good fats,” which are low in saturated fat and high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats. They are also high in polyphenols, nutrients that have been found to play a role in preventing cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.

Thus, healthy fats are likely processed and metabolized differently by the human body, and the result is reassuring: eating more of these healthy fats does not result in weight gain at all. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.


If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 


There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 


Look for my book. at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What's the Mediterranean Diet?

-
Image
The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods eaten by people living in the Mediterranean region, especially Greece. It's loaded with healthy foods and research findings suggest following this diet may help reduce some of the risk factors for heart disease.  According to the Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, the Mediterranean diet was introduced in 1993 by Oldways, Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization.  The diet includes: Olives and olive oil Whole grains, mostly in bread and cereal rather than pasta Very little red meat Fish and seafood Some cheese, but less milk Lots of vegetables and fruit Plenty of legumes and nuts A little red wine The Mediterranean diet is high in fiber and antioxidants from vegetables, legumes and nuts, far greater than the typical Western diet, and low in saturated fat. Very little red meat is eaten in this region, and milk consumption is limited as well, exc...
Read more

Changing Your Life To Lose Weight

-
Image
I can let you in on the ultimate secret for successfully making a change in your life. A century’s worth of psychological research reveals an interesting paradox in who we are. On the one hand, once we reach adulthood our basic personalities remain unchanged for the rest of our lives. We keep doing the same things—and feeling the same ways—over and over. But, on the other hand, every day we change our behavior drastically in response to different environments. Most of us are one person at work, for example, and another person at home. It is easier to change our environment than to change ourselves. So, if you want to change yourself, change your environment. Said differently: Whenever possible, don’t try to fight temptations – avoid them! The easiest way to make a change in your life is to modify the world around you in ways that will naturally drive you toward making, and maintaining, the change you want. There are many ways to change your environment, but let’s focus...
Read more

Cancer and High Protein Diets

-
On the Fox TV Network the other night, one of the big stories was about high protein diets. A new study has shown a link between the over consumption of animal protein and how it can stimulate the growth of cancer cells. It seems we all have cancer cells but they don’t normally grow, unless we consume too much animal fat, dairy or fats from processed foods. Before I continue I want to explain about the link to cancer. After all, Man has been eating red meat for millions of years, right. That's true but todays red meat is not the same. Most red meat that we buy in the supermarket comes from Steers that have been raised in feed lots on a grain diet that is full of hormones and other chemicals that shorten the growing time and put more fat on the animal. These hormones and other chemicals stay in the meat and what you're buying will contain the chemicals that the animal ate. Normally a grass feed Steer that lives on the range in big herds will take 18 to 20 months to grow to ...
Read more