For years I have questioned the popularity of low carb diets. I get that if you want to lose weight fast, they work. Carbs are high energy. Lower your energy intake, lose weight. Simple.
The thing that I didn't like about this kind of diet was that you had to limit something that was good for you. I've seen people refuse a banana but happily chow down on a can of tuna to limit their carb intake. I couldn't understand how something that is found in natural foods, vegetables & fruits, could be bad for you. I believe that a diet should be balanced & include a variety of unprocessed foods.
It seems that my suspicions about a low carb diet being bad for you are on the money. The Australian today reported that 18 studies have indicated that long term low carb diets increase the chance of premature death.
Although the reasons are unclear the evidence points towards fibre & wholegrains reducing the risk of illnesses like bowel cancer & heart disease. Low carb diets are generally high in protein, specifically animal proteins which are high in saturated fats which can contribute to high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
These findings are not surprising to me at all. I believe that if you have a balanced diet, full of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, fats, proteins and unprocessed foods you are ensuring that you are getting a variety of vitamins and nutrients and not depriving your body of anything it needs.
Source:
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/news/carb-cutting-a-recipe-for-disaster/story-e6frg6n6-1226600134949
No comments:
Post a Comment