FORGET calorie counting – a simple diet tweak could be more effective for weight loss, scientists said.
The food swap could help lower the risk of heart attacks and too, research from the University of showed.
New research from the University of Surrey suggests that may yield similar benefits to drastically consumed – but without the misery of depriving yourself of food.
Dr Adam Collins, co-author of the study and associate professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey, explained: “We found that by simply , without enduring extreme calorie restriction, we can reap the metabolic effects associated with short-term fasting.
“This suggests that periodically reducing our carbohydrate intake could be a more accessible and sustainable way for people to manage and improve their metabolic health.”;
Thinking of , your mind might zero in on bread, pasta, cakes.
But there are different types:– which are processed and nutrient poor – and unrefined, which are minimally processed and higher in .
The refined variety include starchy carbs, such as white bread, white flour, pastries and white rice.
As for unrefined carbs, they include , non-starchy vegetables, pulses and legumes.
The study followed 12 women aged 20-65 years who were overweight or obese as they ate three different diet plans for one day.
They did so in a random order, with a five-day ‘washout-period' between each diet.
The plans included:
- A normal carbohydrate diet – with carbs making up 55 per cent of their caloric intake
- A low-carb diet with balanced calorie intake – only 50g of carbs were allowed, but the plan met participants' energy requirements for the day
- A low-carb diet with significant calorie restriction – only 50g of carbs and the plan met 25 per cent of participants' energy needs for the day
Participants were asked to eat all their meals by 8pm and not exercise while following the plans.
They were supplied all the meals rather than being ask to cook them at home.
The swapped out rice and pasta for cauliflower rice and courgette spaghetti.
After completing each diet day, participants were asked to eat a standard meal and had their appetite and blood metabolites assessed.
They also recorded their usual dietary intake over a three-day period before the study started.
Researchers found that both low-carb diets – regardless of calorie reduction – led to participants for energy.
Their metabolic markers also improved and their bodies responded better to high fat meals.
They had reduced levels of triglycerides – a type of fat in the blood that may lead to .
Researchers reckoned cutting down on carbs – rather than calorie restriction – plays “a dominant role in inducing metabolic adaptations”.
“Therefore, the metabolic threshold for inducing these adaptations might be more achievable, than previously thought,” they went on.
“Further research is warranted to investigate how metabolism and behaviours adapt to repetitive cycles of carbohydrate restriction at different energy levels and whether the observed results could replicate the impact of intermittent energy-restricted dietary regimens.”
The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, also highlighted that while participants experienced increased hunger on the low-carbohydrate days, it didn’t translate into increased food intake over the following two days.
This suggests that the body may adapt to the reduced carb intake, potentially making it easier to adhere to this diet in the long term.
Dr Collins added: “This research offers a promising new perspective on dietary interventions for metabolic health and could have an impact on managing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and .”
Experts have previously told Sun Health that following a low carbohydrate diet isn’t “automatically healthy”, especially if strict dieters also swear off fruit, vegetables and grains.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP and clinical consultant topatient.info said this risks you becoming deficient in vitamin B, vitamin C, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, and other micronutrients that are important to your body’s function.
She added: “If you look at the longer term, it's not necessarily that good for helping you lose weight, because frankly, it's quite boring.”;
And a diet that's boring is one you’re unlikely to follow for long.
But fot type 2 diabetes sufferers, a low carb meal plan can be very effective for short-term weight loss and can even.
