More support for low carb

[omni550]

"A review of 17 different studies that followed a total of 1,141 obese patients on low-carb eating plans — some were similar to the Atkins diet — found that dieters lost an average of almost 18 pounds in six months to a year.

Overall, participants had improvements in their waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides (blood fats), fasting blood sugar, C-reactive protein (another heart disease risk factor) as well as an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. LDL (bad) cholesterol did not change significantly."

Low-carb diet gets more support from new analysis


omni

 

[Koogie]

I'm on that bandwagon. Have lost 80 lbs now over 4 years (38 of it on paleo/atkins over the last 8 months) To me, it is more about the reduction of processed/packaged crap and high amounts of sugar and sugar substitutes (which high carb foods are loaded with). We're actively reduced our heavy meat intake (which gets easier as you get more used to the lifestyle and more proficient in creative meal planning) and adding more nuts/fruit for fibre. caveat: except sweet, sweet bacon and peameal bacon (you Yankees call it Canadian bacon.. funny Yankees). ; o )

 

[NW-Bound]

Come on! Why deny credit for something that good, eh? It surely looks like Canadian bacon to me.

From Wikipedia:

Peameal bacon (also known as cornmeal bacon) is a type of bacon originating in Canada. The name reflects the historic practice of rolling the cured and trimmed boneless loin in dried and ground yellow peas, originally for preservation reasons. Since the war years, it has been rolled in ground yellow cornmeal. It is low in fat, and slow cured.​

 

[Tyro]

Low carb diets are also recommended for those in intractable pain for many of the same reasons already mentioned.

 

[Chuckanut]

Not everybody agrees that low-carb is good for us.

The Low-Carb Fraud: T. Colin Campbell, Howard Jacobson: 9781940363097: Amazon.com: Books

 

[donheff]

Not everybody agrees that low-carb is good for us.

Most people don't.

 

[braumeister]

From the author's biography:

For more than 40 years, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, has been at the forefront of nutrition research. His legacy, the China Study, is the most comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever conducted.

Additional information:
The China Study is probably the most thoroughly debunked nutritional study ever conducted.

Quick example as cited by Chris Kresser:

Campbell conveniently fails to mention the county of Tuoli in China. The folks in Tuoli ate 45% of their diet as fat, 134 grams of animal protein each day (twice as much as the average American), and rarely ate vegetables or other plant foods. Yet, according to the China Study data, they were extremely healthy with low rates of cancer and heart disease; healthier, in fact, than many of the counties that were nearly vegan.

This is just one of many cases of the selective citation and data cherry picking Campbell employs in the China Study.

Like a lot of these books, The China Study confirms the old H. L. Mencken quote:

For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant, and wrong.

 

[Ready]

I just finished reading "Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight", which in a nutshell tells you to eliminate all gluten from your diet, and eat a mainly high protein low carb diet, similar to Atkins. He warns against replacing wheat bread with gluten free bread, since although it's gluten free, it still spikes your blood sugar levels more than eating a candy bar.

His issues with gluten go far beyond obesity though. He claims gluten causes just about every known disease to man - high blood pressure, skin rashes, IBS, acid reflux, diarrhea, arthritis...Can't think of much he didn't blame gluten for.

I've been off gluten for about two weeks now, and eating much lower carb than I previously did. I do feel much better, and actually enjoy the foods I'm eating now much more than the flour based carbs I was eating previously. Boy those things are addicting!

I've done Atkins before, and always found it easy to lose weight and feel good, so I am a big believer in high protein low carb diets. But I doubt most of us would argue that eating things like bagels, bread, muffins, cake, cookies, pasta, or fried breaded foods is really good for you. At best, eating bread is just empty calories. At its worst, it raises your blood sugar levels even more than eating a candy bar, making it that much more difficult to feel full and to lose weight.

With all the evidence we now have against processed carbohydrates, I can't imagine any credible doctor arguing against a high protein diet. Some may suggest that eating bacon and fatty steak should be limited. But given the choice between a piece of grilled wild salmon, or a plate of white flour pasta, I think few experts would argue about the benefits of eating more salmon and less pasta.

 

[donheff]

I just finished reading "Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight", which in a nutshell tells you to eliminate all gluten from your diet, and eat a mainly high protein low carb diet, similar to Atkins. He warns against replacing wheat bread with gluten free bread, since although it's gluten free, it still spikes your blood sugar levels more than eating a candy bar.

Wheat Brain by a Neurologist, is a very interesting read along the same lines.

 

[CoolChange]

I wonder how much of the low carb benefit can be attributed to limiting high glycemic index (GI) and processed foods rather than carbs in general. I have not looked for any studies along these lines for quite some time; so, I honestly do not know if any have been published.

Personally, I am a believer in reducing GI foods in general as well as most highly processed foods, especially highly processed carbs...in theory. In practice, I do still eat the occasional doughnut or drink the occasional Coke when I have a serious crave. I do not particularly try to limit low GI carbs like skim milk and beer. But, I do try to keep my calories from fat under 20% of my total intake most days.

 

[braumeister]

I am a big believer in high protein low carb diets.

Actually, this is a problem for many people. It's not always clearly understood that low carb doesn't mean high protein.

The ideal diet (IMHO) is really low carb, high fat (often abbreviated LCHF), and moderate protein.

If you ingest too high a level of protein, your body just converts it into carbs, so you could do yourself a disservice while trying to do the right thing.

 

[braumeister]

Some may suggest that eating bacon ... should be limited.

I thought language like this was forbidden on this board!

 

[martyb]

I'll think about all this stuff while I'm eating my pint of BlueBell!

 

[F4mandolin]

I tried low carb...felt like I was gonna die. I'm a carbo guy. I can eat lots of bread etc and lose weight as long as I stay away from beer (damn) and fatty junk foods. I just don't follow my plan......

 

[RAE]

I wonder how much of the low carb benefit can be attributed to limiting high glycemic index (GI) and processed foods rather than carbs in general.

Yes, I think that is correct, particularly with regard to processed foods. There is nothing evil about carbs per se; many root vegetables have a fair amount of carbs, for example, and they are fine to consume in reasonable quantities. It is all the processed grains (particularly wheat) and sugary drinks that are the biggest problem with the Standard American Diet, in my opinion (along with highly processed oils such as soybean oil and corn oil). If you cut most of the highly-processed grain products (cookies, bread, bagels, crackers, doughnuts, cake, soda, etc.) out and concentrate mostly on eating nutrient-dense "real food" (such as fish, meat, vegetables, fruits (in limited quantities), healthy oils such as pastured butter, olive oil, coconut oil), you will go a long ways toward putting yourself on a much healthier path. I know it has worked for me.

 

[ER Eddie]

I have a real sweet tooth and should probably try a diet like this.

However, one of the things that always concerned me was -- doesn't increasing your intake of meat increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and/or cancer?

 

[RAE]

I have a real sweet tooth and should probably try a diet like this.

However, one of the things that always concerned me was -- doesn't increasing your intake of meat increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and/or cancer?

Despite what you may have heard, there is little or no scientific evidence that meat and saturated fat consumption increases your risk for either heart disease or cancer. Chris Kresser has a great series of articles on this topic:

Heart Disease / Cholesterol

Note: processed meats (lunchmeat, some sausage, etc) are NOT the same as regular cuts of meat, although many of the studies you see on meat consumption unfortunately lump the two together. Also, grass-fed meats are preferable to grain-fed meats.

Here's a link to another good article on what really causes heart disease:

http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease

 

[Elbata]

Can someone tell me how an alcoholic drink have only 1 carb and yet have 150 calories? I've never understood that?

If the 3 macronutrients are fat, protein and carbs, does that mean fat and protein make up the 146 remaining calories?

 

[Ready]

Also, grass-fed meats are preferable to grain-fed meats.

Unfortunately, most cheap red meat, like the kind you get at McDonalds and most fast food establishments, is grain fed. And the grain is typically contaminated with pesticides. So we don't really have that much data on the long term effects on grain fed meats. It's just another example of modern agriculture finding a way to make food cheaper and easier to produce without regard for potential health effects.

I don't eat red meat, but if I did, I would limit it to grass fed, and most likely lean cuts of meat. I never liked fat that much anyway, but animal fats just seem like they would be harder on the body than fats from avocados and olive oil. I can't say I have any scientific evidence of that, but just my own hypothesis.

 

[Katsmeow]

But I doubt most of us would argue that eating things like bagels, bread, muffins, cake, cookies, pasta, or fried breaded foods is really good for you. At best, eating bread is just empty calories. At its worst, it raises your blood sugar levels even more than eating a candy bar, making it that much more difficult to feel full and to lose weight.

With all the evidence we now have against processed carbohydrates, I can't imagine any credible doctor arguing against a high protein diet. Some may suggest that eating bacon and fatty steak should be limited. But given the choice between a piece of grilled wild salmon, or a plate of white flour pasta, I think few experts would argue about the benefits of eating more salmon and less pasta.

I think you paint with too broad a brush here. I do tend to believe that lowish carb eating is good, higher protein is probably OK (but it is possible to eat too much protein) and that refined grains don't provide any nutritional benefits. I do avoid eating refined grains but I'm not extreme about it. That is, I don't think that occasional refined grains are all that harmful for most people.

I don't think that whole grain bread is empty calories. I eat sandwiches sometimes (a few times a week maybe) and I eat them on whole grain bread. I don't think that is the end of the world.

As far as a plate of grilled wild salmon versus white flour pasta, I agree that the salmon is better for you. On the other hand diversity in eating has its advantages as well. If I had grilled salmon for the past 6 nights, is it a big deal if I go out to eat and have white flour pasta?

Also, what if that is grilled wild salmon versus whole grain pasta? What if I already had salmon 3 times this week and I have the option of salmon versus whole grain pasta? Do I really have to pick the salmon (again) to be healthy? (And, I love salmon).

Or, for probably the average person - what if it is simply grilled salmon in a restaurant (probably not wild) versus whole grain pasta?

 

[Katsmeow]

Here's a link to another good article on what really causes heart disease:

http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease

On the other hand, this article about the "heart surgeon" above was linked in the comments:

A Skeptical Look at Dwight Lundell, M.D.

 

[UtahSkier]

Can someone tell me how an alcoholic drink have only 1 carb and yet have 150 calories? I've never understood that?

If the 3 macronutrients are fat, protein and carbs, does that mean fat and protein make up the 146 remaining calories?

Macronutrients are defined as being essential for survival. So, alcohol is not a macronutrient.

But, Alcohol is the 4th dietary substance we can consume that contains calories.

McKinley Health Center - Macronutrients: the Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat - University of Illinois

 

[UtahSkier]

My experience is teaching me that the issue is not a choice between low fat or low carb. Instead the choice is between junk (fats and carbs) and quality (fats and carbs).

Processed foods with fats and carbs are mostly in the junk category, while whole foods are mostly quality.

There are always exceptions; I choose to avoid the whole food Wheat and have removed it from my list of quality foods. Sugars and sweeteners are almost always on the junk list. Carrots and berries, with their high sugar content, are on the quality list.

So, my healthy diet has replaced (equal calorie portions) pepperoni pizza with Grilled fish, baked sweet potato and grass fed butter.

In fact, that was dinner tonight and here's some info from my log

Dinner Calories Carbs Fat Protein Fiber Sugar
Generic - Fresh Halibut, Grilled, 210 0 4 42 0 0
Sweet potato - baked in skin 154 35 0 3 6 14
Butter - Salted, 3 tbsp 305 0 35 0 0 0
TOTAL 669 35 39 43 6 14

Nothing low carb or low fat in that quality meal.

My experience is I am better able to control my hunger and not over eat by choosing quality fats and carbs and avoiding the junk. Portion control is a major key to maintaining optimal weight.

 

[eridanus]

Is the low carb diet fad still going on? What'll be next? The nutritional yeast diet?

 

[donheff]

Is the low carb diet fad still going on? What'll be next? The nutritional yeast diet?

Not only is it still "going on" but it is no longer reasonable to describe it as a fad. Sweden officially adopted LCHF as it's recommended dietary regime. It is of course possible that they got it wrong, just like many of us argue that the US got it wrong with low fat. But it seems arbitrary to dismiss as a fad or fringe a health guideline adopted by a first world country after careful study.