In the 1970s, low-carb diets were all the rage. the Dr. Atkin’s Diet Revolution Book claimed that carbohydrate restriction was a “high calorie way to stay slim forever”.
Carbohydrates are found in breads, cereals and other cereals, fruits, vegetables and milk. They are also in ultra-processed fast food, cakes, crisps and soft drinks.
These days, low carb diets are promoted as a weight loss solution, to beat heart disease, and as better for diabetes. But how do these claims match up with the latest research?
A new review of evidence found that long-term low-carb dieters lost just under a pound more weight than other dieters. However, the review concluded that there was no evidence that low-carb diets have any additional health benefits.
In fact, if you’re on a low-carb diet, you’ll need to be more careful about what you eat to make sure you’re getting enough vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other essentials. phytonutrients.
What did the reviewers investigate?
The Cochrane review included 61 randomized controlled trials (the highest level of evidence) with nearly 7,000 overweight adults. About 1,800 people had type 2 diabetes. People in the healthy weight range were not included.
The reviewers compared weight loss diets that varied in carbohydrate content:
- low carbohydrate diets. This included very low-carb or ketogenic diets (less than 50g of carbohydrates per day or less than 10% of your total energy from carbohydrates) and low-carb diets (50-150g of carbohydrates per day, i.e. less than 45% of total energy from carbohydrates)
- “balanced” carbohydrate diets (more than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day, or 45-65% of your total energy from carbohydrates).
What did they find?
The reviewers found that among overweight adults (but who did not have type 2 diabetes), those who followed a low-carb diet for 3 to 8.5 months lost an average of one kilogram of weight by more than those on a balanced carbohydrate diet.
However, when they ensured that the energy intake restrictions were the same in both groups, by providing the food or meal plans, the difference was about half a kilogram.
In longer-term weight loss interventions lasting one to two years, the average difference in weight loss between those on a low carbohydrate diet and a balanced carbohydrate diet was slightly less of one kilogram.
The average weight lost by the dieting groups varied widely between trials, ranging from less than a kilogram in some cases to around 13 kg in others.
Studies in adults with type 2 diabetes have found greater initial weight loss with low-carb diets compared to balanced-carb diets: 3 pounds over three to six months. However, in longer interventions that lasted between one and two years, there was no difference.
In the small group of studies that included a maintenance period at the end of the weight loss intervention, there was no difference in weight loss in adults with or without type 2 diabetes.
There were no significant differences in other health measures, including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar control, or risk of constipation. And they found no clinically important differences in outcomes based on the extent of participants’ carbohydrate restriction.
Overall, the review shows that whether you prefer a low carb or balanced carb diet, both can work for weight loss.
Nutrients to watch out for on a low carb diet
Carbohydrates are a macronutrient. Your body uses it to produce energy to power your muscles, brain, lungs, and other vital processes.
Healthy carbohydrate foods — breads, cereals and other grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk — are packed with other important nutrients, especially dietary fiber, thiamin, calcium, and folic acid.
Without careful planning, a low-carb diet could also contain fewer of these nutrients. So how can you make sure you’re getting enough? Here’s what to look for — and some lower and higher carb options.
Dietary fiber is needed to maintain regular bowel function and promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your colon.
Lower carb sources: spinach, fresh and frozen berries, almonds, cauliflower
Higher carb sources: wholemeal bread, apples, chickpeas, sweet potato.
Thiamine or vitamin B1 is needed to provide energy to your body tissues and is used to metabolize carbohydrates.
Lower carb sources: trout, tuna, sunflower seeds, beef, yeast extracts
Higher carb sources: brown rice, black beans, wholemeal bread, yogurt.
Calcium is necessary for strong bones.
Lower Cabin Sources: hard cheese, canned salmon with reduced bones, almonds, firm tofu
Higher carb sources: yogurt, milk, soft cheese.
folate is essential for growth and is used to make DNA, your genetic code. Adequate intakes are especially important for womenbecause folate is needed to prevent neural tube defects in infants during pregnancy.
Lower carb sources: green leafy vegetables, avocado, broccoli, peanuts
Higher carb sources: wholemeal bread (Australian bread flour is fortified with folic acid), fortified wholegrain cereals, brown rice, oranges.
Ultimately, if you love carbs and want to lose weight, you can. Plan to reduce your kilojoule and carbohydrate intake by not eating ultra-processed, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods (junk foods), while continuing to eat carbohydrates from healthy food.
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