An interesting discovery was made by Harvard University when they set out to assess the safety of low-carb diets using data from a Nurses’ Health Study. Their analysis revealed that the quality of the foods you eat is more important in terms of preventing heart disease than the quantity of carbohydrates or fat you consume. During the analysis, researchers found that the percentage of calories a woman got from fats, carbohydrates or proteins had no influence on heart disease risk. However, those who got more of their calories from healthier sources of protein, such as tofu, beans and whole-grain foods, along with healthy fats like olive oil, were actually 30% less likely to develop heart disease. Conversely, those women who ate more poor-quality carbs had a nearly doubled risk of heart disease.
Poor quality carbohydrates are defined as those which are digested rapidly, causing a faster rise in blood sugar, such as sugary sodas and white bread. Higher quality carbohydrates, such as whole grains and vegetables, prove to be the better choice. They contain more fiber and thus take longer to digest producing a slower, steadier blood sugar.
The report suggests that we should be able to combine the good features of low fat diets and low carbohydrate diets, while avoiding the bad features of each. By switching to a diet that incorporates good fats instead of saturated or trans-fats, includes healthier proteins and quality carbohydrates, while lowering animal protein, you can achieve a healthy diet and reduce your risk of heart disease at the same time.
SOURCE: New England Journal of Medicine, November 2006
Their analysis revealed that the quality of the foods you eat is more important in terms of preventing heart disease than the quantity of carbohydrates or fat you consume. Every book covered this month talks about nutrition and its importance. In the book Low-Carb Dieting for Dummies by Dr. Chauncey, available on our website, you will find detailed information about low carbohydrates and why the nutrition quality is just as important. This information again points us back to the fact that healthy choices over time pay big dividends, because it is all the special nutrients in basic fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and meats that make all the difference in total health over the long run. This may also explain why many poorer countries that can only afford to eat basic, from the earth, diets do not deal with the level of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer that we do. These diseases may be considered the rich man’s illnesses. This is one example that being wealthy may really work against you. Make sure your family and friends know about Benzinger On Health.
God Bless,
Dr. Benzinger
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