Skip to main content

Which Diet Is Best for Heart Health?

 Which Diet Is Best for Heart Health?

It seems the controversy continues. Those who advocate for low-fat diets for heart health tell us a low-carb, high fat diet is detrimental to heart health. On the surface, it makes sense that this would be true. But is it?

A recently published clinical trial conducted by a doctor and researcher well versed in heart and metabolic health came to some extremely interesting and surprising conclusions. The way this trial was conducted was that the participants were split into one of 3 groups. They followed the diets assigned to them for 20 weeks. Each of the 3 diets contained 20% protein but differing amounts of carbs and fat.

Study participants received fully prepared, customized meals that they could either eat in the cafeteria or take to go. So there was no guessing as to whether they actually consumed the assigned amounts of macronutrients.

Here is how the diets broke down:

Low-carb: 20% carbohydrate, 21% fat

Moderate-carb: 40% carbohydrate, 14% fat

High-carb: 60% carbohydrate, 7% fat

At the end of the 20 weeks, the stunning results revealed:

"A low-carbohydrate diet, high in saturated fat, improved insulin-resistant dyslipoproteinemia and lipoprotein(a), without adverse effect on LDL cholesterol. Carbohydrate restriction might lower CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk independently of body weight, a possibility that warrants study in major multi-centered trials powered on hard outcomes."

So, in plain English, what the researchers found was that the people eating the low-carb, high fat diet had better improvements in triglycerides, adiponectin (a fat-derived hormone that appears to play a crucial role in protecting against insulin resistance/diabetes and atherosclerosis), blood pressure and lipoprotein(a) than those on the moderate or high carb diets. Lipoprotein(a) is a type of protein that transports cholesterol in the blood and can cause LDL cholesterol to form plaques on blood vessel walls, leading to the narrowing or blocking of blood vessels and hardening of arteries. The high saturated fat did not have any negative impact on cholesterol or cardiovascular markers.

That goes against what we have been told for years. In my opinion, it always comes down to the quality of the food and where that fat comes from. Saturated fat is not the dangerous substance we've long been told it is. My personal feeling is that it depends on the source of that fat and how your unique metabolic makeup responds to saturated fat.

How do you feel about considering a low-carb, high saturated fat diet?

Ann Musico is a holistic health coach and independent nutritional consultant. She helps coaching clients achieve vibrant health and wholeness - spirit, soul and body. 

Visit her website at https://www.threedimensionalvitality.com to learn more about her 3-D Living coaching packages and books, Today is Still the Day and Natural Tips for Staying Healthy. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Adopting a Vegetarian Diet

Adopting a vegetarian diet has become a popular choice for individuals looking to improve their health, particularly as heart disease and obesity rates continue to rise in many parts of the world. Vegetarians tend to have lower cholesterol levels and consume fewer trans fats than those who consume meat and dairy products. However, to maintain good health, vegetarians must ensure they obtain the right amount of nutrients from their vegan diets. By taking care to plan their diets carefully, vegetarians can enjoy a satisfying and tasty way of life. While there is no established vegan diet, it is widely agreed that with so many vegetarian diets to choose from, the choice is ultimately up to the individual. However, vegetarians must be cautious not to make their diets too restrictive as this can lead to difficulties in meeting the body's daily nutritional requirements. Commonly deficient nutrients among vegetarians include protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Soy pr...

THE TRUTH ABOUT MENOPAUSE, WEIGHT GAIN AND "THE POOCH"

By Colleen McCleery, MD, OB/GYN—Exuberan® by Virtua Menopause is a mixed bag of little surprises. While most women look forward to saying goodbye to tampons and pads, far fewer are excited to now experience hot flashes and night sweats. And it’s probably fair to say that weight gain is the least popular and often least expected “side effect” of this hormonal shift. Considering many women struggle with their weight on a good day, it’s not surprising that this is the number one complaint from patients who are going through this transition. The biology of menopause During the late 40s to mid-50s, a hormone called FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) increases and no longer performs its job to regulate the ovaries. During this increase in FSH, other hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone decrease. A decrease in testosterone can lead to weight gain and decreased energy. And, not surprisingly, estrogen loss has far-reaching effects beyond hot flashes. It contribut...

Is White Wine Good For Your Heart?

Is white wine as "heart healthy" as red wine? Here’s what you should know about the heart health benefits of white wine. The answer is  probably  -- though researchers continue to debate the question. Some studies have indicated that red wine is modestly better for the heart than white wine (or beer or spirits) because it contains resveratrol -- a polyphenol (plant chemical) associated with cardiovascular benefits, including reduced risk of heart attack. Resveratrol is found in the seeds and skin of grapes, which are crushed together with the pulp to make red wine. White wines, on the other hand, are made with just pulp and therefore contain very little resveratrol. But recent studies have shown that the pulp does contain other polyphenols that may be heart healthy. Moreover, although red and white wines differ in polyphenol composition, both contain similar amounts of alcohol -- which is known to increase level s of HDL ("good") cholesterol and prevent bl...