Two studies that compared low-carb diets with low-fat diets revealed that people who followed the low-carb diet not only dropped excess pounds, but were also shown to have better triglyceride levels and on the whole better HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

At the onset of the study the low-carb group lost more weight than the low-fat group, however at closing of the 12-month study, it was discovered that both groups, the low-carb and low-fat group, lost nearly equal amounts of weight.

Over the course of six to 12 months, the participants of the low-fat group continued to lose weight, whereas the weight of the low-carb group remained constant for the next six months.

Features of the Study

• Researchers observed 132 obese adults who were divided into two random groups

• One of the groups followed a low-carb diet, which consisted of 30 grams a day, while the other group adhered to a diet where they derived 30 percent of their calories from fat

• 83 percent of the participants of the study had either been diagnosed with diabetes or had risk factors for heart disease

One expert attributed the obesity problem in America to people eating too many calories and suggested a low-carb diet as a way to curb the excess calories that were being consumed.

Another study followed 120 overweight people for a six-month period. Researchers discovered the subjects who maintained the low-carb diet lost an average of 26 pounds, while the subjects on the low-fat diet lost an average of 14 pounds.

In addition to losing more weight, the low-carb dieters showed improved changes in their blood triglyceride levels and HDL cholesterol levels as compared with the low-fat participants.

Another expert claimed that the proven results of low-carb diets could no longer be brushed aside. He also recommended reducing carbohydrate intake for weight loss, providing healthy sources of protein and fat were included in the diet, along with daily exercise.

Annals of Internal Medicine May 18, 2004;140: 836-837

EurekAlert May 17, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The Annals of Internal medicine has the head of Harvard's nutrition department, Dr. Walter Willet, stating that we can no longer dismiss very low-carbohydrate diets. Along those lines, I was recently in Arizona for 10 days and had a chance to visit some fast food restaurants. I have written about the low-carb offerings in the newsletter before but it was quite different to actually experience them. I realized that after nearly 10 years of promoting low carb it has finally been accepted as an unequivocal cultural reality. We have a long way to go before the culture wakes up to other basic nutritional truths, but this is a major step in the right direction. I have about 60 years left to facilitate the transformation to the new health paradigm and at this rate it is more than a reasonable goal. David versus Goliath for sure, but Goliath was eventually killed. In many cases people do find success from low-carb diets, however they don’t work for everyone and those who try it and don’t get the results they were hoping for may quickly become discouraged. The bottom line is that the reason why so many people fail at this diet--and others--is because a one-size-fits-all approach to diet just doesn’t work. Once you understand that everyone has their own metabolic type, you will be able determine whether a high-protein diet is right for you, or if you actually need a high-carb diet (with vegetables as the primary carb source) to look and feel your best. Contrary to today’s popular belief, certain carbohydrates are not evil and some people actually need a high-carb diet to lose weight. In my new book, Dr. Mercola’s Total Health Program, you will find that you can eat what you want as long as you know your nutritional type--and a brief test is included to help you determine what type you are. The book also provides you with 150 delicious nutritious low-carb recipes geared toward your metabolic type. So put the unhealthy low-carb snacks aside and put yourself on the right path to eating healthy and optimizing your health and weight for life. Related Articles: Do Low-Carb Diets Work? High Protein Diets: Separating Fact From Fiction Low Carbohydrate Diets Scientist Questions Benefits of Low Fat Diets Are Low-Fat Diets Safe or Beneficial For Kids? More On Low Fat Nonsense