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A study has found that low-carb and low-fat diets can be heart-healthy and lower your risk of heart disease, but only when rich in nutrient-dense plant-based foods.
In contrast, diets based on refined carbohydrates, animal fats, and animal proteins may increase the risk of heart disease. The results suggest that the purported health benefits of low-carb and low-fat diets come from macronutrient quality, not quantity.
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Researchers at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health conducted the study to examine how low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) and low-fat diets (LFDs) affect coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, and whether diet quality is a factor.
“Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets have been widely promoted in the US over the past two decades for weight control and metabolic health, but their effects on heart disease risk have remained unclear,” said Zhiyuan Wu, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition and the study’s lead author.
The researchers followed 42,720 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) (1986-2016), 64,164 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) (1986-2018), and 91,589 women in NHSII (1991-2019) for CHD incidence.
‘Our findings help debunk the myth that simply modulating carbohydrate or fat intake is inherently beneficial’
The researchers found that LCDs and LFDs that emphasize quality carbohydrates, plant-based proteins, and plant-based fats were associated with a 15 percent lower risk of CHD. However, LC and LF diets that emphasized refined carbs, animal fats, and animal proteins instead of plant foods were associated with increased CHD risk.
According to the authors, the study’s key takeaway is that prioritizing nutrient-density should take precedence over diets that restrict key macronutrients.
“Our findings help debunk the myth that simply modulating carbohydrate or fat intake is inherently beneficial, and clearly demonstrate that the quality of foods constructing low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets is what’s most important to protect heart health,” said Wu.
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‘Overall healthy eating pattern’ is more important for health than ‘macronutrient restriction’
The new study also found that the healthier versions of the two diets were associated with improved cardiovascular biomarkers such as higher HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) and reduced triglycerides (“bad” cholesterol).
“For clinicians, dietitians, and patients, our study suggests that promoting an overall healthy eating pattern, rather than strict macronutrient restriction, should be a central strategy for the primary prevention of heart disease,” said Qi Sun, an associate professor at the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology and the study’s corresponding author.
JACC Journals published “Effect of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets on Metabolomic Indices and Coronary Heart Disease in U.S. Individuals” in February.
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