Low Carb Diets High In Plant Based Proteins Produce Weight Loss & Improve Cholesterol Levels!

Jan. 19, 2010 - PRLog -- A study conducted on overweight participants who followed a low-carbohydrate, low-calorie diet showed that not only did they lose weight but they also experienced improvements in blood cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors!

Study subjects followed the diet for 4 weeks and it is important to point out that the diet was high in plant-based proteins. On the flip side another group that followed a high-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetarian diet also realized weight loss but without the additional cardiovascular benefits.

This is great news for those people who not only want to lose weight but also need to lower their cholesterol levels and/or have some cardiovascular problems. If studies like this continue to show similar results then those with these types of conditions should jump right on this diet. (Of course check with your doctor first!) It is much better to solve medical issues naturally as opposed to the long-term use of medication.

Low Carb Diet - Meat Protein Vs Plant Protein - Which Is Best ?

Low carbohydrate diets with increased meat consumption have been promoted for weight loss and also the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease and diabetes. These diets have been shown to be not only effective in producing weight loss but also effective in lowering blood fat (triglycerides), reducing insulin resistance and raising HDL-C ("good" cholesterol) levels. But the problem is that they also tend to increase LDL-C, ("bad" cholesterol) levels. The authors of the study commented on this fact by stating - "This lack of a benefit for LDL-C control is a major disadvantage in using this dietary strategy in those already at increased risk of coronary heart disease."

The study, which was run by David Jenkins, M.D., of St. Michael's Hospital along with his colleagues, tested the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet high in vegetable proteins. The sources of vegetable protein were: vegetables, fruits, cereals, gluten, soy, nuts and vegetable oils. These tests were run on a total of 25 overweight men and women who also had high LDL cholesterol levels. Participants were randomly picked to follow the "Eco-Atkins" diet for 4 weeks. The Eco- Atkins diet is a low carb diet with an emphasis on plant-based proteins rather than the traditional animal protein sources characteristic of the Atkins diet. An additional 25 participants ate a "control diet" that was built around a high-carbohydrate lacto-ovo vegetarian diet and built on low-fat dairy and whole grain products. Participants of the study were provided with food portions equal to 60% of their calorie requirements.

44 (22 from each group) of the 50 participants who began the study completed the four weeks. The weight loss was about the same in both groups and averaged around 8.8 pounds. The results showed that the low-carbohydrate diet produced reductions in LDL-C levels. Also there were improvements in the ratios between total cholesterol and HDL-C which were greater when compared with the high-carbohydrate diet. In addition there was another interesting result! The study also showed that the low-carbohydrate diet produced small reductions in blood pressure for both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number). Although the reductions in blood pressure were small they were significantly greater when compared to the high-carbohydrate group.

While still awaiting answers to some important questions (one of which would be whether further reducing carbohydrate intake would produce additional benefits) the study showed some promising results for the low carb plant based diet. One important conclusion from the study that the authors' released was that: "A plant-based low-carbohydrate diet high in vegetable proteins and oils may be an effective option in treating those with dyslipidemia (an elevation of lipids in the blood, often due to diet and lifestyle) for whom both weight loss and lower LDL-C concentrations are treatment goals" We here at http://LowCarbLowdown.com wait for and look forward to the promising future results.

Information & Resources For Low Carb Dieting:

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Check out this report from CBS News about this study and the amazing results. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX_eKKYvrqU



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