On a low-carbohydrate diet? Makes sure you don’t skip these foods

Going on a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss? Make sure to include more plant-based fats and proteins instead of animal-based ones.

Upneet Pansare | Updated: September 21, 2018 10:58 am

Eat more of veggies when on a low-carb diet © Shutterstock

In a bid to lose weight quickly, many are opting for low-carbohydrate diets. But they are exchanging carbohydrates for a greater intake of protein or fat from animals than from plants. This is leading to a number of other health problems. A study published in Lancet Public Health that focused on the association between carbohydrate intake and mortality, has revealed that those following both a low carbohydrate (<40% of energy from carbohydrate) and high carbohydrate (>70% of energy from carbohydrate) diet were associated with increased mortality risk and shorter residual lifespan, with minimum risk observed with 50–55% of energy from carbohydrate. Low carbohydrate dietary patterns that replaced energy from carbohydrate with energy from animal-derived protein or fat were associated with greater risk.

However, this association was reversed when energy from carbohydrate was replaced with plant-derived protein or fat. When carbohydrate is substituted for higher animal fat or protein intake it is associated with both higher cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular death, whereas plant-based substitutions are associated with both lower cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular death, indicated the study. Long-term effects of a low carbohydrate diet with typically low plant and increased animal protein and fat consumption stimulate inflammatory pathways, biological ageing, and oxidative stress. The study also states that when restricting carbohydrate intake, replacement of carbohydrates with predominantly plant-based fats and proteins could be considered as a long-term approach to promoting healthy ageing.

Low-carbohydrate vegetables and legumes you must eat include cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, fenugreek, sprouts, bell peppers, green beans, eggplant, onions, cauliflower, mushrooms, avocados, olives, green peas, lentils.

Low-carbohydrate nuts and seeds you must eat include cashew nuts, pistachios, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia, pine nuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.

Published: September 21, 2018 10:21 am | Updated:September 21, 2018 10:58 am

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