Which Diet Is Better - Low Carb Or Low Fat?

The players in the"diet wars" tend to fall into 2 camps: Low carb and Low fat. First let me define the diets. Low carb is any diet with less than 26% of its calories from carbohydrates. Low fat is one that gets 30% or less of its calories from fat.

Supporters of both claim their diets can reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD). Government recommendations and conventional wisdom have concentrated on reducing saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet. Recent studies are calling this into question.

In the late 40's bakers began adding conditioners to the dough so the bread would stay "fresh" longer on the store shelves. Wheat became more refined, which increases the carbohydrate concentration in a set volume. Many other changes accrued in the processing and handling of our food. Chemicals began being used as they did in many manufacturing processes. This may explain the sudden explosion of CVD in the early 50's that lead to the recommendations on fat.

A problem with the saturated fat being bad theory is that while obesity and diabetes have become epidemic, the proportion of dietary saturated fat decreased. The absolute amount fat eaten has decreased by 14 %, in men.

So is what we have been told as fact all our lives wrong? What is going on here?

It appears there is some truth to both sides. Recent studies indicate that carbohydrate is the controlling factor deciding if saturated fat will be bad for you.

Both of these camps now recognize refined carbs of all kind are a bad food choice. Although the low fat dieters will tend to consider fat a much worse a choice than refined carbs, current science no longer supports this.

If you are wanting a reduce your risk of developing CVD you have two choices:Low fat/ high carb. If you choose to go with the standard widely recommended diet, by all means limit your fat intake. The evidence is overwhelming that eating fat on a diet high in carbs is bad for you. You will need to get most of you nutrition from whole foods, highly refined carbs and trans fats are bad for you no matter the diet approach you prefer.
Low Carb/high fat. This does not mean you have to stay below the 26% of your calories from carbs. Before the obesity and diabetes epidemic the American diet average below 45% of its calories from carbs. Based on this history a moderate carb diet should work well for most in the long run. Just remember you will need to get most of you nutrition from whole foods, highly refined carbs and trans fats are bad for you no matter the diet approach you prefer.

The choice is yours. Find the diet plan that you can follow the rest of your life. Recent studies show the 2 things you need to avoid are highly refined carbs and trans fats. Also remember don't try to straddle the fence on this because if you eat moderate high carb and even moderate fat you are will increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

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