Senior Writer/Editor
A recent study found that people who followed a low-carb diet lost more weight than people who ate a low-fat diet.What's more, they enjoyed lower cholesterol levels to boot. So, was Dr. Atkins right? Should people ditch their fruit for a filet mignon?
"Not so fast," says Pam Ofstein, director of Nutrition Services for eDiets.
"Low carbohydrates shouldn't mean no carbohydrates," she said. "While a low carbohydrate plan can help with weight loss, a lot depends on the types of carbohydrates and the quality of other foods included."
The study, conducted by researchers from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, found that both low-carb and Mediterranean diets were as effective as low-fat diets. Appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, the two-year Israeli study is one of the largest and longest of its kind to compare the effectiveness and safety of common weight-loss approaches.
The study followed 322 moderately obese subjects. Participants ate a low-fat, Mediterranean or low-carbohydrate diet. Those following a low-carb approach recorded the greatest weight loss -- averaging 10.3 pounds. Those assigned to the Mediterranean plan came in a close second losing an average of 10 pounds. The low-fat group dropped the least amount with 6.6 pounds. Encouragingly, almost 85 percent of participants actually stuck to their diets.
In addition, the low-carb approach seemed to have the best overall impact on cholesterol, while the Mediterranean approach seemed to be the most effective for controlling blood sugar.
While the results were eye-opening, there are some things to keep in mind, Ofstein said. Carbohydrate foods such as whole grains and fruits are fiber-rich and have a low glycemic impact. Including them daily can help you lose or maintain weight as opposed to eating refined carbohydrates and foods that contain low nutrient density. And of course, exercise is important to any healthy lifestyle.
"As we know with a majority of weight-loss plans, if you follow them and include activity, you can lose weight," she said. "Weight-loss plans can be individual, and what works for one person may not be the best fit for another."
Choosing an approach that works means finding a food strategy that satisfies you and that you can stick to in the long term -- which is the first step toward a lifestyle change that will help you lose weight and live healthier. A trained and accredited nutrition professional can help you match your own preferences with the right diet.
If you have questions, you can learn more by visiting the Glycemic Impact or the Mediterranean diet report cards on eDiets.
Or, you can get your diet and nutrition questions answered immediately by an eDiets Nutrition Specialist by calling 1-877-880-5785, or chat online. Nutrition Specialists are available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. You may also email anytime to get your questions answered.
Labels: diets, glycemic, low carb diets, mediterranean diets
Comment: July 22, 2008 3:32 AM - 
said...
Hahaha...i can assure you without scientific research backup that low fat + low carb is by far the best for losing weight!
Comment: July 22, 2008 9:13 AM - said...
No surprise! This is not THE FIRST medical research to show low carb superior to aiding weight loss! The low carb concept even redefines our traditional food pyramid.
Comment: July 22, 2008 10:14 AM - 
Theresa said...
What about people who are active and just want to lose a few pounds (less than 10). Of course obese people will benefit from any diet and exercise program. What really works when you get real close to your desired weight? Is low carb healthy long term?
Comment: July 22, 2008 10:41 AM - said...
I would like to know what type of carbs the group on the low fat diet were eating. Were they whole grains and fruit?? And was there any excercise or just a diet. I would think those factors would impact the results.
Comment: July 22, 2008 10:52 AM - said...
My husband was obese and at first the low carb diet such as South beach helped him shed pounds but when he started excecising heavily he had to switch to a low fat diet with healthy carbs to continue the weight loss and sustain the energy needed for his workouts. 1 year later he has lost 150 lbs and looks incredible. It is our lifestyle and an easy one to prepare low fat healthy foods. We could not have a lifestyle of low carb dieting. It's too impractical to nearly cut out an entire food group from the diet.....that our body craves...for us :)
Comment: July 22, 2008 11:00 AM - Deana Brown said...
The trick is finding Low fat and low carb menus out there. I am having the hardest time finding them for my family. Making grocery shopping very difficult. If anyone knows a site with low carb and low fat meals /menus in one let me know
deanabrown@onlinemissions.net
Comment: July 22, 2008 11:46 AM - said...
deana, low fat/carb meals would be anything made of veg and low fat protein (tofu,low fat fish,chicken/turkey breast,low fat red meat,low fat meat replacements - like quorn or soy, low fat dairy,egg substitute etc).Add herbs/spices and you're done.Low fat mayo also helps.
Eg.mashed potato alternative - mix mashed cauliflower with low fat cream cheese,salt&pepper,spray with butter flavour. good luck,jana
Comment: July 22, 2008 4:20 PM - said...
If nothing else the study exposed the flawed theory of eating fat makes you fat as totally wrong. A low carb diet should include plenty of healthy natural fats like butter, egg yolks and fatty fish and meat to keep you feeling satisfied and give you energy. A low carb/low fat diet can actually be harmful. Our bodies need fats for proper function. Everyone has been so misled by the corporate FDA food pyramid for so long they think it's the gospel. Fat is not all the same nor is it all bad for you. Go to www.westonaprice.org for some enlightening info. It will require however that the reader exercize independent thinking, something quite foreign to many people these days. Look what they did to poor Dr. Atkins, a true pioneer in the dietary field. He called the connection with low fat, high carb and diabetes/heart disease way back in the '70's.
Comment: July 24, 2008 8:15 AM - said...
I ate so healthy for years, grains, lots of fruit, whole grain pasta, and salad, salad and more salad, I bought Suzanne Summers books, and read how I was a carb-craving fool, when I began eating poached eggs, one slice of whole grain toast, putting chicken or tuna on my salad, omitting everything white, potatoes, white bread, etc, and using lots of good healthy veggies, thats when I lost over 40 lbs. her recipes are low carb, good fats, nooooo sugar, that is the worst thing we can comsume, and cut fruits to two or three a day, no juices, too much sugar, and snack on healthy nuts, but of course limit intake, and you too will lost weight, and have a good hormonal balance in your body. Remember its not, No carbs, its Low and healthy carbs, and lower fat foods. good luck Shelley
Comment: July 24, 2008 10:52 AM - said...
Why is it that so many people misunderstand low carb eating? One person posted the following:
"We could not have a lifestyle of low carb dieting. It's too impractical to nearly cut out an entire food group from the diet.....that our body craves...for us."
I hear this from dieticians and so-called fitness magazines too. Did anyone writing this stuff ever read the current Atkins and South Beach books or look on their websites? Neither plan advocates cutting out fruits and vegetables or whole grains in moderation. Both plans do have a 2-week introductory period for rapid weight loss and to help reduce cravings for carbs that we've built up over a lifetime of bad eating. But the on-going weight-loss phases are very healthy. I followed this phase of Atkins for a year and besides losing weight, my cholesteral went down by 30 points and my triglycerides dropped 44 points -- and that was after adding lots of lean meat, cheese, and eggs to my diet -- but also TONS of vegetables and fruits.
Comment: July 24, 2008 3:36 PM - said...
there are some foods that are so low calorie and so high fiber that no matter how much you eat, you can't sustain your body weight. For example, you have to eat approx. 17 pounds of broccoli per day to keep your current body weight. has anyone tried to eat 17 pounds of broccoli in one day? lol. when i switched to a 70% veggie and fruit, 30% meat, grain and dairy diet, i dropped a ton of weight. keep in mind, though, you have to like your food to stick with it. i've always loved the produce section of the supermarket, so it wasn't that hard for me. some of you might not. you have to find what's right for you.
Comment: July 24, 2008 9:32 PM - said...
Low carb doesn't mean no carb. in low carb diet, prot and fat will be high consume. wt loss can occur if calorie have restricted- doesn't matter from fat or carb. but in low carb and high prot, wt loss might be more rapid because of loss of body water. it may suitable for short term but not long term. after 3 month, wt may be only maintain, not losing anymore.
Comment: July 25, 2008 1:16 PM - said...
estoy en low carb diet por 2 semanas y he bajado 14 libras, si haces la dieta como debes puedes comer de todo, me gusta mucho la dieta
Comment: July 29, 2008 9:23 AM - said...
i have been on the atkins diet now for about eight months. i lost twenty pounds in the first three months and then ran into a two month platou. i have stuck with it and am now exercising and still feeling great. since i started the atkins diet, i eat more vegitables and fruits now daily than i ever have. the fruits taste much sweeter now that i have cut out simple sugars from my diet....and i cant believe i have actually stuck to a diet this long on my own, even when feeling discouraged...
