LOW CARB DIETS VS. BALANCED CARB DIETS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK
Low carbohydrate diets are widely promoted for weight loss and associated health benefits, including for diabetes management and cardiovascular health. However, a recent systematic review of the evidence shows little or no benefit of low carb diets compared to balanced carb diets when it comes to both weight loss and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The …
NUTRITION AND LONGEVITY: WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SHOW?
Many dietary factors have been studied for their role in longevity, including dietary composition (the types and proportions of different foods and macronutrients in the diet), energy intake and fasting. In a recent narrative review published in the scientific journal Cell, well known longevity researcher Dr Volter Longo and colleague Rozalyn Anderson provide an overview …
INSULIN INDEX AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES
Most people are probably not aware of the fact that many of the established risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart disease and stroke), like overweight/obesity (particularly abdominal), type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia (high blood cholesterol and triglycerides), are associated with high blood insulin levels. Furthermore, if you have three or more …
DIETS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND DIABETES REMISSION
Several studies have now shown that diabetes remission is possible in some individuals with type 2 diabetes (See Perspectives for more details). Significant weight loss is a key contributor to achieving remission, but the best type of diet to achieve and maintain weight loss and achieve diabetes remission is still unclear. To try to answer …
‘ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS’ AND HEALTH OUTCOMES: MORE RESEARCH NEEDED
A group of Australian and Spanish researchers have published a systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the association between consumption of ‘ultra-processed foods’ and various health outcomes. The review included 43 observational studies and found that consumption of ‘ultra-processed foods’ was associated with an increased risk of overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, all-cause mortality, metabolic syndrome …
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND HEALTH: WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE SHOW?
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most widely studied dietary patterns. The diet is based around a high intake of minimally processed plant foods (including fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds) with moderate amounts of dairy foods, eggs, fish and poultry and only small amounts of red meat. Extra-virgin olive oil is the …
DO CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES AFFECT DIGESTIVE SYSTEM CANCER RISK?
Diet is an important modifiable lifestyle factor which can influence risk of cancer, particularly cancers of the digestive system. It has been suggested that carbohydrate intake is one aspect of diet that might affect cancer risk, but research findings are mixed. This is not surprising considering that carbohydrates are found in a wide range of …
ENERGY BALANCE AND CONTROL OF BODY WEIGHT
As most people are aware, rates of overweight and obesity are increasing all around the world. In 2016, the World Health Organization estimated that 39% of the world’s adults were overweight and 13% were obese, or in other words, more than half (52%) the world’s adult population was overweight or obese. Excess energy from foods …
CARB QUALITY AND RISK OF METABOLIC SYNDROME
Carbohydrate quality may play a role in the development of metabolic syndrome, according to two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors including: High blood pressure Raised blood glucose High waist circumference (excess weight around the middle) Abnormal blood fats, including high triglycerides and low HDL …
FRUIT, ADDED SUGARS AND CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK
With few exceptions, whole fruit is a good source of vitamins (e.g., A, B and C), minerals (e.g., magnesium and potassium), antioxidants (e.g., flavonoids and phenolic acids) and dietary fibre (e.g., cellulose and pectins), and has a relatively low energy density. It is therefore probably not a surprise to read that regular fruit consumption has …
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