Study Shows Low-Carb Diets are Effective!

A study in the Annals [Definition: record of events] of Internal Medicine medical journal looked at low-carbohydrate diets and found that they are an excellent way for people to lose weight.

A three-week study published in the March 15, 2005, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine found that during a two-week period on a strictly controlled very-low carbohydrate diet, participants lost an average of 3.6 pounds.

The study compared a very low-carbohydrate diet with a regular diet.  During the first study week, participants ate a regular diet in which they could eat anything and as much as they wanted.  They ate about 3,000 calories and 300 grams of carbohydrates per day and remained at the same weight.

In the following two weeks, when the dieters were restricted to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, and despite the fact that they could eat as much protein and fat foods as they liked, they wound up actually eating about 1,000 fewer calories per day.  As an additional benefit, participants’ blood sugar levels improved on the low-carb diet.

The study showed that eating carbohydrates makes it far more difficult to reduce both food and calorie intake.  So cutting your carbohydrate intake will help you lower your caloric intake as well.  With fewer carbohydrates, you’re going to eat fewer total calories a day, which will result in easier weight loss.

By Bob Held, President Wellness Support Network
Website: Diabetes Treatment

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