A low carbohydrate, high protein diet is unhealthy and possibly even dangerous in the long run
May
16,
2007
This potentially shattering information (for some) was put together by scientists from the School of Medicine in Athens University, from the University of Massachusetts Cancer Center,
and from the Harvard School of Public Health. The researchers took a critical look at the low-carbohydrate diets that contribute to weight control.
22,944 healthy adults were followed between the years 1993 to 2003. According to the analysis, higher amounts of carbohydrate intake were associated with a decreased risk of dying.
A high intake of protein was associated with a small increased risk of dying. However, if low carbohydrate intake was coupled with a high protein intake the persons risk of dying from
any cause increased (with each level of decreasing carbohydrate-increasing protein intake) and much of the increase was due to cancer and cardiovascular mortality. Prolonged consumption
of a low carbohydrate and high protein diet is connected to an increased risk of dying. The study is published in the May 2007 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Magnesium and cereal fiber decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
German researchers looked at the eating habits of over 25,000 adults followed for over 10-years. Subjects with the highest level of fiber intake specifically from cereals had a 28-percent
decreased risk of developing diabetes. In a second study which was a meta-analysis of 17 existing studies (9 on fibers and 8 on magnesium intakes) it was found that high fiber intake ? again
from cereals, decreased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. High magnesium intake cut the risk by 23 percent. The risk reduction was from magnesium and cereal fiber was strongly supported
by the meta-analysis. The two studies are published in the May 14th, 2007 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.