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Health Benefits of Low
Calorie versus Low Carbohydrate
by Tanya Zilberter, PhD
How exactly calorie restriction works to prolong life is
unknown. One of working hypotheses is that dietary restriction alters
some, maybe many, of the nervous and hormonal functions that regulate
the body fuel use.
Low
Calorie and Low
Carb
This
article continues
the topic: Calorie Restriction and Life Span
One
of working hypotheses
is that dietary restriction alters some, maybe many, of the nervous and
hormonal functions that regulate the body fuel use. Dr. Masoro's
findings on carbohydrate metabolism are in accordance with this view.
"Diet-restricted rats
can use carbohydrate fuel as effectively as "ad libitum" fed rats,
while maintaining lower plasma glucose and insulin level. Maintenance
of these low levels may protect against [any] long-term damaging
actions of these substances. Dietary restriction also protects against
oxidative damage and, of course, oxidative damage is probably an
inevitable component of fuel use."
(Journals of Gerontology, Series A, Biological Sciences & Medical
Sciences.
50(3):B148-54, May 1995)
However,
the dietary
source of carbohydrate has not been widely investigated in this
respect. Researchers in Department of Nutrition, University of
California, Davis, hypothesized that the dietary carbohydrate source
may affect the life span of rats independent of caloric restriction,
and found that incorporating refined sugars into 60 percent of a
calorie-restrictive diet (instead of
complex carbohydrates) removed all beneficial effects!
"Our data support the
hypothesis that the dietary source of carbohydrate, i.e., sucrose
versus
cornstarch, can significantly affect [the] life span independently of
caloric
intake." (Journals of Gerontology, Series A, Biological Sciences &
Medical Sciences. 50A(1):B48-53, 1995)
It is often asked by
eager low carb dieters: "What if I restrict calories as well as
carbohydrates?
Will I be losing weight faster?"
The
answer is: If you
wish to restrict calories, that's fine. However, you must keep it
in your mind that in this case you will have no advantage using "low
carb
low calorie" diet comparing with low calorie balanced diet. At
least
not during the first 10 days on a low carb diet.
Clinical
studies conducted
on healthy volunteers eating same calorie diets, revealed that while
"low
calorie low carb" ketogenic diet caused weight loss about 500 gram
(roughly
one pound) a day, 300 grams were due to pure water. Balanced
dieters
lost modest 300 gram but only 120 gram of water.
Amazingly,
fat loss
was roughly was the same 180 grams a day on both diets and protein loss
was even slightly higher on ketogenic low calorie diet - 3.8 grams a
day
versus 3.4 grams on balanced low calorie diet.
What
happens on a long
run? It was shown that after 8 weeks on ketogenic diet, dieters dropped
more weight, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and insulin production
than
dieters given low calorie diet.
The
bottom line is:
1)
The beauty of low
carb diets is that you don't have to reduce or even count calories.
2) "Low carb low calorie" diets don't have any advantages comparing
with just low calorie balanced diets.
3) Low carb diets work best on a long run.
Source:
Journal
of Clinical Investigation,
58(3): 722-30 1976
Bulletin of Medical Infant Hospital Mex. 37(4):
667-77 1980
Annals of Internal Medicine, 63(4): 604-12
1965
Acta Paediatrica Hungarian Academy of Science,
20(1):99-103 1979
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