According to the study conducted by the team of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada head by Dr. David Jenkins, a low-carbohydrate vegan diet – named as “Eco-Atkins” is effective for weight loss.
Now the team found out that the “Eco-Atkins” may also reduce the risk of cardiac disease by 10% over 10 years.
Dr. Jenkins research resulted that many low-carbohydrate diets have been associated with weight loss. But he notes that most of these diets include eating animal proteins and fats, which can increase cholesterol.
But the diet having high vegetable proteins and oils have been allied with a reduced risk of heart disease by reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL the “bad cholesterol”. LDL cholesterol builds up in the walls of blood vessels narrow the walls and cause blockages, resulting increases the risk of heart disease.
Eco-Atkins diet – It consists of low carbohydrates and high vegetable proteins and oils food, the team wanted to see whether it could reduce heart disease risk.
Eco-Atkins diet
Experiment:
The researchers evaluated 39 overweight men and women between April 2005 and November 2006.
They were divided into two groups:
Group A- followed the Eco-Atkins diet for 6 months.
Group B- followed a high-carbohydrate low-fat diet for 6 months.
Those who followed the Eco-Atkins diet have to eat around 60% of their estimated caloric requirements that should be consumed each day to maintain their current weight.
Group A were told they should intend to get 43% from fats, 31% from proteins and 26% of calories from carbohydrates. Mainly from vegetables and vegetable oils.
Observation:
At the end of the research tenure, the team found that Group A, who followed the Eco-Atkins diet had 10% lower cholesterol and lost an average of 4 pounds extra weight, compared with Group B, who followed the high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
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Conclusion:
The team calculated the reduction in cholesterol and weight as a 10% reduced risk of heart disease over 10-year period.
Dr. Jenkins and team stated that, “We conclude that a weight-loss diet which reduced carbohydrate in exchange for increased intakes of vegetable sources of protein, such as gluten, soy and nuts, together with vegetable oils offers an opportunity to improve both LDL cholesterol and body weight, both being risk factors for heart disease.
Further trials are warranted to evaluate low-carbohydrate diets, including more plant-based low-carbohydrate diets, on heart disease risk factors and ultimately on heart disease.”
grain
High-fiber food:
Oats and barley, formed part of the Eco-Atkins diet, as did low-starch vegetables, including okra and eggplant. Sources of protein came from vegetables, nuts, cereals, gluten and soy while the main fat sources were vegetable oils, nuts, and avocado and soy products.