Health
One of the golden rules of losing weight is “burn more calories than you eat.” Moreover, a new study has found that the human body burns calories more efficiently by adhering to a certain diet.
The researchers found that overweight people burned an average of 350 more calories per day when they were on a low-carb diet than when they were on a low-carb diet low-fat diet.
This amount of calories expended can be equated to one hour of moderate physical activity.
The researchers also found that people burned 150 more calories per day when they ate foods with a low glycemic index than when they ate a low-fat diet.
These findings suggest that, in terms of metabolism, not all calories are equal. The quality of calories that come in affects the number of calories that come out.
Aren't all calories equal?
Dr. David S. Ludwig, the study's author, offered 21 adults three meals a day for 7 months. At the start of the study, all participants were on the same diet and lost an average of 14 percent of their body weight.
Then, to maintain weight, volunteers took part in a trial of three popular diets. One diet consisted of low-fat foods, the second was based on the Atkins diet, which reduces carbohydrates, and the third diet focused on low-fat foods glycemic index (for example, black bread and oatmeal instead of white bread and white rice)
A person's diet can change more than just scales, so researchers have tested for signs of heart disease and diabetes risk, along with metabolic rate calculations.
On a low-carb diet, participants burned the most calories, but had higher levels of stress and inflammation hormones. Both of these indicators are risk factors for heart disease.
Meanwhile, those on a low-fat diet had the most negative effects related to insulin resistance, lipid levels, and good cholesterol.
A low-glycemic diet provided many of the calorie-burning benefits of a low-carb diet, but without extremes. But, according to experts, at the same time, participants included more fat in their diet than is usually recommended.
Healthy eating
Low-fat diets were championed by doctors for decades until the Atkins diet shattered medical principles. Heart health experts were concerned that the Atkins diet left too much space for fat-rich foods, which could lead to clogged arteries.
Nobody would have thought about it before, but now there are a number of studies showing that it is possible to lose weight with a moderate-fat diet.
Of course, a month of research for a diet is too short a time to make nutritional recommendations. And doctors need carefully controlled experiments, as was done in the latest study.
Scientists hope that they will be able to test three types of diets in a larger group of participants over a longer period of time. But so far he has given one practical tip: a balanced intake of healthy fats and carbohydrates. Cook the vegetables with butter, sprinkle some cheese on the broccoli, or add avocado to the tortilla.