Is a low carbohydrate diet really dangerous?

Pasta. Leaven. Mashed potatoes. If you're one of the legions of people on the diet who cut carbohydrates with religiosity to try to become slim and fit, you might be surprised by a recent study that showed that low carb diets are only -be not healthy. In fact, they can be dangerous.

Research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Germany has shown that very low carbohydrate diets can actually increase the risk of premature death over time. Yes

The author of the study, Professor Maciej Banach, of the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, said: "We found that people who ate a low-carbohydrate diet were running a higher high risk of premature death. Risks have also increased for individual causes of death, including coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer. These diets should be avoided. "

The study – which was not published in a peer-reviewed journal – used data on food and health from nearly 25,000 people collected as part of the study. National survey on health and nutrition between 1999 and 2010. Researchers found that on average 6.4 years of follow-up, people who consumed the least carbohydrate had a 32% higher total mortality risk. , a risk of about 50% of deaths from vascular disease and a 36% higher risk of dying from cancer, compared to people who ate the most carbohydrates.

As Banach put it, "Diets low in carbohydrates may be useful in the short term for weight loss, lowering blood pressure and improving blood sugar control, but our study suggests that in the long term, they are linked to a risk increased death causes and deaths from cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer.

Part of the problem may be that people who eliminate carbohydrates can instead consume high-fat foods. When Despina Hyde, dietitian at NYU Langone's weight management program, told Time, "When you're not eating carbs, you have to eat something. We tend to eat more protein and more fats [on a low-carb diet]Said Hyde. In addition, carbohydrates are the only source of fiber that we have, and the fibers are excellent for reducing the risk of breast cancer, lowering our cholesterol levels and satiating us longer.