Low-Carb, Plant Based Diet Helps Keep Pounds Off

With the start of every year, ads for “the best” weight loss approach are plentiful. Programs based on different foods, different workouts, group exercising, solo at home- the selling points are endless. Some work, others don’t. Some promote a slow and steady method that truly shifts lifestyle habits. Others promise a quick fix. But it largely boils down to a few things. Move more, improve lifestyle habits (sleep, hydrate, decrease stress, etc.), rule out or keep up with any underlying health concerns (get those yearly check-ups!), and eat quality foods. When it comes to a diet that can best support our health and keep the weight off, study after study shows that a plant-based diet is the way to go. The latest, released January 2024, shows that a low-carb diet that includes high-quality proteins, fats, and carbs from plant-based sources helped reduce weight gain over a 4-year period.

Data from 3 large ongoing prospective U.S. cohorts was used and included the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), with 121, 700 female nurses aged 30 to 55 years enrolled in 1976, the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII) of 116 ,340 female nurses aged 25 to 42 years recruited in 1989, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), initiated in 1986 and enrolling 51,529 male health professionals aged 40 to 75 years.

The researchers examined the impact of five types of low-carbohydrate diets on 4-year weight changes.

The diets included:

• a total LCD (TLCD) centered around overall lower carbohydrate intake;
• an animal-based LCD (ALCD) centered around animal-sourced protein and fat;
• a vegetable-based LCD (VLCD) centered around plant-sourced protein and fat;
• a healthy LCD (HLCD) centered around less refined carbohydrates and more plant protein; and
• an unhealthy LCD (ULCD) centered around less healthy carbohydrates and more animal protein and unhealthy fat.

The data from the study revealed that the quality of food was a deciding factor in whether a low-carb diet was successful or not. “The key takeaway from our study is that not all LCDs (low carbohydrate diets) are created equal when it comes to managing weight in the long term,” said Binkai Liu, MS, a research assistant in the department of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Until now, most research surrounding the impact of low-carb diets hasn’t focused on the quality of foods consumed. But with so much new information on the impact of red meats and processed animal products (along with processed foods in general), it’s hard to ignore that what you eat is likely going to impact your overall health and weight as much, if not more than, the macros (e.g. fat, protein, and carbs) of what you consume.

Another study added another layer to the argument that when it comes to carbs, what you consume is more impactful than the amount. Published in BMJ, the study included more than 137,000 people in the U.S. over a period of two decades. Participants who ate more whole grains, fruit and non-starchy vegetables — such as broccoli, carrots and spinach — and fewer refined grains, starchy vegetables and sugary drinks gained less weight over the period of the study. Senior author, Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health says the data from the study shows “the quality of the carbohydrates in a person’s diet is much more important than the amount,” and added, “You want to increase whole grains and limit starchy vegetables”.

It goes beyond just the impact to our waistlines. Another study focused on the impact to longevity when it comes to cutting carbs and the foods that are consumed in place of the carbs. For the study, more than 15,000 adults ages 45-65 were followed for 25 years. In that time, 6,283 died. Those who ate 50-55 percent of their calories from carbohydrates had a lower risk of death from all causes during the research. Those who ate lower OR higher amounts of carbs had a higher risk. The types of foods people ate instead of carbs were associated with very different types of outcomes. Lead study author Dr. Sara Seidelmann of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Seidelmann explained, ” Replacing carbohydrates with animal-based proteins or fat was associated with a higher mortality. This was reversed when energy from carbohydrates was replaced with plant-based proteins.” She added, “The key message from this study is that it is not enough to focus on cutting carbohydrates alone, but instead to focus on the types of food replacing them. The study wasn’t designed to prove whether or how eating fewer carbohydrates or more vegetables might directly impact longevity. But it’s possible plant-based proteins help people live longer by reducing inflammation and the so-called oxidative stress.”

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When adjusting the types of carbs you consume, move to include more non-starchy carbs, for example:

It isn’t all black and white- many foods that contain starches, like oatmeal, legumes, and some vegetables (like sweet potatoes, corn, and peas) are beneficial to our health. However, the more you reduce refined grains and sugary foods, the better.

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Instead of diving into the latest fad diet or fitness program, make changes that will not only help keep the pounds off, but that will improve your quality of life. Start with the basics- improve the quality of foods you eat, be more active, get better sleep, hydrate, and work to decrease stress.

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-https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20240104/lowcarb-diet-emphasizing-healthful-plantbased-foods-linked-to-slower-weight-gain

-https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2813286

-https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2813286#zoi231439r10

-https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2813286#zoi231439r11

-https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2813286#zoi231439r12

-https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/what-are-macronutrients

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