Eat like a superstar
AS THE QUEEN OF POP TURNS 60, LEARNS MORE ABOUT MADONNA’S MACROBIOTIC DIET
DIETS that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat should be avoided due to a possible link with shortened life spans, scientists warn.
Eating carbohydrates in moderation seems to be optimal for health and living a long life, the research found. The study, published in the Lancet Public Health journal, said low-carb diets are popular in Europe and the US, where the research was carried out.
The findings also suggest that while replacing carbohydrates with animal-based proteins and fats from foods like beef, lamb, pork, chicken and cheese was associated with a greater risk of mortality, eating more plant-based proteins and fats from foods such as vegetables, legumes and nuts was linked to lower mortality.
The observational study of more than 15,400 people in the US found that diets both low and high in carbohydrates were linked with an increase in mortality, while moderate consumers had the lowest risk of mortality.
The primary findings were confirmed in a meta-analysis of studies on carbohydrate intake including over 432,000 people from more than 20 countries.
Dr Sara Seidelmann, clinical and research fellow in cardiovascular medicine from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, who led the research, said: “Our data suggests that animal-based low carbohydrate diets, prevalent in North America and Europe, might be associated with shorter overall life span and should be discouraged.
“Instead, if one chooses to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, then exchanging carbohydrates for more plant-based fats and proteins might actually promote healthy ageing in the long term.”
Researchers estimated that from the age of 50, the average life expectancy was an additional 33 years for those with moderate carbohydrate intake – four years longer than those with very low carbohydrate consumption, and one year longer than those with high consumption.
Dr Ian Johnson, emeritus fellow at the Quadram Institute Bioscience in Norwich, said: “The national dietary guidelines for the UK, recommend carbohydrates should account for 50% of total dietary energy intake.
“It is gratifying to see from the new study that this level of carbohydrate intake seems to be optimal for longevity.”