Pros point to perils of pasta!
Study: Eating too much protein or pasta ups early death risk; moderation is key
Think carefully before you pass on that pasta.
Low-carb diets can lead to an early death if you're eating the wrong foods while on them. Those who nosh on too few carbs, and those who feast on too many, have an increased risk of mortality compared with those who enjoy moderate amounts, according to a new study published in The Lancet.
Replacing calories from carbs with meat rather than veggies was also a major factor in how well those on low-carb plans fared.
When researchers looked at total carbohydrate intake of study participants without taking into account other food they y ate, they y found that those who got less than 40% of their energy from carbs, as well as those who got more than 70% of their energy from carbs, had increased mortality compared to those whose diets consisted of 50– 55% carbohydrates.
The study followed more than 15,000 people between 45 and 64 years old in four different areas of the U.S. Participants took a questionnaire on their diets between 1987 and 1989, then had follow-ups about 25 years later, on average. Researchers found that those who got about half their energy from carbs had the lowest risk of mortality, while both highand low-carb diets resulted in earlier death.
Those on low-carb diets who favored animal-based proteins like lamb, beef, pork, and chicken died at higher rates than those who got their protein from veggies, nuts, peanut butter and whole-grain bread.
The study, led by Dr. Sara Seidelmann of the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, was funded by the National Institutes of Health.